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: 9/27/16

September 27, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Shutout was the name of the game Monday, with top soccer teams holding opponents scoreless and Brighton’s girls golf team shutting out the competition all fall.

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.

Girls Golf

Brighton finished a regular season during which it won all of its events by claiming the Milford Invitational title Monday – Livingston Daily Argus & Press

Boys Soccer

Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, No. 2 in Division 4, played to a draw with No. 4 North Muskegon – Muskegon Chronicle

Coldwater ran its shutout streak to seven straight with a 4-0 win over Battle Creek Lakeview – Coldwater Daily Reporter

Unranked Suttons Bay downed Division 4 No. 6 Leland 1-0 in Northwest Conference play – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Warren Fitzgerald topped St. Clair Shores South Lake 2-1 to move into a first-place tie with South Lake in the Macomb Area Conference Silver – Macomb Daily

Boys Tennis

In a matchup of Lower Peninsula title contenders, Midland Dow, No, 1 in Division 2, and Division 1 No. 2 Troy played to a 4-4 tie Monday – Midland Daily News

From Saturday, Essexville Garber won its 15th Bay County Cup in 17 years and third straight – Bay City Times

Volleyball

Allen Park remained undefeated in the Downriver League by handing Wyandotte Roosevelt its first conference loss, in five sets – Southgate News-Herald

Good Read

Many of our teams across Michigan host or play in charity games each season. The Byron Center volleyball team switched things up this fall to play for another charity especially close to its heart – Grand Rapids Press