Today in the MHSAA: 8/29/16

August 29, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Many of the early best this season continued to shine over the last three days, especially in cross country, soccer and volleyball, during the second big weekend of invitationals across Michigan.  

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. For a round-up of Week 1 football, see “Drive for Detroit” later today.

Cross Country

The Novi boys placed seven among the top eight to win the South Lyon Invitational – Oakland Press

Blissfield’s girls put five among the top nine to win the Addison Invitational with nearly half the points of the runner-up; Erie-Mason’s boys won their race with 26 points – Adrian Daily Telegram

Boys soccer

Cadillac won penalty-kick shootouts three times to claim the Elk Rapids Invitational championship – Cadillac News

Jackson High remained undefeated with a 5-0 win over rival Jackson Lumen Christi and has outscored its three opponents by a combined 22-1 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Midland Dow moved to 6-0-1 with three wins at its eight-team tournament, outscoring those opponents by a combined 12-1 – Midland Daily News

Coldwater downed Haslett, Stevensville Lakeshore and Auburn Hills Avondale to win the Eaton Rapids Invitational and remain perfect – Coldwater Daily Reporter

Volleyball

Temperance Bedford won the Gold championship at the 20-team Battle Creek Cereal City Invitational, defeating Kalamazoo Central in the final – Battle Creek Enquirer

Marine City finished 5-0 to win the Warren Woods Tower Invitational, downing Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse in the championship match – Port Huron Times Herald

Macomb Dakota won its second invitational this season, this time at home, downing New Baltimore Anchor Bay in the final – Macomb Daily

Reigning Class C champion Bronson came back after losing the first set to beat Kalamazoo Christian and win the Muskegon Western Michigan Christian Invitational – Sturgis Journal

Today in the MHSAA: 2/2/16

February 2, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Statewide sports action Monday was light, so we’ll focus on a series of stories published today that should pull at your heart strings and put life’s little obstacles in proper perspective.

Good Reads

Mason’s Brendan Brown is fighting for his life, against a form of cancer that has led to the amputation of a leg and soon will mean the removal of parts of his lungs. The Bulldogs junior is fighting, and also continuing a high school bowling career that is inspiring opponents and those in his community – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Also at Mason, Storm Miller might be the strongest athlete at his high school and finished third in a national weight-lifting competition last summer. He’s relying on strength now to fight a rare form of cancer that also initially was found in a leg – Lansing State Journal

Molly Holmes hasn't joined her siblings on the Leroy Pine River wrestling team yet – wait until next year – but she plays junior varsity basketball and is one of 13 kids in a family that loves sports – a family that adopted her after five foster placements and a fight to survive no child should experience – Cadillac News