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
Today in the MHSAA: 11/6/20
November 9, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Thursday was District Finals day for volleyball across most of the state, with the Muskegon area leading the way in big-time matchups – and an unexpected result.
1. Volleyball: Unranked Whitehall upset No. 7 Montague in four sets to claim a Division 2 District championship – Local Sports Journal
2. Volleyball: No. 3 Leland avenged a loss to No. 2 Traverse City Christian with a sweep in Division 4 – Up North Live
3. Volleyball: No. 4 North Muskegon won a Division 3 District Final matchup of ranked teams over No. 6 Western Michigan Christian – Muskegon Chronicle
4. Volleyball: Breckenridge claimed its first District title in this sport, celebrating in Division 3 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
5. Volleyball: No. 5 Utica Eisenhower won a high-powered Division 1 District Final over honorable mention Rochester Hills Stoney Creek – State Champs Sports Network
6. Volleyball: Honorable mention Clarkston clinched its Division 1 District title with a 3-1 win over Lake Orion – State Champs Sports Network
7. Volleyball: Central Montcalm avenged a 2019 District Final loss to Ionia with a five-set win in Division 2 – Greenville Daily News
8. Volleyball: Honorable mention Unionville-Sebewaing swept Bad Axe in a Division 3 Final that saw the first two sets decided by two points apiece – Huron Daily Tribune
9. Volleyball: Three Oaks River Valley emerged with a five-set win over St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran in a Division 4 District Final – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
10. Volleyball: Honorable mention Bronson swept Reading in Division 3 for its seventh-straight District title – Hillsdale Daily News