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
Did You See That? (May 6-12)
May 13, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
It matters not which school you support: All of us cheer on those who emerge from sad or challenging circumstances to return to the field of play. Those are stories with which we all identify, no matter where they take place or the athletes involved.
Grass Lake's Julia Covill and the Grayling golf team are among those we cheered on last week. Read on for why.
Good Read of the Week
One more race: A little more than a year ago, Julia Covill suffered a broken pelvis, shattered femur and a smattering of other injuries after losing control of her vehicle on a patch of black ice. The volleyball and track and field standout hadn’t participated in sports since – but returned to the track for one more race Tuesday to earn a final victory, even in crossing the finishing line of the 200-meter dash last. (Jackson Citizen-Patriot)
Boys Golf
Grayling returns to the course: Long drives and birdie putts were less significant details as Grayling returned to competition Wednesday for the first time since a car crash that rocked the northern Lower Peninsula, resulting in three deaths and five more hospitalizations. (Petoskey News)
TC West record falls: Cam Murray shot a 67 on Tuesday as Traverse City West won its Big North Conference event with a team score of 306. (Traverse City Record-Eagle)
Track and Field
Back on track: The Lake Linden-Hubbell boys and girls swept their home invitationals Friday in what was for many one of the first times those athletes had competed on a track this season thanks to lingering snow. (Houghton Daily Mining Gazette)
Down to the finish: The Battle Creek Lakeview boys and girls teams swept their Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference championship meets Friday, with the Lakeview boys clinching in dramatic fashion by securing a one-point win with a 1.23-second victory in the final event of the day. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
Boys Lacrosse
Haslett/Williamston takes big step: The Vikings earned their first Capital Area Activities Conference tournament championship with a 13-3 win over Holt, the three-time reigning champ that had beaten Haslett/Williamston 14-3 on April 27. The win pushed H/W into the No. 10 spot in today’s Division 2 state computer ranking. (Lansing State Journal)
Novi hangs on: Novi survived to win the Kensington Lakes Activities Association tournament championship game 7-6 after a last-second Brighton shot crossed the line just after time expired. (MLive Detroit)
Girls Tennis
FHN No. 1 again: Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern continued to own its league Saturday, although this time in a new division. The Huskies won the first-ever O-K Bronze tournament championship by four points over Ada Forest Hills Eastern. FHN has won nine straight league titles. (Grand Rapids Press)
Wrestling
Meet Mr. Wrestler: Fowlerville’s Adam Coon added to his impressive list of accomplishments – including becoming the 17th MHSAA wrestler to win four Finals championships – when he was named Mr. Wrestler by the Michigan Wrestling Association. (Livingston County Daily Press & Argus)
Upper Peninsula Hall of Fame
High school stars inducted: High school standouts brought back plenty of memories as this year’s class was inducted Sunday into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame. (Marquette Mining Journal)
Boys Basketball
Root resigns after 30+ seasons: Longtime Flint Ainsworth and then Carman-Ainsworth basketball coach Bob Root resigned last week, potentially finishing a career that began at Flint Northern in 1978. (Flint Journal)