Did You See That? (April 8-14)
April 30, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Near-constant rain – and for our northern schools, plenty of snow – has stalled many teams during this spring season.
But there still were plenty of notable performances as most schools returned last week from spring break and battled the elements to get back into the swing.
Below is a look, with links to coverage, of some of news and results that stuck out most:
Softball
Lake Orion mourns longtime coach: Former Lake Orion softball coach Denny Davis, who retired in 2009 with 503 wins and more than 30 seasons in the dugout, died after a heart attack on April 7. His funeral was Thursday. (Oakland Press)
Strong start: Sturgis opened its season with a no-hitter by pitcher Dominique Beach over Three Rivers in a 7-0 win. (Sturgis Journal)
Girls Tennis
Strong start II: Traverse City Central – a top team in Division 2 last season – beat Division 1 powers Midland Dow and Saline on Thursday at the Midland Tennis Center. Traverse City Central will play in Division 1 this spring. (Traverse City Record-Eagle)
Golf
Rockford rules Winding Creek: Through snow, wind and freezing temperatures, Rockford went low against 16 other teams to win Saturday’s Zeeland East Invitational with a score of 314. Junior A.J. Varekois shot a one-under 70 to finish as medalist. (Grand Rapids Press)
Soccer
Gull Lake golden: The Blue Devils beat rival Plainwell 2-1 on Friday in a game that likely gave Gull Lake some added push for the first Division 2 state rankings released today. Gull Lake is ranked No. 5 and Plainwell sits No. 6. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
MHSAA
Minter honored with Norris Award: Longtime MHSAA official and former assistant to the director Tom Minter has been named the Vern L. Norris Award winner for this year and will be honored at the MHSAA’s Officials’ Awards & Alumni Banquet on May 4 in East Lansing. Minter has officiated MHSAA games for 48 years and continues to serve as a clinician at training sessions all over the state. (Second Half)
Football
Mifsud heads to Parma Western: After 16 seasons leading a strong Dearborn program, coach Dave Mifsud was hired as the new leader of Parma Western’s last week. He led Dearborn to eight playoff berths over the last nine seasons – with 11-win finishes in 2004 and 2006. He is taking over a program seeking its first playoff appearance and coming off a 1-8 finish. (Jackson Citizen Patriot)
Monroe Jefferson’s Cisco steps down: After 47 seasons and more than 400 games leading Jefferson’s program, coach Marc Cisco announced his retirement last week. Including three more seasons as an assistant, he coached in the program for a half century. (Monroe Daily News)
Boys Track and Field
Northern wins Port Huron matchup: The boys track meet between Port Huron and Port Huron Northern came down to the day’s final event, the 1,600-meter relay. Northern finished seven seconds faster and a little more than four points better. (Port Huron Times-Herald)
Girls Lacrosse
Chargers survive Saline: Flint Powers Catholic, which missed last season’s Division 2 Semifinals via a one-goal loss to eventual runner-up Okemos, held off a comeback attempt by Saline to earn a 15-14 win Saturday. (Mlive.com)
Boys Lacrosse
Defining win: That’s how the Grand Haven Tribune defined the Buccaneers’ 12-7 victory over three-time Division 2 champion East Grand Rapids – which also has finished MHSAA runner-up in its division three times. (Grand Haven Tribune)
Today in the MHSAA: 10/15/15
October 15, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Championship are won on a seemingly daily basis in October, and plenty were earned and celebrated Wednesday – but please also check out some great reads at the bottom of this list, including a look at why specialization is increasing as a nationwide concern.
Cross Country
The Saugatuck girls, ranked No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 4, won their ninth straight Southwestern Athletic Conference title with 12 runners earning all-league honors – Grand Rapids Press
Boys Soccer
LP Division 2 No. 5 East Lansing capped an impressive run through the Capital Area Activities Conference Gold Cup by winning the final 3-1 over Grand Ledge – Lansing State Journal
LP Division 1 No. 15 East Kentwood secured its 12th Ottawa-Kent Conference Red title in 13 seasons with a 1-0 win over Grandville, helped in part by a pair of players whose ties the program go back to the early years of the run – Grand Rapids Press
LP Division 1 No. 7 Utica Ford shut out No. 14 Fraser to clinch the Macomb Area Conference Red championship – Macomb Daily
Unranked Birmingham Brother Rice stunned LP Division 1 No. 3 Detroit Catholic Central 2-1 in the championship game of the Detroit Catholic League A-B tournament – Oakland Press
LP Division 4 No. 11 Charlevoix clinched a share of the Lake Michigan Conference title with a 3-0 win over Grayling, thanks to a hat trick by Walker Drost – Charlevoix Courier
Saginaw Heritage scored the first goal Flint Powers Catholic had given up since Sept. 12, but the Chargers emerged with a 2-1 win and the overall Saginaw Valley League championship – Flint Journal
Volleyball
Lansing Catholic won the first volleyball league championship in its long history, beating Fowlerville in three sets to claim a share of the CAAC White title – Lansing State Journal
Good Reads
Single-sport specialization has become a topic of national focus and concern, and MHSAA Executive Director Jack Roberts was among association directors talked to for this report on why it’s a health-related issue and how states are working to promote multi-sport participation instead – NFHS.org
Vandercook Lake is enjoying its best football season in 45 years and plays for a league title this weekend, and is led by a three-sport athlete who has been on a long road back after Crohn’s disease led to his shedding 90 pounds only two years ago – Jackson Citizen-Patriot
The Christmas tree standing tall in front of the Capitol in Lansing this winter will come from Wakefield thanks to a donation by Florence Daniels in honor of her husband Jim, who coached Wakefield High's boys basketball team to 355 wins, 12 district the five regional titles in 28 seasons. He also was a member of Channing High’s Upper Peninsula championship team in 1944 and coached Al Inkala, who went on to become an MHSAA championship-winning girls tennis coach at Okemos – Lansing State Journal