Today in the MHSAA: 8/24/16

August 24, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A pair of undefeated tournament runs by top volleyball teams Tuesday highlighted the latest list of impressive performances from around the state.

Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.

Cross Country

Reigning Lower Peninsula Division 4 girls champion Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart claimed the 27-team Remus Chippewa Hills Invitational led by individual winner Alexis McConnell – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Boys Soccer

Grand Ledge downed DeWitt 2-0 in a matchup of top teams in the Lansing area and potentially-ranked teams when the first polls are released – MLive-Lansing

In a matchup of small-school powers, Muskegon Western Michigan Christian downed Grand Rapids Covenant Christian 2-1 – Grand Haven Tribune

Holland junior Jose Penaloza scored three as the Dutch downed rival Holland West Ottawa 5-0 – Holland Sentinel

Volleyball

Brown City opened its season going 6-0 at its home invitational Tuesday including a comeback win over annual power Marysville – Port Huron Times Herald

Grand Haven also went undefeated at its home invitational, downing among others East Grand Rapids in the championship match – Grand Haven Tribune

Good Reads

Muskegon Heights Academy football coach Tommie Elliott is providing plenty of inspiration for his team this fall, returning to coach from a wheelchair while recovering from back surgery that was necessary to give him a chance to walk again – Muskegon Chronicle

Mason’s Storm Miller is back on the football field this fall after beating a rare form of cancer he was diagnosed with in January – Lansing State Journal

Today in the MHSAA: 4/18/16

April 18, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A week after snow still covered much of the Lower Peninsula, teams on both sides of the bridge got outside to get their seasons rolling – with much of most notable weekend action coming in softball, soccer and tennis.

Girls Soccer

Cadillac shut out Holland Black River and Holland and played Grand Rapids Northview to a 0-0 tie in winning the Holland Invitational on Saturday – Cadillac News

Softball

Spring Lake won the Lakeshore Grand Slam in Stevenson by downing reigning Division 2 champion Wayland 5-4 on the way to the title – Grand Haven Tribune

Melissa Wegener clubbed a seventh-inning home run as part of a five-run rally to help Bay City Western over rival Bay City Central 7-4 in the final of the Bay County Softball Championships – Bay City Times

From Thursday, Emily Dragonetti threw a no-hitter against Charlotte that was her school’s first in at least 14 seasons – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Also from Thursday, Dowagiac’s Taylor Hulett and Megan Soderbloom threw back-to-back no-hitters against Sturgis while striking out a combined 21 batters – Niles Daily Star

Girls Tennis

Battle Creek Lakeview won six flight championships in claiming the overall Battle Creek All-City title – Battle Creek Enquirer

From Wednesday, Division 2 top-ranked Bloomfield Hills Marian and Division 3 No. 2 Detroit Country Day tied 4-4 with Country Day winning all four singles matches and Marian sweeping doubles – Oakland Press

Good Read

Eric Marcil as a student convinced the Muskegon Reeths-Puffer district to create a soccer program, and the 1992 alum came back to coach both the girls and boys teams before his death at 25 after a fight against lymphoma. The school’s field was renamed to honor him Thursday – Muskegon Chronicle