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: 4/17/18
April 17, 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. Weather: There’s been plenty of coverage of how the extended winter weather is keeping most spring sports teams out of action. Muskegon Mona Shores is trying to make the best of it, and changed things up by taking the competition inside – FOX 17
2. Boys Lacrosse: Howell downed Salem 9-7 to move to 6-0 this season, its best start ever – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
3. Girls Lacrosse: Emily Hill’s five goals led Saline to its second straight win, 15-8 over Salem – Saline Post
4. Boys Basketball: Morenci coach Jim Bauer stepped down with a 175-119 record over 13 seasons and after leading the team to a Class D runner-up finish in 2015 – Adrian Daily Telegram
5. Football: Defensive coordinator Johnel Davis has been promoted to take over Lansing Sexton’s program after 14 years assisting Dan Boggan, who stepped down this winter and also is the school’s athletic director – Lansing State Journal
6. Leagues: Dave Feenstra, who will retire this spring as Hudsonville principal, has been selected as the next commissioner of the 49-school Ottawa-Kent Conference; he’ll take over when current commissioner Jim Haskins retires after the 2018-19 school year – Grand Rapids Press