MHSAA TV Presents Night of 100 Events

December 12, 2019

By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

Another milestone is on the verge of being reached by the MHSAA’s School Broadcast Program, which will live stream 100 high school sporting events Friday (Dec. 13).

The continued upswing in events online is driven by the addition of Pixellot, the NFHS Network’s automated production solution.  A number of new schools are contributing content through Pixellot with their gymnasium units coming online for the Winter Sports season. More than 110 schools have or will soon be installing Pixellot units, pushing the statewide total past 200.

The list of 100 events Friday is part of a week of live streams totaling over 500 games. Here is the complete list of all games at all levels being streamed Friday on MHSAA.tv and the NFHS Network:

JV Girls Basketball – White Lake Lakeland v. Troy Athens - 3:30 PM
Freshman Boys Basketball - East Kentwood v. East Grand Rapids - 4 PM
JV Girls Basketball - Plymouth Christian Academy v. Livonia Franklin  - 4 PM
Freshman Girls Basketball - Bloomfield Hills Marian v. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard - 4 PM
Freshman Girls Basketball - Cedar Springs v. Rockford  - 4 PM
Freshman Boys Basketball – Warren De La Salle Collegiate v. Warren Woods-Tower  - 4 PM
Freshman Girls Basketball - Pontiac Notre Dame Prep v. TBA  - 4 PM
Freshman Boys Basketball - Troy Athens v. Lake Orion  - 4 PM
Freshman Boys Basketball – Macomb Lutheran North v. Almont  - 4 PM
Freshman Boys Basketball - Saline v. TBA - 4 PM
Freshman Boys Basketball - Troy v. Novi  - 4 PM
JV Girls Basketball - Saline v. Livonia Stevenson  - 4 PM
Freshman Girls Basketball - East Grand Rapids v. Hudsonville  - 4 PM
Freshman Boys Basketball - Walled Lake Western v. Hartland  - 4 PM
JV Girls Basketball - Saline v. Livonia Stevenson  - 4 PM
JV Girls Basketball - Holly v. Linden  - 4:15 PM
JV Girls Basketball - Corunna v. Lake Fenton  - 4:15 PM
Freshman Boys Basketball - Plainwell v. Three Rivers  - 4:15 PM
Freshman Girls Basketball - Armada v. Oxford  - 4:30 PM
Freshman Boys Basketball – St. Clair Shores Lake Shore v. Detroit Catholic Central  - 4:30 PM
Freshman Boys Basketball – Riverview Gabriel Richard v. TBA - 4:30 PM
Freshman Boys Basketball - Milford v. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep - 4:30 PM
Girls Basketball - South Lyon East v. Troy  - 5 PM
Freshman Girls Basketball - Fremont v. Cadillac  - 5 PM
Girls Basketball – White Lake Lakeland v. TBA - 5 PM
JV Boys Basketball - Pontiac v. Waterford OLL - 5 PM
JV Boys Ice Hockey - St. Edwards v. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood - 5 PM
Boys Basketball - Petoskey v. TBA - 5:30 PM
JV Boys Basketball - Troy v. Novi  - 5:30 PM
Girls Basketball – Bloomfield Hills Roeper v. Southfield Christian - 5:30 PM
JV Girls Basketball - Cedar Springs v. Rockford  - 5:30 PM
JV Boys Basketball – Brownstown Woodhaven v. Saline - 5:30 PM
JV Girls Basketball - Manchester v. Napoleon  - 5:30 PM
Girls Basketball – Livonia Stevenson v. Saline - 5:30 PM
Girls Basketball – Otisville LakeVille v. Montrose - 5:30 PM
JV Boys Basketball - Troy Athens v. Lake Orion - 5:30 PM
JV Girls Basketball - Pellston v. Inland Lakes  - 5:30 PM
JV Boys Basketball – Warren De La Salle Collegiate v. Warren Woods-Tower  - 5:30 PM
JV Boys Basketball - Pontiac v. Madison Heights Lamphere - 5:30 PM
JV Girls Basketball - East Grand Rapids v. Hudsonville  - 5:30 PM
JV Boys Basketball - Walled Lake Western v. Hartland  - 5:30 PM
JV Boys Basketball - East Kentwood v. East Grand Rapids - 5:30 PM
JV Boys Basketball – Macomb Lutheran North v. Almont  - 5:30 PM
JV Boys Basketball – Ann Arbor Greenhills v. Lutheran Westland - 5:30 PM
JV Boys Basketball - Plymouth Christian Academy v. Livonia Franklin  - 5:30 PM
JV Boys Basketball - Saline v. TBA - 5:30 PM
JV Boys Basketball - Milford v. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep - 5:30 PM
JV Girls Basketball - Pontiac Notre Dame Prep v. TBA - 5:30 PM
JV Girls Basketball - Bloomfield Hills Marian v. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard - 5:30 PM
JV Boys Basketball - Ishpeming v. Westwood  - 5:45 PM
JV Boys Basketball - Bad Axe v. TBA - 6 PM
JV Girls Basketball - Harrison v. Beaverton  - 6 PM
Girls Basketball - Fowlerville v. Lansing Eastern  - 6 PM
Girls Basketball - St. Charles v. Saginaw Nouvel  - 6 PM
JV Girls Basketball - Armada v. Oxford  - 6 PM
Girls Basketball - Holly v. Linden  - 6 PM
JV Boys Basketball – St. Clair Shores Lake Shore v. Detroit Catholic Central  - 6 PM
Girls Basketball - Corunna v. Lake Fenton  - 6 PM
Girls Basketball - Holland v. Comstock Park - 6 PM
Girls Basketball – Standish Sterling v. Frankenmuth - 6 PM
JV Boys Basketball – Riverview Gabriel Richard v. TBA - 6 PM
JV Girls Basketball – Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood v. Ann Arbor Greenhills - 6 PM
JV Girls Basketball - Brethren v. Pentwater  - 6 PM
Girls Basketball – Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart v. Oakland Christian - 6 PM
Boys Basketball - Holland v. Comstock Park - 6:30 PM
Girls Basketball - Saline v. Stevenson  - 7 PM
Boys Basketball - East Kentwood v. East Grand Rapids - 7 PM
Boys Basketball - Pontiac v. Waterford OLL - 7 PM
Boys Basketball - Pontiac v. Madison Heights Lamphere - 7 PM
Boys Basketball - Linden v. Holly - 7 PM
Girls Basketball - Manchester v. Napoleon  - 7 PM
Girls Basketball - Bloomfield Hills Marian v. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard - 7 PM
Boys Basketball – Ann Arbor Greenhills v. Lutheran Westland - 7 PM
Girls Basketball - Troy Athens v. White Lake Lakeland - 7 PM
Girls Basketball - Pellston v. Inland Lakes  - 7 PM
Girls Basketball - East Grand Rapids v. Hudsonville  - 7 PM
Girls Basketball - Walled Lake Central v. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek  - 7 PM
Girls Basketball - Plymouth Christian Academy v. Livonia Franklin  - 7 PM
Boys Basketball - Troy Athens v. Lake Orion  - 7 PM
Boys Basketball – Macomb Lutheran North v. Almont  - 7 PM
Boys Basketball - Milford v. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep - 7 PM
Girls Basketball - Pontiac Notre Dame Prep v. TBA  - 7 PM
Boys Basketball - Otisville LakeVille v. Montrose - 7 PM
Boys Basketball – Brownstown Woodhaven v. Saline - 7 PM
Boys Basketball - Walled Lake Western v. Hartland  - 7 PM
Boys Basketball - Troy v. Novi  - 7 PM
Boys Ice Hockey - Orchard Lake St. Mary’s v. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood- 7:15 PM
Boys Basketball - Ishpeming v. Ishpeming  - 7:15 PM
Girls Basketball - Harrison v. Beaverton  - 7:30 PM
boys Basketball - Corunna v. Lake Fenton  - 7:30 PM
Boys Basketball – Riverview Gabriel Richard v. TBA - 7:30 PM
Girls Basketball - Armada v. Oxford  - 7:30 PM
Boys Basketball - Freeland v. Birch Run  - 7:30 PM
Girls Basketball - Brethren v. Pentwater  - 7:30 PM
Boys Basketball - St. Charles v. Saginaw Nouvel  - 7:30 PM
Boys Basketball - Fowlerville v. Lansing Eastern  - 7:30 PM
Boys Basketball - Bad Axe v. Away - 7:30 PM
Boys Basketball – Standish Sterling v. Frankenmuth - 7:30 PM
Girls Basketball – Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood v. Ann Arbor Greenhills - 7:30 PM
Boys Basketball - Plymouth Christian Academy v. Livonia Franklin  - 8:30 PM
 
Now in its 11th year, 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. Pixellot – The NFHS Network’s automated streaming solution – is used by schools wishing to live stream games but lacking the ability to staff the events. The program also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions.

NFHS Network subscriptions begin at $10.99 a month. Subscribers will have access to all live video and streaming statistics across the country. All content becomes available for free, on-demand viewing 72 hours after being shown live. School Broadcast Program participants benefit as a portion of every subscription sold by a school goes to benefit its program. 

A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA Website.

1975 Class D Football Film Finds Way Back to MHSAA for All to Enjoy Again

By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director emeritus

April 11, 2023

Chasing history was one of the most enjoyable parts of serving at the MHSAA for nearly 34 years. Researching information, but especially what I considered for a long time to be talking to the “old guys” (now I’m one of them) and soaking up their verbal histories of our games.

It also involved chasing down old photos, broadcasts and game films – especially those which preceded our more modern video era beginning in the 1990s.

When I arrived at the MHSAA in 1987, there was a shelf of old 16mm film canisters of an assortment of Boys Basketball Finals from the 1950s to the 70s – certainly not a complete set. The Association would shoot some game action from each quarter and the trophy presentations. They’d be sent out to the participating schools to show to the students (I remember watching a Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart game in 1967 when I was in fifth grade). Some would find their way back to the office – most would not.

Will Robinson, the legendary Detroit Public School League coach who led Pershing High School to the league’s first MHSAA titles (in 1967 and 1970) after a district-imposed hiatus from 1931-61 from statewide tournaments, would pull my chain every time we saw each other about those games featuring Spencer Haywood and Ralph Simpson, among others. We never found them.

So it became a project to try and track down as many old game films of state championships as we could.

Any conversation with someone with a history tone always included a question about the whereabouts of a game film or video. One of those recently bore fruit.

When Crystal Falls Forest Park played in the 8-Player Football Finals at the Superior Dome in Marquette back in 2017, I spent a lot of time talking with living legend Bill Santilli, who led the Trojans to the Class D crown in the very first year of the tournament in 1975, and who would later coach the school to a second state title (2007) and serve as athletic director. He said he had a box on his desk collecting dust that he didn’t know what to do with – that box contained an old video tape from that game.

I uttered four little words – “Send It To Me.”

Posing with the championship trophy after the 1975 Class D Football Final are (left to right): Forest Park tight end Bryan LaChapelle, quarterback Richard Mettlach, head coach Dick Mettlach and running back Bill Santilli.After a while the tape arrived in East Lansing, and I got our video production friends at When We Were Young Productions/Rush Media in Wisconsin on it. This winter, they found someone who could convert it and sent me a file that was recently posted to the MHSAASPORTS Channel on YouTube. You can watch the Trojans play Flint Holy Rosary by Clicking Here or watching above.

There are all kinds of old game films/videos and artifacts in attics, closets, garages, etc., in every town.  Two of our Muskegon historians – Ron Pesch, the MHSAA’s history guy; and the old broadcaster, Jim Moyes, who called games on the radio for years in the Port City – can tell stories of their own about discoveries they have made. Moyes found all kinds of mementos while working on his book on the history of high school track & field in Michigan, and sitting with Ron at this year’s Girls Basketball Finals, he told a story of finding the mother lode of photographs from one of his other historical passions – silent film star Buster Keaton – who spent ten summers in the Actor’s Colony in Muskegon.

Pesch found a listing for Eleanor Keaton, Buster’s widow, using a telephone book (remember those?), made a phone call and shortly thereafter, on a vacation to California, was in her living room where he was loaned a photo album and family scrapbook containing all kinds of images from their time in Muskegon. Many of those images appear in a soon-to-be-released documentary, while the album and scrapbook now reside in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences library in Beverly Hills, Calif. You can preview the film by Clicking Here.

So if you think you have something of a state championship that could be utilized on a bigger platform and enjoyed by everyone, drop a note to [email protected]. If something needs to be converted to a more modern format, you’ll get a copy back, and the footage will be eventually viewable on the MHSAA’s YouTube channel.

To help guide your search, think in the following terms:

► Just about anything before 1990. But there are gaps during the 90s that need to be filled as well.

► Only Championship games and Semifinal games, unless something momentous occurred (like Richie Jordan’s 60-point game for Fennville against Bridgman in a Regional Semifinal in 1965, which is still an  all-time tournament single-game record for boys basketball).

► For a list of what’s in the MHSAA archives prior to 2000 – Click Here. A long-term project is to get all of the games on the list and up to about 2010 uploaded to the YouTube channel. Most games from 2013-14 on can be viewed on the NFHS Network, and some games between 2010 and 2013 are available for purchase as DVDs from PrepFilms.com.

PHOTO Posing with the championship trophy after the 1975 Class D Football Final are (left to right): Forest Park tight end Bryan LaChapelle, quarterback Richard Mettlach, head coach Dick Mettlach and running back Bill Santilli.