Montrose Junior Named NFHS Network's Best

By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director emeritus

April 26, 2017

Eric Vandefifer, a junior at Montrose High School, was named today the Best Student Broadcaster nationally in the NFHS Network School Broadcast Program Awards. 

For the second straight year, James Kitts, the coordinator of the School Broadcast Program at Montrose, was a finalist in the Teacher of the Year category.

Just last week, Montrose was named the “Program of the Year” in the MHSAA’s School Broadcast Program Excellence Awards for 2016-17, claiming the top honor for the fourth straight year.  Montrose took first place in four categories.

Vandefifer also was honored recently by the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association as the top Student Broadcaster in Division 3. Vandefifer and his broadcast partner David Sackrider placed second in the Play-By-Play Category in the MHSAA SBP awards and first in the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Foundation Sports Announcing Team category this year.

In its eighth 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. 

The program also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions.  

All sporting events – live or delayed – are available on a subscription basis only for their first 72 hours online. They become available for free, on-demand viewing approximately 72 hours following their completion.

Here’s this week’s MHSAA.tv schedule of live video streams being produced by SBP members (All times Eastern):

Wednesday, April 26

Thursday, April 27

Monday, May 1

Tuesday, May 2

Be sure to check the Upcoming Events page at MHSAA.tv for schedule additions every day.

The NFHS Network has announced new pricing for 2016-17, eliminating the Day Pass and lowering the cost of a Month Pass to $9.95. 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. 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.

PHOTO: Montrose's Eric Vandefifer (left) and Conner Pyrc call an MHSAA Girls Soccer Semifinal last season for the NFHS Network. (Photo courtesy of Montrose High School digital media.)

Today in the MHSAA: 6/3/24

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

June 3, 2024

 

1. BOYS TRACK & FIELD Kalamazoo Central won its first Finals since 1965, Fowler its first since 1988, and Berrien Springs and Pewamo-Westphalia also were victorious in the Lower Peninsula – MHSAA.com

2. GIRLS TRACK & FIELD Sault Ste. Marie claimed its first Finals title in more than two decades, and Bark River-Harris and Lake Linden-Hubbell were repeat champions in the Upper Peninsula – MHSAA.com

3. GIRLS TRACK & FIELD Oak Park and Hart extended their reigns, and Fowler and Dearborn Divine Child joined them as Lower Peninsula champions – MHSAA.com

4. GIRLS TENNIS Clarkston won its first Finals team title since 2011, and Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, Detroit Country Day and Ann Arbor Greenhills also were Lower Peninsula champions – MHSAA.com

5. BOYS TRACK & FIELD Marquette and Pickford extended championship streaks, and Newberry also claimed a Finals title in the Upper Peninsula – MHSAA.com

6. BASEBALL Montague claimed a Division 3 District title with a 4-1 win over top-ranked North Muskegon – CatchMark SportsNet

7. SOFTBALL Houghton earned its first District title in this sport with a 4-3 win over honorable mention Negaunee in Division 3 – Upper Michigan Source

8. BASEBALL Top-ranked Beal City claimed a Division 4 District championship, along the way defeating No. 2 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 3-0 to start Saturday – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

9. GIRLS SOCCER Salem downed Livonia Stevenson 3-0 in Division 1 to clinch its first District title since 1999 – Hometown Life

10. SOFTBALL Honorable mention Gladstone downed Menominee 4-3 in eight innings in Division 3 to extend its District title streak to 24 – Escanaba Daily Press