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: 11/16/16
November 16, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The final 16 teams of this volleyball season were determined in Quarterfinals on Tuesday, and we’ve “linked up” coverage from all 16 deciding matches.
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.
Class A: Unranked Temperance Bedford improved to 23-0 all-time in Quarterfinals, downing Livonia Churchill in a sweep – Monroe Evening News
Class A: Reigning champion and top-ranked Novi continued its run with a sweep of honorable mention Bloomfield Hills Marian – Oakland Press
Class A: In the final match to finish Tuesday, No. 5 Rockford got past No. 4 Portage Central 3-2 after dropping the first set – Grand Rapids Press
Class A: Unranked Fenton also continued its stellar run with a 3-1 win over Midland – Flint Journal
Class B: No. 5 Buchanan advanced with a sweep of No. 9 Grant – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
Class B: Top-ranked Lake Odessa Lakewood earned a return to Battle Creek with a sweep of Adrian – Ionia Sentinel-Standard
Class B: Third-ranked North Branch also will return to Kellogg Arena after a sweep of St. Clair Shores South Lake – C & G News
Class B: No. 7 Cadillac earned a return trip with a 3-1 win over honorable mention Corunna – Flint Journal
Class C: Reigning champion and No. 2 Bronson swept No. 9 Laingsburg to continue a repeat attempt – Sturgis Journal
Class C: Adrian Madison won the final two sets against Allen Park Cabrini to advance with a 3-1 win – Adrian Daily Telegram
Class C: After four straight Quarterfinal losses, honorable mention Calumet earned a trip to the Semifinals with a 3-1 win over No. 5 Traverse City St. Francis – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
Class C: No. 6 Brown City came back from two sets down to defeat Shelby 3-2 – Port Huron Times Herald
Class D: Top-ranked Plymouth Christian edged No. 2 Mendon 3-1 after a key two-point win in the third set – Observer & Eccentric
Class D: No. 3 Leland downed Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 3-1, earning coach Laurie Glass her 1,000th win – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Class D: Rogers City avenged a 2015 Quarterfinal loss by defeating Crystal Falls Forest Park in a matchup of honorable mentions – Alpena News
Class D: Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, ranked No. 6, got past Portland St. Patrick – Oakland Press