Today in the MHSAA: 11/2/15

November 2, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Cross Country and Boys Soccer Regionals finished up over the weekend and the final volleyball league tournaments were played in advance of this week’s MHSAA Districts. Click for a few of each that stuck out among the weekend’s media reports.

Cross Country

Fenton’s unranked boys won their first MHSAA Regional since 2006 and third in school history, outpacing No. 6-ranked Bay City Western in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – Flint Journal

The Alma girls will race at the MHSAA Finals for the first time since 1990 after finishing second at the LPD2 Regional in Bay City – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Boys Soccer

Division 3 No. 10 Gladwin continued its best season ever, winning its first MHSAA Regional title by downing No. 11 Ludington – Midland Daily News

Division 4 No. 3 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian got past No. 5 Leland 1-0 to claim a Regional title – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Girls Swimming and Diving

Brighton, No. 6 in LPD1, overtook Hartland in the final event to win the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West meet championship – Livingston Daily

Volleyball

The Concord volleyball team entered the Big 8 Conference tournament as the fourth seed, but with a victory earned a share of its fifth straight league title – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Class B No. 8 North Branch avenged an earlier loss to honorable mention Frankenmuth to win the all-division Tri-Valley Conference tournament championship, its 11th straight – 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