Today in the MHSAA: 10/23/15

October 23, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Notable milestones made headlines Thursday – among them, Rockford’s boys cross country team extending an incredible championship streak and one of Michigan’s best volleyball coaches being celebrated for 1,000 victories.

Cross Country

The Milford girls and White Lake Lakeland boys, both ranked No. 5 in Lower Peninsula Division 1, won Kensington Lakes Activities Association Lakes championships; Milford’s girls finished ahead of No. 4 Brighton and No. 12 Waterford Mott – Oakland Press

The Rockford boys, No. 1 in LPD1, won their 21st straight league title, claiming the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red; Rockford’s 10th-ranked girls added their third straight league title – Grand Rapids Press

Boys Soccer

Unranked Okemos edged No. 11 Portage Central in a Division 1 semifinal 2-1 after jumping out to a two-goal lead – Kalamazoo Gazette

Division 2 No. 14 Petoskey advanced despite three Cadillac comebacks, finally winning a 5-4 semifinal – Petoskey News

Division 3 No. 4 Hudsonville Unity Christian repeated as a district champion with a 2-1 win over No. 18 Grand Rapids Catholic Central – Grand Rapids Press

Volleyball

Unionville-Sebewaing, an MHSAA semifinalist in 2014, won its fourth straight Greater Thumb Conference West title by avenging an earlier loss to Bad Axe with a five-set win – Huron Daily Tribune

Class D No. 6 North Adams-Jerome needed to reach 31-29 to win its first set against Pittsford before finishing a sweep – Hillsdale Daily News

Good Reads

Battle Creek Enquirer sports editor Bill Broderick says what a lot of former high school football players have felt in his message to seniors playing their final games this week and over the next few – Battle Creek Enquirer

Longtime Midland Dow, Pinconning and now Bronson volleyball coach Jean LaClair won her 1,000th match last week; her team is ranked No. 1 in Class C and she was the 2015 MHSAA Women in Sports Leadership Award winner – Sturgis Journal

Today in the MHSAA: 4/27/16

April 27, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A southwest Michigan pitcher threw a second straight no-hitter Tuesday, but balls were flying out of the park in that corner of the state’s softball diamonds.

Baseball

Morley Stanwood came back from six runs down to beat Holton and stay atop its division in the Central State Activities Association – Big Rapids News

Maple City Glen Lake improved to 11-1 with a sweep of Frankfort including a walk-off bunt in the second game – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Coldwater’s Nick Shaw threw his second straight no-hitter, this time against Parma Western – Coldwater Daily News

Zeeland East’s Ben Martin struck out nine in a five-inning no-hitter against Muskegon – Holland Sentinel

Softball

Utica Eisenhower handed Utica Ford its first loss this season in a bit of a surprise given last year's results – Macomb Daily

Three Rivers won the first game 15-5 and Sturgis the second 18-11, and together they hit nine home runs over the doubleheader – Sturgis Journal

Stevensville Lakeshore and St. Joseph combined for three grand slams during their doubleheader – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

From Saturday, Escanaba’s Katie Ross threw a no-hitter to beat Norway in the title game of the inaugural Yooper Tournament at Gladstone – Iron Mountain Daily News

Track & Field

The Cadillac girls picked up two more Big North Conference wins over Traverse City West and Gaylord after beating Traverse City Central last week for the first time in program history – Cadillac News

Grand Haven freshman Gabby Hentemann is quickly making a name for herself after adding her school’s freshman records in the 1,600 and 800 to her previous 3,200 record in a loss to Hudsonville; all three times are second-fastest in school history regardless of class – Grand Haven Tribune