Today in the MHSAA: 9/16/19

September 16, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

We’re a month away from the start of the postseason in most sports, but many of the state’s best got looks at the competition this weekend at prestigious invitationals for cross country, volleyball and girls swimming & diving.

1. Cross Country: The Brighton boys – top-ranked in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – finished first, and the LPD2 No. 1 East Grand Rapids girls finished second to a team from Ohio as the top in-state performers in the Elite race at the Spartan Invitational at Michigan State University – Athletic.net

2. Volleyball: Division 1 No. 3 Lowell won the Farmington Hills Mercy Invitational, sweeping the host and top-ranked Marlins in the final – Oakland Press

3. Girls Swimming & Diving: Zeeland claimed the West Michigan Relays title at Grand Haven, edging runner-up and LPD3 No. 1 East Grand Rapids by two points – Swimcloud.com

4. Cross Country: The LPD1 No. 3 Dexter boys and LPD1 No. 5 Salem girls were Division I winners, and Saugatuck swept its division’s races among many at the Holly Invitational – Athletic.net

5. Cross Country: Saline (LPD1 No. 4 girls, No. 6 boys) swept the Division 1 races, while the LPD2 honorable mention Tecumseh girls and Adrian boys also were team champions at the 51st Huron Invitational – Athletic.net

6. Volleyball: Division 3 honorable mention Morley Stanwood repeated as Big Rapids Crossroads Invitational champion, sweeping Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart in the final – Big Rapids News

7. Volleyball: Kingsford continued its tournament success this fall with the championship at the Gladstone Rock Invitational – Iron Mountain Daily News

8. Volleyball: Division 4 No. 5 Mendon lost only one set on the day and defeated Reading in the final in winning the Union City Tournament – Sturgis Journal

9. Volleyball: Manton also lost only one set in claiming its invitational, downing Charlevoix in the final – Cadillac News

10. Cross Country: The LPD1 No. 4 Romeo boys and Sterling Heights Stevenson girls claimed Autumn Classic championships – Macomb Daily

Today in the MHSAA: 11/5/19

November 5, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

District play began across the state Monday for many of more than 700 volleyball teams, and we gathered some of the most notable headlines from vast coverage on both peninsulas.

1. Volleyball: Honorable mention Lake Orion upset No. 6 Clarkston in four sets to open Division 1 District play – Oakland Press

2. Volleyball: Howell swept Lakes Valley Conference champion South Lyon East to kick off Division 1 District play – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

3. Volleyball: Midland Dow came back after losing the first set to win the next three against Bay City Western in Division 1 – Midland Daily News

4. Volleyball: Hillsdale Academy came back after losing the first set to win the next three against Pittsford, avenging District losses to the Wildcats the last two years in Division 4 – Hillsdale Daily News

5. Volleyball: Division 1 top-ranked Farmington Hills Mercy opened the postseason with a sweep of Livonia Stevenson – Observer & Eccentric

6. Volleyball: No. 4 Hamilton began Division 2 District play with a sweep of Hudsonville Unity Christian – Holland Sentinel

7. Volleyball: No. 6 Kingsley opened Division 2 District play with a sweep of Boyne City – Up North Live

8. Volleyball: Honorable mention Carney-Nadeau opened Division 4 District play with a sweep of Powers North Central – Escanaba Daily Press

9. Volleyball: Johannesburg-Lewiston swept Harbor Springs to open its Division 3 District – Petoskey News-Review

10. Volleyball: Mt. Morris downed Division 2 honorable mention Corunna in five sets in a District opener – Owosso Argus-Press

Also of note …

Football: Oxford coach Bud Rowley retired with 264 wins over 43 seasons – State Champs Sports Network