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: 11/3/20

November 3, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The MHSAA Volleyball Tournament began at the District level Monday, and not without a full slate of nail-biters as teams across the state started their marches toward Kellogg Arena.

1. Volleyball: In a match with three sets determined by two points, No. 5 Utica Eisenhower defeated honorable mention Rochester Hills Stoney Creek in five in Division 1 – Macomb Daily

2. Volleyball: No. 10 Beal City won the first set, but No. 8 Morley Stanwood won the next three in a Division 3 opener – Big Rapids News

3. Volleyball: After losing the second set, No. 3 Saginaw Valley Lutheran came back to finish a four-set win over Reese in Division 3 – WJRT

4. Volleyball: Grand Haven began a march toward a hoped-for 14th-straight District title with a sweep of Muskegon Mona Shores in Division 1 – Local Sports Journal

5. Volleyball: Brethren came back from a two-set deficit to defeat Mason County Eastern in five in Division 4 – Manistee News Advocate

6. Volleyball: L’Anse won the final two sets to take a five-set Division 3 win over West Iron County – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

7. Volleyball: Mount Pleasant also came back to win the last two sets to get past Midland Dow in five in Division 1 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

8. Volleyball: Coldwater and Holt traded sets before the Cardinals won the fifth 15-13 in Division 1 – Coldwater Daily Reporter

9. Volleyball: Bellaire and Gaylord St. Mary also played to five sets in Division 4, with the Snowbirds emerging as winners – Up North Live

10. Volleyball: Brimley and Engadine also traded sets in Division 4 before the Bays emerged in five – MI Sports Now

Also of note …

Girls Swimming & Diving: From Saturday, top-ranked Ann Arbor Pioneer was first and No. 2 Saline second as Lower Peninsula Division 1 powers dominated the Southeastern Conference Red finale – We Love Ann Arbor