Today in the MHSAA: 9/23/16

September 23, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A stunning win by the reigning Class A volleyball champion was among notable results in that sport and among others that also saw state-ranked teams surge Thursday.

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

Reigning Downriver League girls champion Wyandotte Roosevelt took the first steps toward a repeat in winning the first league jamboree of this season – Southgate News-Herald

The Lower Peninsula Division 3 top-ranked Traverse City St. Francis girls placed the first two finishers in winning the Kingsley Invitational; Division 4 No. 6 Manton won the boys race – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Boys Soccer

Midland Dow needed a last-minute goal to stay undefeated this season with a 2-2 draw against Saginaw Heritage – Saginaw News

Spring Lake, No. 3 in Division 2, added a tie over Division 3 No. 3 Grand Rapids Catholic Central to a win over the Cougars earlier this season to keep an upper hand in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue – Grand Haven Tribune

Volleyball

Class A No. 2 Novi swept No. 4 Northville in one of its most impressive wins since claiming the 2015 MHSAA title – Oakland Press

Macomb Dakota, an honorable mention in Class A, avenged a loss five days earlier to Romeo with a three-set win – Macomb Daily

Class A No. 6 Grand Haven down Hudsonville 3-1 on “Buc Pride Night” played to benefit cancer research and with freshman assistant coach Kabel Sheehan – currently fighting the disease – among those in mind – Grand Haven Tribune

Linked Up: Hill Reaches 1,000

March 4, 2013

The Ann Arbor Pioneer boys and girls swim programs have received national acclaim over the years. And at the head of those efforts has been coach Denny Hill, who celebrated his 1,000th dual meet victory last month. 

AnnArbor.com's Terry Jacoby tells us more about how Hill came to Pioneer and what he's accomplished. This former athlete's thought explains a lot of what Hill has meant to his sport and high school athletics as a whole. 

“(Hill) taught me what it meant to work hard and what it meant to push myself past the limits I had put on myself,” said Kristyne (Cole), who also swam at Michigan. “He taught me what it meant to be a part of a team and how to be a leader. Denny taught me that you should give 100 percent effort in whatever you decide to do, and that the team always comes first; whether that meant showing up to practice early to do lane lines or switching events during a meet right before that event began.”

Click to read the full report: 

Legendary Pioneer swim coach Denny Hill reaches 1,000 win milestone (AnnArbor.com)