West Michigan All Star » mhsaa

Several boys soccer games rescheduled

Heather Smith — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 13:48:12 +0000

Tuesday’s inclement weather forced the postponement boys soccer regional games for the following schools: Holland, East Grand Rapids, Northview, Greenville, Covenant Christian, Potter’s House and Holland Calvary.

The news times have been posted on the Michigan High School Athletic Association website.

Read the full story with The Grand Rapids Press: “Weather postpones boys soccer regional action…”

Friday night lights, last chance for some teams

Heather Smith — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:09:13 +0000

Week 9 means that it is a last chance for a lot of teams: go undefeated, make the playoffs, and conference championship. Zeeland East and East Grand Rapids both have to opportunity to have an undefeated season. and it’s the last chance for several area schools to make it to the MHSAA football playoffs.

Read the full story with The Grand Rapids Press: “Week 9 means final chance at playoff bids…”

MHSAA Keeps Up With Technology to Embrace New Audiences

Heather Smith — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:12:58 +0000

The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is starting to take advantage of the use of social media in people’s everyday lives. They are embracing the newest technology as a way to connect their expanding audience. The newest features of he MHSAA’s website include links to Facebook, Twitter and video broadcasting of sporting events.

Read the full story with The Grand Rapids Press: “Michigan High School Athletic Association expanding audience…”

MHSAA rule takes affect in girls golf postseason

Heather Smith — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 11:50:57 +0000

The new Michigan High School Athletic Association rule will take affect in the test the next two weeks during the girls golf postseason. MHSAA has eliminated a rule that an adult observer can walk with each group to keep score and help keep the pace of play. The players will be responsible for kepping their own score now.

Read the full story with The Grand Rapids Press: “MHSAA rule eliminating observers takes effect…”

New overtime rules for boys and girls soccer

Heather Smith — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:58:33 +0000

MHSAA has instituted a new set of overtime rules for boys and girls soccer starting this school year.

Starting during the fall’s boys state tournament, two 10-minute overtime halves will be played in full if the teams are tied after regulation.

Read the full story with The Grand Rapids Press: “New state tournament rules for boys and girls soccer…”

WMA takes attendance: Unity Christian wins sixth consecutive soccer state title

Heather Smith — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 10:50:17 +0000

A look around the wide world of high school sports and the web that covers it. Well, not the whole world, mostly just the distance between Lake Michigan and somewhere-in-the-vicinity-of-Lansing, give or take about 50-miles. In an order wholly indecipherable to the naked eye. So look closely:

Sophomore Brianna Elliott sends Hudsonville into Division 1 softball state title game -The Grand Rapids Press
West Catholic beats Mount Pleasant in eight innings to advance to Division 2 baseball final -The Grand Rapids Press
Lowell’s Connor Kruse to get early look at Spartan Stadium with All-Star Game -The Grand Rapids Press
Unity Christian will have to win rematch with Williamston for sixth consecutive girls soccer state title -The Grand Rapds Press
Hudsonville repeats as Division 1 softball state champions -The Grand Rapids Press
Forest Hills Northern girls soccer team blanked in Division 2 state final -The Grand Rapids Press
Paige Capel scores game-winning goal as Unity Christian claims sixth consecutive soccer state title -The Grand Rapids Press
Missed opportunities cost West Catholic in Division 2 baseball state finals -The Grand Rapids Press
Howard Thomas column: Hackett Catholic Central girls soccer program bids farewell to coach Tim Halloran, the man who ‘makes us who we are’ -Kalamazoo Gazette
Portage Northern’s Antonio Hutchins leads West team in receptions as East rallies for win in East/West High School Football All-Star Game -Kalamazoo Gazette
West takes 16-0 lead before falling to East in All-Star football game at Spartan Stadium -The Grand Rapids Press
East Kentwood boys track team seniors win national competition -The Grand Rapids Press

Keep up with the latest action and analysis by becoming a WMA fan on Facebook, or join the conversation by following WMA on Twitter. Heck, even start your own topic over at Allstars Among Us.

WMA takes attendance: Emily Bos named a National HS Senior Athlete of the Year

Heather Smith — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:40:46 +0000

MHSAA to provide online broadcasts of baseball, softball state finals -The Grand Rapids Press
Forest Hills Northern, Unity Christian state final soccer games to be broadcast online -The Grand Rapids Press
Holland swimmer Emily Bos named a national high school senior athlete of the year -The Grand Rapid Press
West Catholic features prolific offense heading into Division 2 baseball semifinal -The Grand Rapids Press
Grand Rapids Press high school sports rankings: June 17 -The Grand Rapids Press
Pitchers on softball semifinalists hope to continue dominance even after rule change -The Grand Rapids Press
Jonathon Goei takes over as Northview’s girls basketball coach -The Grand Rapids Press
Jenison’s Jordan Bigler hits game-winning homer to lift OK Red against OK Black at John Bos All-Star game -The Grand Rapids Press
Jayson Bussa column: Portage Central soccer team moves forward without ‘anchor’ of state title pressure -Kalamazoo Gazette
Mattawan junior pitcher Lauren Gevaart suffers stress fracture -Kalamazoo Gazette
Injuries mere speed bumps in Hackett Catholic Central senior Megan Putnam’s remarkable soccer career -Kalamazoo Gazette
Joe Gentle leads honors on All-Area tennis team -The Muskegon Chronicle

LAX is coming for you

ryan vaughn — Fri, 14 May 2010 10:40:13 +0000

Traditionally, much of the media attention goes to a few “major” sports. WMA is no exception; much of our attention goes to football/baseball/basketball, for no reason other than those are the sports that the fanbase has shown the most interest in. For better or for worse, that’s the same reasoning behind the traditional news media’s gravitation toward the same sports (plus or minus hockey, depending on who you talk with).

This status quo has been in place since long, long ago. Might have well been the beginning of time, though I can’t verify that. But now, in 2010, another sport is poised to make a run at transitioning into the realm of the “major.” At least in West Michigan.

From Steve Ungrey of the Grand Rapids Press:

Since the inception of boys lacrosse as a Michigan High School Athletic Association-sponsored varsity sport in the spring of 2005, both boys and girls programs have experienced growth in participation numbers and popularity.

A total of 65 boys teams involving 88 schools took part in lacrosse in the spring of 2006. That number has swelled to 89 teams involving 105 schools.

The girls numbers have risen from 39 teams in 2005 to 55 in 2010.

“It’s been a long explosion of growth,” said Tom Rashid, the MHSAA’s associate director for boys lacrosse. “It’s going to stay largely with the larger and more suburban schools, but it is growing from the youth up.”

If you’re not already there, it may not necessarily be time to jump with both feet firmly on the lacrosse bandwagon. Test the stability of the platform first. For context, there are 248 schools active in football according to michigan-football.com. Lacrosse as a sport has a long way to go to reach that level of popularity, but then again football in Michigan has been around since 1955. 248 schools in 55 years for football, versus 105 schools in 5 years for lacrosse; there’s no doubt about the rapidity of the sport’s popularity spike. And it’s happening right here in West Michigan.

For a sport that in all respects is still a baby, this kind of rapid growth gives us tremendous hope about it’s potential. Which is awesome news for organizations like WMA, who are just itching to talk about our other favorite sports.

Lacrosse fans, your time is here, and your place is West Michigan. Let’s take advantage of this. Email me at westmiallstar@gmail.com to join the coverage movement.

Keep up with the latest action and analysis by becoming a WMA fan on Facebook, or join the conversation by following WMA on Twitter.

WMA takes attendance: Spring Lake takes the win in extra innings

Heather Smith — Wed, 05 May 2010 12:07:25 +0000

MHSAA makes final payment of $2.71 million in legal fees for gender equity lawsuit -Th Grand Rapids Press
Spring Lake wins 10-inning thriller on Kyle Wasserberger’s base hit, splits baseball doubleheader with Tri-County -The Muskegon Chronicle
Gull Lake’s Zach Fish commits to play baseball for University of Michigan -Kalamazoo Gazette
Cedar Springs boys track team runs past Sparta, Comstock Park -The Grand Rapids Press
Lowell’s Bob Rodenhouse picks up 500th softball win -The Grand Rapids Press
Hudsonville’s balance key in girls water polo win over Rockford -The Grand Rapids Press
Kalamazoo Christian softball squad steadily revealing its talent; takes two games from Schoolcraft -Kalamazoo Gazette
Shawn Keller’s walkoff homer helps Muskegon Orchard View sweep Newaygo in baseball -The Muskegon Chronicle
Forest Hills Central pitcher Alex Lakatos shuts down Mona Shores in baseball -The Muskegon Chronicle
Haleigh Vickers pitches Mona Shores softball team past GR Forest Hills Central -The Muskegon Chronicle

WMA takes attendance: I see broken glass

ryan vaughn — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:22:10 +0000

1/21 Michigan basketball scores (boys) (girls) — Associated Press
Case you missed it, Cornerstone recruiters rock — High School Basketball Bulletin
Musky Heights @ MWMC superbattle will remain at home — Muskegon Chronicle
G-Rap area wrestling leaders — Grand Rapids Press
What do Friday night games mean today — Who’s the Bos?
G-Rap high school sports rankings — Grand Rapids Press
MHSAA Directoro opines on the true measure of success — MHSAA.com
(Prem.) Voss carries EGR w/o McEwen — MichiganPreps.com
K-Zoo Central’s Anderson shatters backboard on Sportscenter — Kalamazoo Gazette
PDS (pretty dang sweet) K-Zoo Central game this weekend, BTW — Kalamazoo Gazette

Keep up with the latest action and analysis by becoming a WMA fan on Facebook, or join the conversation by following WMA on Twitter. Heck, even start your own topic over at Allstars Among Us.