Today in the MHSAA: 10/18/17
October 18, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
Today's Top 10
1. Boys Soccer: Division 4 No. 9 Elk Rapids came back from a two-goal deficit to get past Northport 4-3 in overtime and advance in their District – Traverse City Record-Eagle
2. Volleyball: Class C No. 7 Calumet finished an outright Western Peninsula Athletic Conference title with a five-set win over rival Houghton, coming back after losing the second and third games – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
3. Boys Cross Country: Although it didn’t win the final Blue Water Area Conference jamboree, Yale clinched its first boys league title in 22 years – Port Huron Times Herald
4. Boys Cross Country: Jonesville claimed its first league title since 2003, finishing ahead of rival Concord (No. 7 in LPD4) to win the Big 8 Conference – Hillsdale Daily News
5. Volleyball: New Haven improved to 27-0 and clinched the Macomb Area Conference Bronze title with a sweep of Clinton Township Clintondale – Macomb Daily
6. Girls Cross Country: The Lower Peninsula Division 2 No. 10 Remus Chippewa Hills girls finished a sweep of Central State Activities Association Gold jamborees to claim the league title – Big Rapids News
7. Cross Country: Bad Axe’s boys won their first league title since 2009, as both Ubly teams and the Reese girls also won repeat championships in the Greater Thumb Conference East and West; Ubly’s boys are No. 4 in LPD4 and the girls are No. 6 – Huron Daily Tribune
8. Cross Country: Spring Lake’s boys (No. 8 in LPD2) and girls (No. 11) also swept league titles, winning in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue – Grand Haven Tribune
9. Boys Soccer: Fruitport downed Sparta 5-0 in Division 2 as Zack Shane scored all five goals and broke his school’s single-season scoring record – Local Sports Journal
10. Cross Country: The Pittsford girls (No. 11 in LPD4) and Battle Creek St. Philip boys (No. 6) also finished league title runs, in the Southern Central Athletic Association – Hillsdale Daily News
Also of note:
Volleyball: Gwinn got past Iron Mountain in five sets and after dropping the first two to secure a share of the Mid-Peninsula Conference championship – Marquette Mining Journal
Cross Country: From Monday, the St. Ignace girls (No. 1 in UPD2) and Brimley boys (No. 3 in UPD3) finished sweeps of Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference jamborees to claim league titles – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News
Boys Soccer: From Monday, Division 4 No. 6 Hillsdale Academy won an early big-time matchup, downing No. 7 Adrian Lenawee Christian 2-0 in District play – Adrian Daily Telegram
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)