Today in the MHSAA: 10/27/15

October 27, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A pair of notable volleyball accomplishments for two of the state’s top Class B teams tops the headlines from Monday’s action from across the state.

Cross Country

Detroit Catholic Central won its ninth straight Detroit Catholic League championship, while Waterford Our Lady’s Tessa Fornari won her fourth individual title – Oakland Press

Waldron senior Alicia Roney won the Sand Creek Invitational after finishing second each of the last two seasons – Hillsdale Daily News

Boys Soccer

From Saturday, Division 2 No. 1 Holland Christian downed No. 11 East Grand Rapids with a second-half goal to win a District title – Holland Sentinel

Also from Saturday, Leslie won its first District title, led by coach and former Mason standout goalkeeper Jake Derby, who also led the Leslie girls team to its first District title during the spring – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Volleyball

Class B top-ranked Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard continued its surge, downing No. 5 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep to win the Class A-B championship of the Detroit Catholic League – Oakland Press

The Catholic League C-D final matched unranked Madison Heights Bishop Foley and Allen Park Cabrini, but Bishop Foley built on a semifinal win over Class D No. 6 Waterford Our Lady by winning the title in four sets – Oakland Press

Saginaw Swan Valley, an honorable mention in Class B, downed Birch Run, Hemlock and Saginaw Valley Lutheran to set a school record by improving to 51 wins this fall – Saginaw News

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