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

Thanks, Mr. Woodley (Saginaw News)

August 24, 2012

LaMarr Woodley was a football star at Saginaw High long before he went on to the University of Michigan and now the Pittsburgh Steelers.

He's given students in his hometown the same opportunity for accomplishment without the cost they would've otherwise incurred this school year.

Students at Saginaw and Saginaw Arthur Hill plus the districts junior highs and middle schools were facing a $75 participation fee until Woodley stepped in earlier this month with a $60,000 donation.

Hugh Bernreuter has covered the majority of Woodley's career, and tells this story.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley pays participation fees for Saginaw Public Schools student-athletes (Saginaw News)