Performance of the Week: Mackinaw City's Larissa Huffman

April 14, 2023

Larissa HuffmanLarissa Huffman ♦ Mackinaw City
Senior ♦ Track & Field

Huffman – who runs as part of a cooperative team with Indian River Inland Lakes – finished first in the 55-meter hurdles (9.7 seconds), second in the high jump (5-0) to teammate Hannah Robinson, third in the 800 (2:41) and was on the second-place 1,600 relay as Inland Lakes won the Lake Superior State University Indoor Invitational on Friday. She’s been part of seven top-eight finishes during the last two Lower Peninsula Division 4 Track & Field Finals, placing third in the 100 hurdles, seventh in the 300 hurdles, fourth in high jump and running on the eighth-place 1,600 relay last spring as Inland Lakes tied for seventh as a team.

The four-sport standout also ran in her second LPD4 Cross Country Final for Mackinaw City this past fall and helped the volleyball team to its first District title. But she’s perhaps most known for her skills on the basketball court – she went over 1,000 career points this season in helping the Comets to a 25-2 record and league, District and Regional championships this season (and Huffman’s twin brother Lars went over 1,000 career points as well this winter). Larissa also previously played softball for Mackinaw City, earning all-league honors, but couldn't this year because of conflicts with her track schedule. She will continue her academic, basketball and track & field careers at St. Norbert College in Wisconsin.  

@mhsaasports 🏃‍♀️POW: Larissa Huffman #performanceoftheweek #track #field #hurdles #highjump #relay #pr #congrats #mackinawcity #inlandlakes #letsgo #MHSAA #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #TikTok#mistudentaid #fyp @larisksksksksk ♬ original sound - MHSAA

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MHSAA.com's "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.

2022-23 Honorees

April 6: Darius Acuff, Detroit Cass Tech basketball - Report
March 23:
Regan Finkbeiner, Hemlock basketball - Report
March 16:
Alaina Yaney, Grand Ledge gymnastics - Report
March 9:
Braeden Davis, Dundee wrestling - Report
March 2:
Gabriel Sanchez-Burks, Ann Arbor Pioneer swimming - Report
Feb. 23:
Grace Sobczak, Marquette swimming - Report
Feb. 16:
Kaitlynn Demers, Gibraltar Carlson competitive cheer - Report
Feb. 9:
Indya Davis, West Bloomfield basketball - Report
Feb. 2:
Braydon Sorenson, Onekama skiing - Report
Jan. 26:
Shayna Hruska, Iron Mountain wrestling - Report
Jan. 19:
Kayla Tafanelli, Warren Woods-Tower bowling - Report
Dec. 20:
Brenden Paden, Riverview Gabriel Richard hockey - Report
Dec. 16:
Tuff Scott, Holton bowling - Report
Dec. 9:
Macey Fegan, Standish-Sterling basketball - Report
Dec. 2:
Treyton Siegert, Gladwin football - Report
Nov. 24:
Lily Witte, Dexter diving - Report
Nov. 17:
Navea Gauthier, Shelby volleyball - Report
Nov. 10:
Derek Huisman, Holland Christian soccer - Report
Nov. 3:
Thomas Westphal, New Baltimore Anchor Bay cross country - Report
Oct. 27:
Justin Wickey, Colon football - Report
Oct. 20:
Owen DeMuth, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood tennis - Report
Oct. 13:
Mia Melendez, Ann Arbor Greenhills golf - Report
Oct. 6:
Shawn Foster, Grand Ledge football - Report
Sept. 30:
Hannah Smith, Temperance Bedford swimming - Report
Sept. 22:
Helen Sachs, Holland West Ottawa cross country - Report
Sept. 15:
Nina Horning, Lake Orion volleyball - Report
Sept 8:
Arturo Romero, Muskegon Oakridge soccer - Report
Sept. 1:
Austin King, Midland Dow tennis - Report
Aug. 25:
Olivia Hemmila, Troy Athens golf - Report

PHOTO Inland Lakes' Larissa Huffman runs a hurdles race during last season's LPD4 Finals. (Photo by Nicky Fenstermaker.)

Performance of the Week: Bay City Western's Nash Leonard

December 20, 2024

Nash Leonard headshotNash Leonard ♦ Bay City Western
Senior ♦ Hockey

Leonard, the goalie for the Bay City Wolves cooperative team, had 31 saves during a 2-0 win over Rockford and 27 more saves in a 1-0 shootout victory over Chippewa Valley United during the Bay City Showcase as the Wolves improved to 7-2 this season. Leonard is in his fourth season in net for the Bay City program, which includes students from Bay City Central and Western.

Leonard’s goals-against average hovered at 2.80 per game over his first two seasons, then improved to 2.18 last winter, and he totaled a combined nine shutouts over his first three seasons. His goals-against average this winter has improved to 1.58 after the weekend’s pair of shutouts as he’s been in net for seven of the team’s nine games. Leonard also is a standout golfer and led Bay County in scoring average in that sport as a freshman. He hopes to play either of his sports in college and intends to study finance.  

@mhsaasports 🏒POW: Nash Leonard #hockey #BCWestern #showcase #shutout #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA

@mhsaasports 🏒POW: Nash Leonard #tiktalk #questiontime #suits #nightowl #qdoba #flying #pepperoni #snow #laughing #part2 #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey

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MHSAA.com's "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.

Previous 2024-25 honorees

Dec. 11: Blake Cosby, Dundee wrestling - Report
Dec. 4:
Keaton Hendricks, Zeeland West football - Report
Nov. 29:
Kate Simon, East Grand Rapids swimming - Report
Nov. 22:
Ella Kokaly, Essexville Garber softball - Report
Nov. 15:
Caroline Bryan, Grosse Pointe South swimming - Report
Nov. 8:
Kaylie Livingston, Whitmore Lake cross country - Report
Oct. 25:
Oliver Caldwell, Grand Rapids West Catholic tennis - Report
Oct. 18:
Alex Graham, Detroit Cass Tech football - Report
Oct. 11:
Victoria Garces, Midland Dow cross country - Report
Oct. 4:
Asher Clark, Bay City John Glenn soccer - Report
Sept. 26:
Campbell Flynn, Farmington Hills Mercy volleyball - Report
Sept. 19:
TJ Hansen, Freeland cross country - Report
Sept. 12:
Jordan Peters, Grayling soccer - Report
Sept. 6:
Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie cross country - Report
Aug. 30:
Grace Slocum, Traverse City St. Francis golf - Report

(Photos courtesy of the Bay City Western athletic department.)