Today in the MHSAA: 10/31/16

October 31, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Regionals all over the Lower Peninsula determined the fields for this weekend’s races at Michigan International Speedway – click for all results – while three more boys soccer teams secured Semifinal bids.

Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.

Cross Country

The Caledonia boys, No. 7 in Lower Peninsula Division 1, won their first Regional title in eight years, while Battle Creek Lakeview’s girls (also ranked No. 7) also earned a Division 1 title at Portage Central – Grand Rapids Press

Rockford’s boys (No. 6) won their third straight Division 1 Regional title led by individual Finals favorite Cole Johnson; Rockford’s girls (No. 10) also won ahead of honorable mention Grand Haven and No. 4 Traverse City Central – Grand Rapids Press

The No. 6 Brighton girls won their latest matchup with No. 5 Pinckney by a point in a Division 1 Regional; honorable mention Okemos won the boys championship at Huron Meadows Metropark – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Boys Soccer

Reigning Division 4 champion and current No. 6-ranked Burton Genesee Christian earned a return to the Semifinals with a 3-0 win over Marlette in Division 4 – The Burton View

No. 3 Ann Arbor Greenhills edged top-ranked Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 1-0 to earn a Division 4 Semifinal with Genesee Christian.

Division 3 No. 13 Lansing Catholic downed No. 6 Grosse Ile in a shootout after the teams were tied 2-2 at the end of overtime – Southgate News-Herald

Girls Swimming & Diving

Northville, ranked No. 6 in Lower Peninsula Division 1, won the Kensington Lakes Activities Association Central title for the sixth straight season, finishing first in nine of 12 events at the league meet – Observer & Eccentric

Volleyball

Rogers City and Posen won North Star League championships at the conference tournament, Rogers City the Big Dipper title and Posen the Little Dipper division – Alpena News

Today in the MHSAA: 8/31/15

August 31, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The final weekend of August was a giant weekend for MHSAA volleyball contenders, with some of the top regular-season events this fall providing opportunities for the best to see how they might match up when playoffs begin in two months.

Below are headlines for some of the key high school reports from across the state; the weekend’s football round-up will publish later this afternoon.  

Cross Country

Muskegon Reeths-Puffer’s Maryssa Depies set a course record of 18:11.3 to win the Big Red Invitational at McGraft Park – Muskegon Chronicle

Flint Powers Catholic’s top individual finisher came in ninth, but the Chargers girls as a team were first at the Lansing Catholic Invitational – Flint Journal

The reigning Lower Peninsula Division 2 champion Grand Rapids Christian boys repeated as winner of the prestigious Benzie Central Invitational, finishing ahead of Traverse City West and Central, while Central senior Anthony Berry won individually in 15:24 – Grand Rapids Press

Boys Soccer

Tawas, a Division 3 semifinalist last season, finished first from an Elk Rapids Invitational field that included Berkley and Saginaw Nouvel – Bay City Times

Volleyball

Lake Odessa Lakewood, last season’s Class B runner-up and the second-ranked team in that class this week, eliminated Class A No. 6 Grand Rapids Christian to win the West Michigan Volleyball Officials Association tournament for the first time in a decade – Grand Rapids Press

Class A No. 4 Grand Haven continued its perfect run at its outdoor Battle of the Boardwalk tournament, sweeping three opponents to remain undefeated through the event's third year – Grand Haven Tribune

Battle Creek Harper Creek, No. 9 in Class B, improved to 17-0 by winning the Cereal City Tournament at Pennfield with a 2-1 championship match win over Temperance Bedford, an MHSAA semifinalist last season in Class A – Battle Creek Enquirer

Good Reads

The Holland Sentinel introduced its top female athletes in that area’s history Sunday, and highlighted nationally-known softball star Kathy Arendsen and her successes during one of the MHSAA’s first Softball Finals – Holland Sentinel

Anyone who follows high school football history will enjoy going through the Muskegon Chronicle’s sampling of top-20 moments from that area’s football past – Muskegon Chronicle

More than 60 former Shepherd High School players from the last 25 seasons returned for an alumni doubleheader Sunday to honor coach Jack Nartker, who will retire after this spring – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun