Today in the MHSAA: 8/31/15
August 31, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The final weekend of August was a giant weekend for MHSAA volleyball contenders, with some of the top regular-season events this fall providing opportunities for the best to see how they might match up when playoffs begin in two months.
Below are headlines for some of the key high school reports from across the state; the weekend’s football round-up will publish later this afternoon.
Cross Country
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer’s Maryssa Depies set a course record of 18:11.3 to win the Big Red Invitational at McGraft Park – Muskegon Chronicle
Flint Powers Catholic’s top individual finisher came in ninth, but the Chargers girls as a team were first at the Lansing Catholic Invitational – Flint Journal
The reigning Lower Peninsula Division 2 champion Grand Rapids Christian boys repeated as winner of the prestigious Benzie Central Invitational, finishing ahead of Traverse City West and Central, while Central senior Anthony Berry won individually in 15:24 – Grand Rapids Press
Boys Soccer
Tawas, a Division 3 semifinalist last season, finished first from an Elk Rapids Invitational field that included Berkley and Saginaw Nouvel – Bay City Times
Volleyball
Lake Odessa Lakewood, last season’s Class B runner-up and the second-ranked team in that class this week, eliminated Class A No. 6 Grand Rapids Christian to win the West Michigan Volleyball Officials Association tournament for the first time in a decade – Grand Rapids Press
Class A No. 4 Grand Haven continued its perfect run at its outdoor Battle of the Boardwalk tournament, sweeping three opponents to remain undefeated through the event's third year – Grand Haven Tribune
Battle Creek Harper Creek, No. 9 in Class B, improved to 17-0 by winning the Cereal City Tournament at Pennfield with a 2-1 championship match win over Temperance Bedford, an MHSAA semifinalist last season in Class A – Battle Creek Enquirer
Good Reads
The Holland Sentinel introduced its top female athletes in that area’s history Sunday, and highlighted nationally-known softball star Kathy Arendsen and her successes during one of the MHSAA’s first Softball Finals – Holland Sentinel
Anyone who follows high school football history will enjoy going through the Muskegon Chronicle’s sampling of top-20 moments from that area’s football past – Muskegon Chronicle
More than 60 former Shepherd High School players from the last 25 seasons returned for an alumni doubleheader Sunday to honor coach Jack Nartker, who will retire after this spring – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Today in the MHSAA: 10/10/18
October 10, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
1. Boys Soccer: Division 1 No. 2 Portage Central got past Division 2 No. 6 Mattawan 3-1 to win the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference championship match – WWMT
2. Boys Tennis: Northville – No. 5 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – edged reigning league champion and No. 8 Novi to claim the Kensington Lakes Activities Association A tournament championship – Observer & Eccentric
3. Boys Soccer: Division 2 No. 4 East Lansing scored the game’s lone goal in the 43rd minute and made it stand in its Capital Area Activities Conference Gold Cup championship victory over Haslett – Lansing State Journal
4. Cross Country: St. Louis’ girls and boys teams secured Tri-Valley Conference West championships with wins at the final league jamboree; the girls are tied for No. 10 in LPD3 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun girls | boys
5. Cross Country: Brighton’s LPD1 top-ranked boys clinched the KLAA West title, and the No. 14 Bulldogs’ girls won their races led by an inspirational first-place finisher – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
6. Cross Country: Benzie Central swept championships at the Northwest Conference finals; the girls are ranked No. 7 and the boys are No. 8 in LPD3 – Traverse City Record-Eagle
7. Volleyball: Division 4 No. 2 Mendon clinched the Southwest 10 Conference title with a sweep of Marcellus – Sturgis Journal
8. Cross Country: Shepherd’s girls and boys clinched TVC Central titles with wins at the final league jamboree, both teams are ranked No. 4 in LPD3 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
9. Volleyball: Division 4 No. 10 Onaway swept honorable mention Bellaire to clinch a share of the Ski Valley Conference championship – Alpena News
10. Volleyball: Morley Stanwood clinched a share of the Central State Activities Association Silver title with a 3-1 win over Kent City – Big Rapids News
Also of note …
Girls Swimming & Diving: LPD3 No. 8 Hamilton downed No. 6 Holland Christian 98-88 led by record-setting diver Rayah Blood – Holland Sentinel
Volleyball: Division 2 No. 9 Whitehall completed a perfect run through the West Michigan Conference with a sweep of Shelby – Local Sports Journal
Boys Soccer: Division 1 top-ranked Troy Athens finished a perfect run through the Oakland Activities Association Red with a 3-0 win over North Farmington – Oakland Press
Volleyball: Division 1 No. 5 Northville swept No. 10 Novi in a key KLAA West matchup – Observer & Eccentric
Boys Tennis: From Monday, Gibraltar Carlson won the Downriver League tournament to clinch the outright league title – Southgate News-Herald