Today in the MHSAA: 9/14/15

September 14, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

There's plenty of news and notes to share from a busy weekend all over Michigan, including some impressive runs by likely Class A volleyball contenders.

Boys Soccer

Mattawan held on against Portage Northern with a 2-1 overtime win Saturday, and held on to the No. 4 ranking in Division 2 this morning – Kalamazoo Gazette

Fraser, ranked No. 3 in Division 1, scored on a penalty kick to claim a 2-1 win over No. 17 Utica Ford and its Fraser Soccer Showcase Invitational championship – Macomb Daily

Girls Swimming and Diving

East Grand Rapids edged Rockford by 10 points to claim the West Michigan Relays at East Kentwood; both are ranked among the top 10 in their respective divisions – Grand Rapids Press

Boys Tennis

Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central snapped Midland Dow’s string of five straight MHSAA championships at last season’s Finals, and finished first ahead of Dow by a point at Saturday’s Grosse Pointe North Invitational – Midland Daily News

Volleyball

Mattawan had a great Saturday all around, as its Class A No. 5 volleyball team was champion at the Grandville Invitational going 7-0 on the day – Kalamazoo Gazette

Class A No. 4 Grand Rapids Christian fell to Class B No. 2 Lake Odessa Lakewood in a tournament final earlier this season, but this time was the victor to win the East Kentwood Invitational – Grand Rapids Press

Petoskey improved to 17-3-2 this season by winning its own invitational, downing Harbor Springs in two sets in the final – Petoskey News

Good Reads

Logan MacGregor has an MHSAA Finals tennis win to his credit, pretty incredible for someone who only recently took up the sport – and more incredible for someone who has battled through leukemia – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Longtime Marine City Cardinal Mooney girls basketball coach Susan Everhart has stepped down after 25 seasons, three MHSAA Semifinals and a championship game appearance – Port Huron Times-Herald

Former Detroit Pershing star Spencer Haywood was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last week – Detroit Free Press

Today in the MHSAA: 10/28/15

October 28, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Tuesday may have been the most eventful weekday of the 2015 fall season so far, with ranked teams matchup up all over the Boys Soccer Regional Tournament, league champions crowned in volleyball and two of the state’s major powers in swimming and diving matching up for a history-making finish. And be sure to also check out excellent coverage of the MHSAA’s concussion care efforts this fall.

Boys Soccer

Division 1 No. 10 Portage Northern shut out No. 16 Grand Haven; the shutout was the Huskies’ third straight during the playoffs – Kalamazoo Gazette

Division 1 No. 5 Detroit Catholic Central went to overtime with No. 20 Grand Blanc before scoring their game’s only goal – Mlive-Detroit

Division 2 No. 3 Mattawan edged top-ranked Holland Christian 1-0, handing the Maroons their first and only loss this fall – Kalamazoo Gazette

Reigning Division 2 champion East Lansing, ranked No. 5, edged No. 6 Spring Lake 2-1 as the teams faced off in the tournament for the third straight season – Mlive-Lansing

Division 3 No. 3 Williamston survived a tough challenge from unranked Freeland, knocking out the Falcons 1-0 on a penalty kick – Saginaw News

Division 3 No. 7 Paw Paw ended the season for No. 4 and reigning champion Hudsonville Unity Christian – Kalamazoo Gazette

Division 4 top-ranked Lansing Christian scored three first-half goals to down No. 4 Royal Oak Shrine – Lansing State Journal

Girls Swimming and Diving

Holland Christian, ranked No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 3, topped LPD2 No. 9 Holland for the first time in this sport in 15 years – Holland Sentinel

Volleyball

Utica Eisenhower earned a share of the Macomb Area Conference White championship with a win over New Baltimore Anchor Bay; both are honorable mentions in Class A – Macomb Daily

Class A No. 3 Grand Haven fell to unranked East Kentwood to start Tuesday, but came back to beat Holland West Ottawa and clinch the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red title, its first league title since 2012 – Muskegon Chronicle

Buchanan, a Class B honorable mention, tied a school record for victories with its 45th win Tuesday – Niles Daily Star

Niles, unranked in Class B, downed Class D No. 2 Battle Creek St. Philip before falling to Class A No. 9 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central in four sets including two decided by two points – Niles Daily Star

Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart defeated Coleman in a matchup of undefeated teams in Mid-State Activities Conference play, but they could meet again at Saturday’s league tournament – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Good Read (and View)

The MHSAA has continued to take significant steps to provide the best possible care when concussions are suspected and treated, and WXYZ in Detroit reported on a few of this fall's developments – WXYZ.com