Today in the MHSAA: 10/16/15

October 16, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

First-time champions are always worth noting, and we found a few in checking out today’s media reports of Thursday action statewide.

Cross Country

The Calumet girls, ranked No. 4 in Upper Peninsula Division 1, and the unranked Houghton boys won the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference finals at Chassell – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Boys Soccer

Grand Rapids Union clinched its first league title since moving from the Grand Rapids City League to the Ottawa-Kent Conference, downing Muskegon 3-0 – Grand Rapids Press

Manchester edged Hillsdale Academy 2-1 to claim its first Independent Soccer League championship after winning only one league game in 2014 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Volleyball

Class B honorable mention Buchanan downed Class C’s top-ranked team, Bronson, in five sets, and also Class D No. 6 Mendon in five – Niles Daily Star

Class B No. 6 Mount Morris avenged a five-set loss to No. 5 Goodrich in September by sweeping the Martians to improve to 55-5-1 – Flint Journal

Zeeland West claimed its first conference title in this sport, defeating Holland Christian in five sets to claim a share of the O-K Green championship – Holland Sentinel

Good Reads

Longtime Burton Atherton leader Mary Down will become the third volleyball coach inducted into the Greater Flint Area Hall of Fame, having impacted a generation of players and more as a number of former players went on to coach as well – Flint Journal

Today in the MHSAA: 11/20/15

November 20, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Thursday’s Volleyball Semifinals set up two championship-deciding rematches, while athletes across the Lower Peninsula readied for the Swimming and Diving Finals beginning today.

Swimming and Diving

The Holland Sentinel provides plenty of reasons why even the casual fan should check out this weekend’s Lower Peninsula Division 1 Final at the Holland Aquatic Center – Holland Sentinel

Port Huron Northern diver Hallie Roman finished first in every competition during the regular season and became her school’s first MHSAA finalist in the sport since 2010 – Port Huron Times-Herald

Volleyball

Romeo will play for a second straight Class A title after downing Livonia Churchill in five sets in Class A – Macomb Daily

Top-ranked Novi earned an MHSAA Final rematch with Romeo by sweeping No. 3-ranked Grand Rapids Christian – Oakland Press

Battle Creek St. Philip will play for its 10th straight MHSAA championship after edging top-ranked Plymouth Christian in the first match of the day – Battle Creek Enquirer

Leland also earned an MHSAA Finals rematch in Class D with a win over Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart – Traverse City Record-Eagle