Today in the MHSAA: 9/14/16

September 14, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The soccer pitch was the place to look for many of the best matchups across the state Wednesday, but also make sure to scroll to the bottom of this report for a story on the fight of one of Michigan’s best-known volleyball coaches.

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.

Cross Country

The Saline boys earned a nice advantage in what should be a strong Southeastern Conference Red this fall by dominating the first league race – Saline Post

Manton’s girls and boys teams swept the first Marion Steeplechase Invitational, which combined 2-mile, 5K and 1-mile races with hay bales, logs and other obstacles placed along the way – Cadillac News

Boys Soccer

Division 1 No. 6 Brighton remained undefeated on the season with a 2-1 win over rival Hartland, handing the Eagles their first loss – Livingston Daily

Division 1 No. 19 Grand Haven won Bucs Pride Night 2-1 over Grandville on a goal with under 11 minutes to play – Grand Haven Tribune

Division 2 No. 5 Auburn Hills Avondale potted the only goal during the second half to edge North Farmington – Oakland Press

Boys Tennis

Lower Peninsula Division 4 No. 6 Lansing Catholic won a key Capital Area Activities Conference White match over unranked rival Portland, 5-3 – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

Volleyball

Calumet avenged an earlier-season loss to Hancock in a matchup of top small-school programs in the Upper Peninsula – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Good Read

Cancer awareness will bring three communities together Sept. 20 as cousins Hannah Barton (South Lyon) and Kaylee Peterson (Novi) will face off with their teams in a Teal Attack event, the latest in a series of fundraiser games originated by Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central coach Karen O’Brien, one of the state’s best-known in the sport and also the girls’ aunt; she is fighting ovarian cancer for the second time – Observer & Eccentric

Today in the MHSAA: 10/6/16

October 6, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Girls Golf Regionals teed off Wednesday with a record performance by arguably the state’s top team, and check out also the detailed coverage of this week’s MHSAA Update Meeting stop in Frankenmuth.

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

Top-ranked Rochester shot an incredible 289 to win its Lower Peninsula Division 1 Regional, dropping an already-impressive school record by seven more strokes – Oakland Press

Two-time reigning LP Division 3 champion and No. 4-ranked Spring Lake began its three-peat attempt with a Regional victory of 56 strokes – Muskegon Chronicle

Second-year program Shepherd reached the Division 4 Finals for the first time finishing third to Freeland and No. 3 Frankenmuth at their Regional – Saginaw News

No. 5 Brighton didn’t surprise by shooting a 314 to win its Division 1 Regional, but Hartland finished third to make the Finals for the first time – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Boys Tennis

Byron Center claimed what is believed to be its first league championship in the sport, edging Zeeland East by six points at the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green tournament – Grand Rapids Press

Volleyball

Class B honorable mention Saginaw Swan Valley moved into first place alone in the Tri-Valley Conference Central with a sweep of former co-leader Freeland – Saginaw News

Neighbors Marine City (a 3-0 winner) and Class D No. 9 Marine City Cardinal Mooney played Wednesday in a “Purple Out” for pancreatic cancer research and awareness, a cause close to the Mooney program as coach Dennis Caufield’s wife Pat died after fighting the disease two years ago – Port Huron Times Herald

Good Read

The annual MHSAA Update Meeting series visited Frankenmuth this week, and MLive reported well why multi-sport participation and reaching student-athletes during their middle school/junior high years has never been more important – Saginaw News