Today in the MHSAA: 9/21/15

September 21, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

This weekend was packed with prestigious cross country events and also featured a milestone win by a longtime volleyball coach.  

Cross Country

Centreville stunned an “elite” field by finishing ahead of reigning Lower Peninsula Division 1 champ Birmingham Seaholm to win the Spartan Invitational elite girls race at Michigan State University. Novi won the boys elite race despite its top individual coming in only 21stPlaymakers.com

The Otsego girls put five runners among the top six to finish among champions at the Sparta Invitational. Rockford’s boys put three among the top 10 to ascend among boys champions – Grand Rapids Press girls story; Grand Rapids Press boys story

The Holly and Lake Orion boys and Rochester Adams and Holly girls were among champions at Holly’s invitational – Oakland Press

Girls Golf

A number of top teams from the southwest part of the Lower Peninsula played in Friday’s Coldwater Lady Cardinal Invitational, with Division 4 power Kalamazoo Hackett winning with a score of 347 – Coldwater Daily Reporter

Boys Soccer

Battle Creek Central won the first All-City soccer tournament in that community, downing Battle Creek Lakeview in overtime – Battle Creek Enquirer

No. 14 Saline downed No. 4 Northville in a matchup of two of the best in Division 1 – AnnArbor.com

The No. 8-ranked teams in Divisions 3 and 4 met, with Division 4’s Muskegon Western Michigan Christian downing Whitehall, 2-1 – Grand Haven Tribune

Girls Swimming and Diving

Saline, the top-ranked team in LP Division 1, downed a strong field at Salem’s Rock Maurer Invitational, finishing just head of No. 3 Farmington Hills Mercy, with No. 9 Northville coming in third – AnnArbor.com

Boys Tennis

Essexville Garber scored a perfect 24 to win the Bay County Tournament for the third time in four seasons – Bay City Times

Volleyball

Longtime Mount Morris coach Jim Pender celebrated the 700th win over his career as his team went 7-0 to win its invitational Saturday; Mount Morris, No. 3 in Class B, beat Class A honorable mention Farmington Hills Mercy in the final – Flint Journal

Lake Odessa Lakewood, No. 2 in Class B, downed Class C No. 3 Montague to win the Grandville Calvin Christian Invitational – Muskegon Chronicle

Today in the MHSAA: 11/20/15

November 20, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Thursday’s Volleyball Semifinals set up two championship-deciding rematches, while athletes across the Lower Peninsula readied for the Swimming and Diving Finals beginning today.

Swimming and Diving

The Holland Sentinel provides plenty of reasons why even the casual fan should check out this weekend’s Lower Peninsula Division 1 Final at the Holland Aquatic Center – Holland Sentinel

Port Huron Northern diver Hallie Roman finished first in every competition during the regular season and became her school’s first MHSAA finalist in the sport since 2010 – Port Huron Times-Herald

Volleyball

Romeo will play for a second straight Class A title after downing Livonia Churchill in five sets in Class A – Macomb Daily

Top-ranked Novi earned an MHSAA Final rematch with Romeo by sweeping No. 3-ranked Grand Rapids Christian – Oakland Press

Battle Creek St. Philip will play for its 10th straight MHSAA championship after edging top-ranked Plymouth Christian in the first match of the day – Battle Creek Enquirer

Leland also earned an MHSAA Finals rematch in Class D with a win over Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart – Traverse City Record-Eagle