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: 11/3/20

November 3, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The MHSAA Volleyball Tournament began at the District level Monday, and not without a full slate of nail-biters as teams across the state started their marches toward Kellogg Arena.

1. Volleyball: In a match with three sets determined by two points, No. 5 Utica Eisenhower defeated honorable mention Rochester Hills Stoney Creek in five in Division 1 – Macomb Daily

2. Volleyball: No. 10 Beal City won the first set, but No. 8 Morley Stanwood won the next three in a Division 3 opener – Big Rapids News

3. Volleyball: After losing the second set, No. 3 Saginaw Valley Lutheran came back to finish a four-set win over Reese in Division 3 – WJRT

4. Volleyball: Grand Haven began a march toward a hoped-for 14th-straight District title with a sweep of Muskegon Mona Shores in Division 1 – Local Sports Journal

5. Volleyball: Brethren came back from a two-set deficit to defeat Mason County Eastern in five in Division 4 – Manistee News Advocate

6. Volleyball: L’Anse won the final two sets to take a five-set Division 3 win over West Iron County – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

7. Volleyball: Mount Pleasant also came back to win the last two sets to get past Midland Dow in five in Division 1 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

8. Volleyball: Coldwater and Holt traded sets before the Cardinals won the fifth 15-13 in Division 1 – Coldwater Daily Reporter

9. Volleyball: Bellaire and Gaylord St. Mary also played to five sets in Division 4, with the Snowbirds emerging as winners – Up North Live

10. Volleyball: Brimley and Engadine also traded sets in Division 4 before the Bays emerged in five – MI Sports Now

Also of note …

Girls Swimming & Diving: From Saturday, top-ranked Ann Arbor Pioneer was first and No. 2 Saline second as Lower Peninsula Division 1 powers dominated the Southeastern Conference Red finale – We Love Ann Arbor