Today in the MHSAA: 8/23/17

August 23, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

Today's Top 10

1. Volleyball: Lake Orion emerged from what likely will end up one of the strongest volleyball quads in the state this fall, going 3-0 with wins over Clarkston, Oxford and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep – Oakland Press

2. Girls Golf: After making the MHSAA Finals last season for the first time, Hartland is rolling again after winning its Hartland Invitational by three strokes with a school-record 326 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

3. Volleyball: Spring Lake won all six matches to earn the Grand Rapids NorthPointe Invitational title and push coach Sarah Bulthuis over 700 wins for her career – Grand Haven Tribune

4. Boys Soccer: Saline avenged last season’s Regional Semifinal loss to Salem with a 3-0 win over the Rocks – Saline Post

5. Boys Soccer: Midland Dow moved to 4-0 this season with a 7-0 win over Freeland, and still hasn’t given up a goal in 2017 – Midland Daily News

6. Cross Country: The Portage Northern girls and Otsego boys won the St. Joseph Invitational, which was split into freshman-sophomore and junior-senior races and then scored as a combination of the two – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

7. Boys Soccer: Coldwater remained undefeated early this season with a 4-2 win over Kalamazoo Central – Coldwater Daily Reporter

8. Volleyball: Grand Traverse Academy went 6-0 in winning the Frankfort Invitational, also winning every set on the day – Traverse City Record-Eagle

9. Boys Tennis: Petoskey headed south and picked up a sweep over Coopersville and Holland – Petoskey News-Review

10. Boys Soccer: Alpena got on the board this season with an opening win, 3-1 over Ogemaw Heights – Alpena News

Also of note …

Volleyball: From Monday, Manistique came back from a 24-13 deficit in the second game to win 29-27 and then finished a sweep of rival Ishpeming that also included a 26-24 victory in the first set – Marquette Mining Journal

Volleyball: From Saturday, Howard City Tri-County won the Greenville Daily News Invitational powered in part by two 6-foot-2 juniors – Greenville Daily News

From High School to Olympic Swimming

July 11, 2012

Fans of U.S. Swimming already have plenty of reasons to cheer for Missy Franklin later this month at the Summer Olympics -- she's only 17, but qualified to compete in a U.S. women's all-time best seven events.

But fans of high school sports and what they provide athletes at all levels of ability can also support her for how she's chosen to compete when she's not racing against the best in the world.

Franklin, who lives in Colorado, has continued to swim for her high school team despite the financial rewards she could've earned by taking the elite swimmer's usual path of going pro.

A ton has been written about Franklin lately, for obvious reasons. Below is a link to a New York Times story from February that focused on her continued dedication to her high school team.

Before the Olympic Trials, There’s This Big High School Meet (New York Times)