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: 10/7/15
October 7, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A record-setting cross country run tops today’s sampling of headline makers from across Michigan, and we finish the list with an intriguing boys basketball coaching hire.
Cross Country
Mount Pleasant’s Mac LaBelle broke a school record set in 1983 by running a 16:07.3 to win the DeWitt Invitational earlier this season; he went 15:58.73 on Tuesday – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
The first-year Engadine cross country program, featured three weeks ago on Second Half, hosted its first home meet Tuesday – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News
Girls Golf
Adrian Madison, which debuted in the state poll this week at No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 4, won the Lenawee County Tournament by 51 strokes with a score of 364 – Adrian Daily Telegram
Boys Soccer
Division 2 No. 2 Mattawan defeated Division 1 No. 8 Portage Central in a matchup of one-loss teams and with a berth in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference final on the line – Kalamazoo Gazette
Sixth-seeded and unranked Grand Ledge upset third-seeded and Division 2 No. 5 Mason 3-2 in the first round of Capital Area Activities Conference Gold Cup play – Mlive-Lansing
Volleyball
Class A No. 8 Birmingham Seaholm edged honorable mention Clarkston 3-2, defeating the Wolves in league play for the first time since 2005 – Oakland Press
Boys Basketball
Battle Creek Central has named former Albion coach Durant Crum as the program’s new leader; Crum led Albion teams to Class B Semifinals and Class C Quarterfinals over 11 seasons before that school closed in 2013 – Battle Creek Enquirer