Today in the MHSAA: 9/2/16

September 2, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Labor Day weekend meant Thursday again belonged to varsity football in most communities. We’ll cover those results in our weekly “Drive for Detroit” – but please read on to check out a few reports we’ve been saving, including a Michigan Olympian discussing her high school experience.

Leland’s Alisha Glass just finished setting the U.S. women’s volleyball team at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, and she’s the product in part of high school volleyball and the daughter of a high school coach – Traverse City Record-Eagle

David Ginsburg, a frequent speaker at the MHSAA/Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan “Reaching Higher” events and former college assistant coach, talks about the “real” benefits of high school sports – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Steve Johnson has officiated 13 MHSAA championship games, and now he’s being cheered by officials and many others statewide as he fights cancer – ABC-12

Today in the MHSAA: 11/7/16

November 7, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The busiest championship weekend of the fall saw 12 MHSAA Finals winners crowned in cross country and boys soccer, plus many more in District volleyball and league girls swimming & diving.

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 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart girls won in record fashion as Traverse City St. Francis and Otsego repeated and Milford surprised the Division 1 field at Michigan International Speedway – Second Half

Saugatuck repeated as a boys champion, but in a different division, while Pewamo-Westphalia also won a title in a new division, Corunna won for the first time ever and White Lake Lakeland for the first time in a while – Second Half

Boys Soccer

Mattawan and Grand Rapids Catholic Central won their first MHSAA championships in the sport, as Burton Genesee Christian won its second straight and East Kentwood won its fifth total by taking a shootout – Second Half

Girls Swimming & Diving

Lower Peninsula Division 1 honorable mention Grand Blanc edged No. 10 Brighton to win Saturday’s Kensington Lakes Activities Association Lakes meet as Brighton’s Taylor Seaman broke four league records – Livingston Daily Argus & Press

Midland Dow won its 11th straight Saginaw Valley League championship, led by three wins by freshman Claire Newman – Midland Daily News

Volleyball

Davison polished off its sixth District title in seven seasons with a sweep of Mount Morris in Class A – Flint Journal

Traverse City Central downed Gaylord for its first District title since 2008, in Class A – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Class A honorable mention Saline, meanwhile, won its first District title since 2005 with a sweep of Dexter – Saline Post

Allen Park claimed its fourth straight District title, downing Lincoln Park in Class A – Southgate News-Herald

Class B No. 7 Cadillac secured its 11th straight District title, sweeping Big Rapids – Cadillac News

Honorable mention Fruitport swept Montague in Class B for its first District title since 2011 – Muskegon Chronicle

After falling to Manchester in the District Final the last two seasons, Adrian Madison downed Manchester in the first round and went on to win in Class C – Adrian Daily Telegram

Crystal Falls Forest Park, also a state poll honorable mention, won its 17th straight District title, downing Wakefield-Marenisco in Class D – Ironwood Daily Globe

Pentwater won its fourth straight District title, sweeping Walkerville in Class D – Ludington Daily News