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 21st – Playmakers.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: 10/29/15
October 29, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half
Boys Soccer Regionals continued Wednesday with a number of ranked teams matching up, but also note some significant volleyball accomplishments and a piece on a football coach taking major strides with West Bloomfield.
Boys Soccer
Division 3 No. 10 Gladwin downed No. 9 Whitehall by shootout in a Regional Semifinal – Muskegon Chronicle
Division 3 No. 11 Ludington made its first Regional Final since 2001 with a shutout of No. 12 Elk Rapids – Muskegon Chronicle
Division 4 No.3 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian took No. 12 Charlevoix to a shootout before winning their Regional Semifinal – Muskegon Chronicle
Division 4 No. 14 Burton Genesee Christian flew under the radar for much of this fall, but remained undefeated with a 5-0 win over Lincoln Alcona – Flint Journal
Division 1 No. 4 Utica Ford outlasted No. 7 Utica Eisenhower for a 2-0 Regional Semifinal win – Macomb Daily
Reigning Division 1 runner-up Rochester Adams, now ranked No. 3, edged Bloomfield Hills 1-0 – Oakland Press
Volleyball
Class C No. 10 Kent City won its first volleyball league title in 15 seasons while ending Morley-Stanwood’s run of 13 straight championships – Grand Rapids Press
Class B honorable mention Frankenmuth capped a perfect run through a Tri-Valley Conference East that includes No. 8 North Branch – Saginaw News
Class C honorable mention Calumet survived a five-set match against Hancock, a possible opponent in next week’s District – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
Good Read
West Bloomfield football is undefeated for the first time since 1962, coached by former University of Michigan and NFL receiver Ron Bellamy, who brought his team through struggles his first few seasons and also received some touching assistance from the legendary longtime coach next door – Detroit News