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: 4/10/18

April 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. Girls Soccer: Kayla Gacioch had two goals and an assist to lead Livonia Stevenson past rival Livonia Churchill 4-0 – Observer & Eccentric

2. Baseball: Grosse Pointe South was outhit by Detroit U-D Jesuit but prevailed over the Cubs 7-4 – Detroit News

3. Girls Soccer: St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic downed rival St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran 2-1 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

4. Softball: Pinckney relief pitcher Hannah Fuhr had 15 strikeouts over a two-game sweep of Ypsilanti – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

5. Volleyball: Adrian Madison coach Dawn Opsal has stepped down with a 607-264-84 record since taking over the program two decades ago – Adrian Daily Telegram

6. Volleyball: Battle Creek Harper Creek coach Terra King was named a recipient of a Sports 40 Under 40 Award by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association and Coach & Athletic Director magazine – Battle Creek Enquirer

7. Girls Basketball: Longtime Grand Rapids-area coach Jimmy Carter retired from East Kentwood at the end of March, and former Ottawa Hills standout Eric Large has been hired to replace him – Grand Rapids Press