Today in the MHSAA: 11/20/19

November 20, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The field is set for this weekend’s MHSAA Volleyball Semifinals at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena after 16 Quarterfinals on Tuesday, including five that matched top-10 ranked teams.

Division 1: Reigning champion and current state poll honorable mention Lake Orion is one win closer to playing for another title after defeating unranked Mount Pleasant – State Champs Sports Network

Division 1: No. 2 Lowell came back after losing the first set to No. 3 Mattawan to earn its first trip to the Semifinals – FOX 17

Division 1: Top-ranked Farmington Hills Mercy continued its near-perfect run this fall with a Quarterfinal win over unranked Macomb L’Anse Creuse North – Oakland Press

Division 1: Unranked Ann Arbor Skyline will make its first trip to the Semifinals thanks to a sweep over unranked Livonia Churchill – Detroit News

Division 2: Reigning champion and top-ranked Grand Rapids Christian will return to the Semifinals after a win over No. 4 Hamilton – WZZM

Division 2: No. 5 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep is headed back to the Semifinals after a sweep of unranked Warren Regina – Oakland Press

Division 2: No. 2 Lake Odessa Lakewood swept honorable mention Ida to earn a rematch with a familiar opponent – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

Division 2: No. 6 Kingsley swept unranked Freeland to advance to the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2004 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Division 3: No. 7 Beaverton ran its winning streak to 37 with a sweep of honorable mention Traverse City St. Francis – Midland Daily News

Division 3: No. 10 Saginaw Valley Lutheran earned its first Quarterfinal win in this sport, sweeping unranked Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest – Saginaw News

Division 3: No. 1 Schoolcraft swept No. 4 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian to move on to the Semifinals – WWMT

Division 3: No. 2 Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central swept unranked Hudson to also earn a familiar trip to Kellogg – Adrian Daily Telegram

Division 4: Reigning champion and top-ranked Mendon earned a return trip to Battle Creek with a 3-1 win over No. 2 Camden-Frontier – Sturgis Journal

Division 4: No. 5 Leland swept No. 6 Merrill to also earn a return to Kellogg Arena – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Division 4: No. 10 Rudyard won in four sets over honorable mention Carney-Nadeau to earn a trip downstate – MI Sports Now

Division 4: No. 4 Southfield Christian swept unranked Ubly to reach the Semifinals for the second-straight season – Oakland Press

Also of note …

Volleyball: Mercy’s Jess Mruzik was named the 18th Miss Volleyball Award winner – State Champs Sports Network

Today in the MHSAA: 11/11/19

November 11, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

District week of the MHSAA Volleyball Tournament closed with more champions earning their way to Regionals, but swimming & diving earned the brightest weekend headlines with power-packed league meets and historic accomplishments.

1. Girls Swimming & Diving: Saline – No. 4 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – edged top-ranked Ann Arbor Pioneer by 16 points to win the Southeastern Conference Red meet – Saline Post

2. Girls Swimming & Diving: Grand Blanc won the Saginaw Valley League meet, ending LPD2 No. 7 Midland Dow’s 13-year hold on the title – Midland Daily News

3. Girls Swimming & Diving: LPD2 No. 6 Dexter won its 22nd straight league championship, finishing ahead of runner-up and LPD3 No. 9 Chelsea at the Southeastern Conference White meet – Chelsea Sun Times News

4. Girls Swimming & Diving: No. 5 Northville was first, No. 9 Novi second and No. 7 Brighton third at the Kensington Lakes Activities Association meet – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

5. Volleyball: Escanaba swept Menominee in Division 2 to claim its first District title in this sport – Escanaba Daily Press

6. Volleyball: Jackson Northwest won the final two sets of a five-set victory over Okemos in Division 1 to claim its first District title in this sport since 2001 – Jackson Citizen Patriot

7. Volleyball: Niles Brandywine avenged last month’s league-deciding loss to honorable mention Bridgman with a five-set Division 3 District title win – Niles Daily Star

8. Volleyball: Sterling Heights Stevenson went to an 18-16 fifth-set win to get past Macomb Dakota for a Division 1 District title – Macomb Daily

9. Volleyball: Ann Arbor Skyline repeated as a Division 1 District champion with a sweep of honorable mention Saline – We Love Ann Arbor

10. Volleyball: Honorable mention Edwardsburg swept Buchanan in Division 2 to finish a third straight District title run – Niles Daily Star

Also of note …

Girls Swimming & Diving: LPD1 honorable mention Zeeland finished an outright Ottawa-Kent Conference Green championship with a league meet win – Holland Sentinel

Girls Swimming & Diving: LPD1 No. 3 Rockford edged honorable mention Holland West Ottawa to claim the O-K Red meet title – Holland Sentinel

Volleyball: From Thursday, Ionia defeated Central Montcalm in five sets in Division 2 to earn its first District championship in this sport since 1977 – Greenville Daily News