Today in the MHSAA: 11/5/20

November 5, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The MHSAA Boys Soccer Finals pairings were set in Semifinals on Wednesday with a pair of teams advancing for the first time and three teams earning repeat appearances including both finalists in Division 3.

1. Boys soccer: In a rematch of last year’s Division 1 Final, this time it was No. 2 (MPR) Traverse City West 4-0 over No. 5 and reigning champion Troy Athens – Up North Live

2. Boys Soccer: No. 9 (MPR) Grandville Calvin Christian’s 19th shutout this season sent it to the Finals for the first time as the Squires downed No. 14 Leland 3-0 – Grand Rapids Press

3. Boys Soccer: No. 6 (MPR) DeWitt earned its first championship game appearance, advancing to the Division 2 Final with a win over Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood – Oakland Press

4. Boys Soccer: No. 6 (MPR) Adrian Lenawee Christian earned its first Finals berth in this sport, downing Clarkston Everest Collegiate 2-0 in Division 4 – Adrian Lenawee Christian

5. Boys Soccer: No. 4 (MPR) Grand Rapids South Christian downed No. 1 Elk Rapids in a shootout to return to the Division 3 championship game – Grand Rapids Press

6. Boys Soccer: No. 3 (MPR) Richland Gull Lake solidified its spot in the Finals with a 5-1 win over No. 8 East Grand Rapids in Division 2 – WWMT

7. Boys Soccer: No. 2 (MPR) and reigning champion Grosse Ile will return to the Division 3 Final thanks to a 4-0 win over Williamston – State Champs Sports Network

8. Boys Soccer: Top-ranked (MPR) Detroit Catholic Central came back from a two-goal deficit to defeat Berkley in Division 1, 3-2 – Observer & Eccentric

9. Volleyball: Lake Orion upset honorable mention Oxford to advance in their Division 1 District – Oakland Press

10. Volleyball: With three players out, Midland still upset Bay City Central in five sets in Division 1 – Midland Daily News

Today in the MHSAA: 8/24/20

August 24, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Cross country statewide and volleyball, boys soccer and girls swimming & diving in northern Michigan were able to kick off competition over the weekend, bringing a fresh slate of storylines to the return of high school athletics in this state.

1. Cross Country: Bay City Western ran its first dual meets in 21 years, with the boys defeating Freeland and the Freeland girls winning by two in a matchup of possible Finals contenders – Bay City Times

2. Girls Golf: Rockford edged St. Joseph by 11 strokes to win the Sydney Carfine Invitational at The Meadows – Local Sports Journal

3. Boys Tennis: South Lyon freshman Cameron Crosby dominated No. 1 singles in highlighting the season-opening Pinckney quad – Livingston Daily

4. Volleyball: Grand Haven opened with a strong showing at Cadillac, defeating the host Vikings, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern and Coopersville – Grand Haven Tribune

5. Boys Tennis: Big Rapids won back-to-back quads at Ludington and Wyoming – Big Rapids News

6. Volleyball: Petoskey edged Alpena 25-23, 25-19 to win the Sault Ste. Marie Invitational – Alpena News

7. Cross Country: Adrian Lenawee Christian swept championships at the Addison Early Bird Invitational – JTV

8. Girls Tennis: Ishpeming Westwood and Iron Mountain swept their tri-meets as the annual Kingsford Invitational was split into two round-robins to account for COVID-19 restrictions – Iron Mountain Daily News

9. Girls Golf: Parma Western shot a 380 to win its invitational by nine strokes – JTV

10. Boys Soccer: Traverse City Central outscored Manistee and Boyne City by a combined 11-0 during Saturday play – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Also of note …

Football: From last week, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood and Muskegon Catholic Central are mourning the death of Cranbrook varsity coach Ben Jones, who died in a car crash; he formerly starred at MCC – Detroit News

Boys Basketball: Clinton Township Chippewa Valley coach Kevin Voss has retired after 38 years coaching basketball – Macomb Daily