Today in the MHSAA: 9/9/19

September 9, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Unranked – and probably soon-to-ranked – volleyball and soccer teams dominated the top half of today’s list of achievers from an invitational-filled weekend across a number of sports. 

1. Volleyball: Unranked Beaverton defeated Division 3 No. 4 Bronson in the final to claim Bay City Central’s Mitten Bay Invitational title – Midland Daily News

2. Volleyball: Also-unranked Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern downed Division 1 No. 6 Grand Haven and then honorable mention Northville to win the Grand Haven Invitational – Grand Haven Tribune

3. Cross Country: The East Grand Rapids, Ada Forest Hills Eastern and Pewamo-Westphalia girls and Ann Arbor Skyline, Haslett and Hanover-Horton boys won championships at the Bath Bret Clements Invitational – Athletic.net 

4. Boys Soccer: Unranked Portage Northern made a number of stops in getting past Division 2 top-ranked Mattawan 1-0 – JoeInsider.com

5. Girls Swimming & Diving: Chelsea, No. 4 in Lower Peninsula Division 3, edged LPD2 honorable mention Grand Rapids Northview to win the DeWitt Invitational – Chelsea Sun Times News 

6. Cross Country: Brighton’s boys and Troy’s girls won Gold division Averill Invitational championships at Kensington Metropark – Athletic.net

7. Cross Country: Traverse City teams swept titles at the Bullock Creek Lancer Invitational, the West girls and St. Francis boys claiming championships – Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. Volleyball: Petoskey finished the day 6-0 and defeated Midland Dow in the final to win its home invitational – Petoskey News-Review

9. Cross Country: The Petoskey girls and Charlevoix boys won Charlevoix Mud Run championships – Petoskey News-Review

10. Volleyball: Kingsford repeated as the Great 8 Tournament champion at West Iron County – Iron Mountain Daily News

Today in the MHSAA: 11/5/19

November 5, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

District play began across the state Monday for many of more than 700 volleyball teams, and we gathered some of the most notable headlines from vast coverage on both peninsulas.

1. Volleyball: Honorable mention Lake Orion upset No. 6 Clarkston in four sets to open Division 1 District play – Oakland Press

2. Volleyball: Howell swept Lakes Valley Conference champion South Lyon East to kick off Division 1 District play – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

3. Volleyball: Midland Dow came back after losing the first set to win the next three against Bay City Western in Division 1 – Midland Daily News

4. Volleyball: Hillsdale Academy came back after losing the first set to win the next three against Pittsford, avenging District losses to the Wildcats the last two years in Division 4 – Hillsdale Daily News

5. Volleyball: Division 1 top-ranked Farmington Hills Mercy opened the postseason with a sweep of Livonia Stevenson – Observer & Eccentric

6. Volleyball: No. 4 Hamilton began Division 2 District play with a sweep of Hudsonville Unity Christian – Holland Sentinel

7. Volleyball: No. 6 Kingsley opened Division 2 District play with a sweep of Boyne City – Up North Live

8. Volleyball: Honorable mention Carney-Nadeau opened Division 4 District play with a sweep of Powers North Central – Escanaba Daily Press

9. Volleyball: Johannesburg-Lewiston swept Harbor Springs to open its Division 3 District – Petoskey News-Review

10. Volleyball: Mt. Morris downed Division 2 honorable mention Corunna in five sets in a District opener – Owosso Argus-Press

Also of note …

Football: Oxford coach Bud Rowley retired with 264 wins over 43 seasons – State Champs Sports Network