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: 11/17/15

November 17, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The MHSAA Volleyball Tournament continues with Quarterfinals tonight, so here’s a look at a team in each class – to go with today’s Second Half story on Cadillac – plus a report on this season’s Miss Volleyball, Gia Milana of Romeo.

Volleyball

In one of the least surprising awards races in a while, Romeo’s Gia Milana was named Miss Volleyball on Monday in advance of leading the reigning Class A champion against Traverse City West tonight – Macomb Daily

While Class A top-ranked Novi knows this final week well, it doesn’t know much about unranked Grosse Pointe North, its opponent tonight and one of the surprises this month – Oakland Press

Battle Creek Harper Creek, led by a strong senior crew, has improved from 21-25-10 three seasons ago to the No. 4-ranked team in Class B this fall – Battle Creek Enquirer

Laingsburg has a school record 43 wins and will play in an MHSAA Quarterfinal for the first time tonight when it faces Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central in Class C – Lansing State Journal

Class D No. 8 Mendon has necessary confidence heading into its Quarterfinal against reigning champion Battle Creek St. Philip, which eliminated Mendon in this round last season – Three Rivers Commercial-News