Today in the MHSAA: 10/12/15

October 12, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Some of the most prestigious cross country races of the regular season were run across the state over both peninsulas this weekend as teams continued to gear up for the final month of their 2015 campaigns.

Cross Country

Portage Central hosted what’s annually one of the most competitive invitationals in the state – the girls races by division were won by Division 1 No. 2 Northville, Division 2 No. 2 Grand Rapids Christian, Division 3 No. 5 Lansing Catholic and Division 4 No. 1 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart – Kalamazoo Gazette

The Portage Central Invitational boys races were won, by division, by Division 1 No. 2 Rockford, Division 2 No. 1 Fremont, Division 3 No. 2 Lansing Catholic and Division 4 No. 1 Saugatuck – Kalamazoo Gazette

The No. 6 Harbor Springs girls and No. 7 boys (both in Lower Peninsula Division 4) swept races at the Sault Ste. Marie Invitational – Petoskey News

The Birmingham Seaholm girls and Novi boys won Oakland County championships Saturday, the Seaholm girls for the fifth straight season – Oakland Press

Boys Soccer

Division 2 No. 11 Coldwater remained undefeated at home this season with a 2-2 draw against No. 2 Mattawan – Coldwater Daily Reporter

Boys Tennis

Charlotte’s Alex Reinbold won his fourth MHSAA Regional title, and this time his team will join him at the Final for the first time in school history – Lansing State Journal

Midland Dow won its Division 2 Regional, and No. 2 singles Michael Szabo added to his MHSAA record for career wins set earlier in the week by also breaking the record for 6-0, 6-0, victories – Midland Daily News

Volleyball

Portage Central won the East Kentwood Invitational over a field that included Class A No. 4 Grand Haven; East Kentwood defeated the Buccaneers in the semifinal after falling to them Thursday – Grand Rapids Press

Did You See That? (May 6-12)

May 13, 2013

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

It matters not which school you support: All of us cheer on those who emerge from sad or challenging circumstances to return to the field of play. Those are stories with which we all identify, no matter where they take place or the athletes involved.

Grass Lake's Julia Covill and the Grayling golf team are among those we cheered on last week. Read on for why.

Good Read of the Week

One more race: A little more than a year ago, Julia Covill suffered a broken pelvis, shattered femur and a smattering of other injuries after losing control of her vehicle on a patch of black ice. The volleyball and track and field standout hadn’t participated in sports since – but returned to the track for one more race Tuesday to earn a final victory, even in crossing the finishing line of the 200-meter dash last. (Jackson Citizen-Patriot)

Boys Golf

Grayling returns to the course: Long drives and birdie putts were less significant details as Grayling returned to competition Wednesday for the first time since a car crash that rocked the northern Lower Peninsula, resulting in three deaths and five more hospitalizations. (Petoskey  News)

TC West record falls: Cam Murray shot a 67 on Tuesday as Traverse City West won its Big North Conference event with a team score of 306. (Traverse City Record-Eagle)

Track and Field

Back on track: The Lake Linden-Hubbell boys and girls swept their home invitationals Friday in what was for many one of the first times those athletes had competed on a track this season thanks to lingering snow. (Houghton Daily Mining Gazette)

Down to the finish: The Battle Creek Lakeview boys and girls teams swept their Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference championship meets Friday, with the Lakeview boys clinching in dramatic fashion by securing a one-point win with a 1.23-second victory in the final event of the day. (Kalamazoo Gazette)

Boys Lacrosse

Haslett/Williamston takes big step: The Vikings earned their first Capital Area Activities Conference tournament championship with a 13-3 win over Holt, the three-time reigning champ that had beaten Haslett/Williamston 14-3 on April 27. The win pushed H/W into the No. 10 spot in today’s Division 2 state computer ranking. (Lansing State Journal)

Novi hangs on: Novi survived to win the Kensington Lakes Activities Association tournament championship game 7-6 after a last-second Brighton shot crossed the line just after time expired. (MLive Detroit)

Girls Tennis

FHN No. 1 again: Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern continued to own its league Saturday, although this time in a new division. The Huskies won the first-ever O-K Bronze tournament championship by four points over Ada Forest Hills Eastern. FHN has won nine straight league titles. (Grand Rapids Press)

Wrestling

Meet Mr. Wrestler: Fowlerville’s Adam Coon added to his impressive list of accomplishments – including becoming the 17th MHSAA wrestler to win four Finals championships – when he was named Mr. Wrestler by the Michigan Wrestling Association. (Livingston County Daily Press & Argus)

Upper Peninsula Hall of Fame

High school stars inducted: High school standouts brought back plenty of memories as this year’s class was inducted Sunday into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame. (Marquette Mining Journal)

Boys Basketball

Root resigns after 30+ seasons: Longtime Flint Ainsworth and then Carman-Ainsworth basketball coach Bob Root resigned last week, potentially finishing a career that began at Flint Northern in 1978. (Flint Journal)