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: 11/4/16

November 4, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A number of District volleyball tournaments finished Thursday, with a number of champions winning for the second, third or fourth straight time. But there also was a 10-time champion crowned again – and three teams winning titles for the first time in at least 15 years.

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.

Volleyball

Class A No. 9 Grand Haven swept Muskegon Mona Shores to claim a 10th straight District championship – Grand Haven Tribune

Class B No. 6 Battle Creek Harper Creek downed Marshall for a fourth straight District title – Battle Creek Enquirer

Calumet, an honorable mention in Class C, swept Ironwood for a fifth straight District title – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Centreville won its first District championship since 1995, downing Decatur in three sets in Class C – Sturgis Journal

Coleman edged Beal City 3-2 in Class C to win its first District title since 2001 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Also in Class C, Morley Stanwood won its fourth straight District title, downing Lakeview – Big Rapids News

In Class D, Portland St. Patrick won its first District title since 1991 with a four-set victory over Merrill – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

Good Reads

St. Joseph tennis player Ahmeir Kyle finished off an impressive run through the boys Lower Peninsula Division 2 Finals last month, winning the No. 2 singles title to become what's believed to be the first girl to win an individual flight in an MHSAA boys tennis championship tournament. Second Half covered the victory at the time, and both the St. Joseph Herald-Palladium and Kalamazoo Gazette featured the Bears standout this week – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium, Kalamazoo Gazette