Today in the MHSAA: 9/23/15

September 23, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Top-ranked soccer teams continued to face off Tuesday on the west side of Michigan, which also is mourning the passing of a major voice in both the high school and college games.

Cross Country

The Upper Peninsula Division 1 No. 3 Calumet girls finished ahead of No. 5 Houghton and others for the Calumet Invitational title, while Houghton’s boys won as well – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Boys Soccer

Division 1 No. 7 East Kentwood downed No. 20 Rockford 2-0 to move into first place in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red – Grand Rapids Press

In another battle of ranked opponents, Division 2 No. 10 Fruitport moved into first place alone in the Lakes 8 Conference with a 1-0 win over No. 7 Spring Lake – Muskegon Chronicle

Rivals Portage Northern and Portage Central met with first place in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East on the line, and Northern handed Central its first loss this season, 2-0 – Kalamazoo Gazette

Division 2 No. 17 DeWitt edged top-ranked Mason 1-0 to take control in the Capital Area Activities Conference Red race. 

Volleyball

Class A No. 7 Romeo was pushed to seven games by rival Macomb Dakota before clinching with a 15-3 victory that included nine of a match-high 30 kills by all-stater Gia Milana – Macomb Daily

Marine City and St. Clair split the first four sets before the Mariners came away with a 17-15 win in the decider of this Macomb Area Conference Gold match – Port Huron Times-Herald

Good Reads

The wait was worth it for the Adrian Madison girls golf team, which has found immediate success since forming three years ago – Adrian Daily Telegram

West Michigan is mourning to the death of longtime radio voice Doug Wentworth, who called Calvin College men’s basketball games for 50 years and also received an MHSAA Bush Award in 2005 for his service to the high school game – Calvin College

Kermit's Baton (Birmingham Eccentric)

March 6, 2012

Michigan's track and cross country community mourned the loss two weeks ago of former Birmingham Seaholm coach Kermit Ambrose, who died after a full 101 years including many putting a heavy stamp on the high school running scene.

Of course, Ambrose's influence stretched far outside high school as well. Marty Budner fills us in on the details in the story linked below, and then paints a fabulous picture of a former coach who affected thousands during more than a century.

It's not only the wins and losses — of which Kermit had many more of the former, but it's also the relationships developed and lessons learned. Many coaches will tell you the best part of their job is helping to teach life lessons and striving to make an impact along the way.

Kermit Ambrose was that kind of teacher.

Read more:

Ambrose: Friend, mentor to all

Ambrose makes an awesome run through life (column)