Today in the MHSAA: 10/14/15

October 14, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

With Lower Peninsula golf and tennis heading into the MHSAA Finals this weekend, it’s cross country, soccer and volleyball teams’ turns to claim league championships.

Cross Country

Lower Peninsula Division 3 No. 5 Shepherd won its sixth straight Tri-Valley Conference Central girls championship with the top four finishers at the final league jamboree – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Boys Soccer

Hillsdale Academy won the Hillsdale Cup and clinched a league title with a shootout win over Hillsdale High – Hillsdale Daily News

Division 2 No. 6 Spring Lake and No. 9 Fruitport will split the Lakes 8 Conference title thanks to the former’s 4-1 victory over Division 3 No. 11 Ludington on Tuesday – Muskegon Chronicle

Girls Swimming and Diving

LP Division 1 No. 6 Brighton opened its new pool by handing honorable mention Grand Blanc its first loss this season – Livingston Daily

Volleyball

Lake Odessa Lakewood, No. 7 in Class B, stayed undefeated in Greater Lansing Activities Conference play with a three-set win over Class D No. 5 Lansing Christian – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

Class B No. 7 Chelsea clinched its second straight Southeastern Conference White championship with a sweep of Tecumseh – AnnArbor.com

West Bloomfield unseated two-time reigning champion Farmington Hills Harrison in the Oakland Activities Association White, coming back from a first-set loss to claim the deciding match – Oakland Press

Ortonville-Brandon continued a 13-3 run coming off a 3-7 start this fall with a 3-1 win over Flushing – Flint Journal

Good Reads

The MHSAA Finals preview of Port Huron-area boys tennis teams kicks off with a look at 50-year Armada coach Dave Fredette – Port Huron Times-Herald

The origins of the unique Ann Arbor Huron River Rat mascot are tough to lock down, but this report looks at a few theories – AnnArbor.com

Today in the MHSAA: 11/16/15

November 16, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A longtime cross country contributor retires, a volleyball underdog prepares, another winter sport gets rolling and a football super fan provides his community with unending support.

Cross Country

Longtime Port Huron coach Lowell Speiss has called it a career after more than 60 years running, coaching and scoring the sport – Port Huron Times-Herald

Ice Hockey

Livingston County is one of Michigan’s strongest when it comes to high school hockey, and the Livingston Daily came out with its preseason preview Sunday – Livingston Daily

Volleyball

Traverse City West is next up to take on reigning Class A champion Romeo, and the Titans are looking to take the step to Battle Creek after just missing two seasons ago – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Good Read

“End Zone Joe” is Johannesburg-Lewiston’s super fan, an example of community people who play huge parts in the local high school team’s success and experience – Gaylord Herald-Times