SBP School Streams 1st HD Broadcasts

February 4, 2015

By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director

The first High Definition video streams by a participating school lead a list of more than 50 sporting events on MHSAA.tv this week being produced by its School Broadcast Program.

Haslett High School streamed live HD video of its boys basketball game with Okemos on Tuesday and will do so for its game against Saginaw Nouvel on Feb. 10, utilizing its new in-school fiber network connections from its gymnasium to its production control room for the first time. Haslett joins a short list of schools in the SBP which run fiber from their event facilities to a control room in another wing of the building where video production classes are taught.

Most schools haul all of their production equipment to the venues for their video broadcasts. Now at Haslett, cameras, audio connections and intercom communications will simply be plugged into network  jacks, replacing long snakes of cable runs around a performance venue. In addition to the fiber connections at the gym and football stadium, the school’s Performing Arts Center also is connected by fiber to the control room.

The School Broadcast Program gives members an opportunity to showcase excellence in their schools by creating video programming of athletic and non-athletic events, with students gaining skills in announcing, camera operation, directing/producing and graphics. The program also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions.

Here’s the schedule of School Broadcast Program members planning to cover varsity competition over the next week for broadcast at MHSAA.tv (as of Feb. 2).  The following events will have live streaming video unless otherwise indicated:

Wednesday, February 4
Boys Basketball – Gaylord St. Mary’s at Indian River Inland Lakes, 7 p.m. (VOD)
Boys Basketball – Alba at Mackinaw City, 7 p.m.

Thursday, February 5
Girls Basketball – Mt. Morris at Montrose, 5:30 p.m.
Boys Swimming & Diving – Grand Ledge at East Lansing, 6 p.m. (VOD)
Girls Basketball – Whittemore-Prescott at Hillman, 7 p.m.
Girls Basketball – Bellaire at Indian River Inland Lakes, 7 p.m. (VOD)
Girls Basketball – Alanson Littlefield at Mackinaw City, 7 p.m.
Girls Basketball – Mancelona at Onaway, 7 p.m. (VOD)
Girls Basketball – Hillman at Posen, 7 p.m.
Girls Basketball – Oscoda at Rogers City, 7 p.m. (VOD)
Boys Basketball – Mt. Morris at Montrose, 7 p.m.
Girls Basketball – Fairview at AuGres-Sims, 7:15 p.m.

Friday, February 6
Wrestling -  O-K Conference Blue Tournament at Comstock Park, 5 p.m. (Comstock Park, Allendale, Belding, Coopersville, Sparta, Grand Rapids West Catholic)
Wrestling – Quad at Pinconning, 5:30 p.m. (Pinconning, Standish-Sterling, Bay City John Glenn, Tawas)
Boys Basketball – Johannesburg-Lewiston at Indian River Inland Lakes, 7 p.m. (VOD)
Boys Basketball – Boyne Falls at Mackinaw City, 7 p.m.
Boys Basketball – Bellaire at Mancelona, 7 p.m.          
Boys Basketball – Paw Paw at Dowagiac, 7 p.m.
Ice Hockey – Port Huron Northern at Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 7:15 p.m.

Saturday, February 7
Girls Competitive Cheer – Montrose Invitational, 8 a.m.
Ice Hockey – Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood at Detroit U-D Jesuit, 5 p.m.

Monday, February 9
Girls Basketball – Pickford at Newberry, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, February 10
Boys Basketball – Pickford at Newberry, 6 p.m.
Boys Basketball – Chassell at Calumet, 7 p.m.
Boys Basketball – Saginaw Nouvel at Haslett, 7 p.m.
Boys Basketball – Mio at Hillman, 7 p.m.
Girls Basketball – Goodrich at Montrose, 7 p.m.
Girls Basketball – Central Lake at Onaway, 7 p.m. (VOD)
Boys Basketball – Lincoln Alcona at Rogers City, 7 p.m. (VOD)
Boys Basketball – Hale at AuGres-Sims, 7:15 p.m.
Girls Basketball – Hopkins at Plainwell, 7:15 p.m.

Live stats of select basketball games also are available on MHSAA.tv. Check out the MHSAA.tv website on game night to see which schools are streaming live stats, or stop by to view stats following games on an On-Demand basis. A Day Pass to view live stats is $1.95.

All sporting events – live or delayed – are available on MHSAA.tv on a subscription basis for their first 72 hours online. A portion of each subscription is returned to school originating the broadcast. Video subscriptions run $9.95 for a Day Pass and $14.95 for a Month Pass. Some schools also are offering Annual Passes at a discounted rate. All sporting events become available for free On-Demand viewing three days after they have been posted. 

To view all of the recent School Broadcast Program productions, go to MHSAA.tv, click On-Demand on the nav bar of the left side of the page, and on the Filters tab at the top of next page, click on All States and then select Michigan. 

Also available below is an SBP highlights package from the past week, including a 55-50 victory by East Lansing over St. Johns in a boys basketball contest plus a 37-36 overtime win for Fairview at Lincoln Alcona in girls basketball.

Schools interested in becoming a part of the School Broadcast Program should contact John Johnson at the MHSAA Office.

Division 2 Final: 'Anything is Possible'

November 29, 2011

DETROIT – That was the motto of Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice’s football team this season.

And the Warriors had to believe it in order for Friday’s dream finish to become possible.

Brother Rice qualified for the Division 2 playoffs at 5-4 last month and after finishing just fourth in the Detroit Catholic League Central. But riding the legs of senior running back Devin Church, the Warriors finished this season with a 24-14 win over Lowell at Ford Field to earn their seventh MHSAA championship and first since 2005.

Church, who ran for more than 900 yards during the playoffs, piled up 244 and three touchdowns rushing in the Final.

“We did it to make Coach proud,” Church said. “We kept the tradition going.

“That’s everybody’s dream, to win a state title. To walk away with a ring, that’s a blessing.”

“Coach” is Al Fracassa, who finished his 43rd season by winning his 405th high school game. But this run provided a new experience for the longtime leader.

Playing in a conference that also includes Division 1 finalist Detroit Catholic Central, Division 3 finalist Orchard Lake St. Mary and playoff qualifier Warren DeLaSalle, the Warriors lost three league games by a combined four points. Brother Rice (10-4) picked up its fourth loss in Week 8 against Cincinnati LaSalle.

But wins over strong teams – Detroit Martin Luther King and Ann Arbor Pioneer among them – likely gave Brother Rice the playoff points boost it needed to get into the postseason.

“We were worried about making the playoffs again. You get down, but the kids, they taught me a lesson. They came out and they worked their tails off,” Fracassa said. “We had a motto before our season started. … Anything is possible. This motto really personifies this football team. Anything is possible, and they’re going to remember it the rest of their lives.”

Church – who will sign with Northern Illinois in February – ran the ball 33 times. His yards were the sixth-most in an MHSAA Final ever. And they were followed by some flattering comparisons from Lowell coach Noel Dean.

“I don’t want to belittle their team by making it about one player; they have a great team,” Dean said. “(Church) is a fantastic football player. One of the better ones I’ve seen. And I’ve coached against some pretty good running backs in my day. The Grady brothers and the Ducketts, I’ve seen some pretty good ones. He’s fantastic.”

Fracassa added: “He’s done that all year, for the last three years. This is not only his good game he played. He’s played good in every game he’s played.”

And while Church ran wild, the Warriors were able to contain Lowell all-state quarterback Gabe Dean, who was making his third straight appearance in the Division 2 Final. A senior now, he led the Red Arrows to a championship game win in 2009

Dean did throw for 190 yards and two touchdowns, but was able to get free for just 34 yards on the ground as Lowell (12-2) attempted to catch up, and catch Church, most of the afternoon.

“The veer offense, we learned how to shut it down this week in practice. And we did a great job in the game,” Brother Rice junior linebacker Jon Reschke said. “We got them out of the veer and into a shotgun formation, the spread offense, which they didn't want to be in, which helped us.”

Senior linebacker Mark Doman had a team-high 13 tackles for Brother Rice, and Reschke had 10. Junior linebacker Reed Stormzand had 20 to lead Lowell, followed by sophomore linebackers Garrett Stehley and Jake Stehley with 14 and 12, respectively.

Click for full stats and play-by-play.