Today in the MHSAA: Soccer Semifinals

June 13, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The MHSAA Girls Soccer Finals will be played Friday and Saturday at Michigan State University’s DeMartin Stadium. Below is a sampling of coverage of how all eight finalists advanced.

Division 1: Top-ranked and reigning champion Novi will play for a repeat after getting past Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central in a shootout – Observer & Eccentric 

Division 1: No. 5 Plymouth also advanced with a shootout after a late comeback to take No. 13 Troy to overtime – Observer & Eccentric 

Division 2: No. 6 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern will play in its fourth straight Final thanks to a shootout win over No. 9 Marshall – FOX 17

Division 2: No. 2 Bloomfield Hills Marian is headed to the championship game for the third straight season after a 3-1 win over No. 11 Flint Powers Catholic – Observer & Eccentric

Division 3: No. 7 Essexville Garber will play in the championship game for the first time thanks to a 1-0 win over No. 2 Warren Regina – Bay City Times

Division 3: No. 5 Grand Rapids South Christian will play for its first title since 2013 after a 2-0 win over No. 8 Boyne City – Grand Rapids Press

Division 4: No. 2 Royal Oak Shrine continued its dominating run with a 6-0 win over No. 9 Saginaw Nouvel – State Champs Sports Network 

Division 4: No. 3 Kalamazoo Christian upended top-ranked North Muskegon 1-0 – WWMT

Also of note …

Girls Soccer: Richland Gull Lake coach Jeff Corstange has stepped down after eight seasons, having led the team to three Division 2 championships – WWMT

Today in the MHSAA: 10/1/18

September 30, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

1. Cross Country: Otsego senior Alex Comerford became the state’s first runner to break 15 minutes this season with a 26-second win at his team’s invitational – Athletic.net 

2. Girls Cross Country: Rockford senior Ericka VanderLende ran the state’s fastest time on the girls side this season, 16:55.9, in winning at the Allendale Invitational – Athletic.net 

3. Girls Swimming & Diving: Lower Peninsula Division 2 No. 4 Birmingham Groves won the most high-profile dual of its quad, over No. 6 Midland Dow, but the Chargers did earn victories over honorable mentions Grosse Pointe North and Fenton – Midland Daily News

4. Volleyball: Division 3 No. 2 Bronson defeated Division 2 honorable mentions Niles and then Edwardsburg to finish its run at its annual invitational – Sturgis Journal

5. Cross Country: The Plymouth boys (LPD1 No. 3) and Northville girls (LPD1 No. 1) won championships at the Coaching Legends Invitational at Huron Meadows Metropark – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

6. Cross Country: Dearborn Divine Child and Salem’s girls and boys teams swept championships at the Marauder Invitational at Lake Erie Metropark; Divine Child and Salem’s girls both are ranked No. 2, in Division 2 and 1 respectively, while the Divine Child boys are No. 13 in LPD2 and Salem’s are No. 9 in LPD1 – Southgate News-Herald 

7. Cross Country: Lansing Catholic’s boys (LPD2 No. 7), DeWitt’s girls (LPD2 No. 5), and both Ithaca teams (girls are LPD3 No. 14) won championships at the DeWitt Invitational – Athletic.net

8. Cross Country: The Petoskey (LPD2 No. 3) and Grandville Calvin Christian (LPD3 No. 4) girls and Pewamo-Westphalia (LPD3 No. 3) and Farmington boys won championships at the Shepherd Invitational – Athletic.net

9. Boys Tennis: Andrew Swirczek repeated as individual Greater Muskegon Athletic Association champion for Muskegon Mona Shores, but Whitehall edged the Sailors by three points for the team title – Local Sports Journal

10. Girls Swimming & Diving: LPD2 honorable mention Battle Creek Lakeview returned to the top of the local ranking with a win at the All-City meet – Battle Creek Enquirer