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High 5s: 10/31/12

October 31, 2012

Finishing lower than first is a rarity for this week's High 5 recipients, who have found themselves ahead of the pack throughout most of this fall's volleyball, cross country and football seasons.

Amanda McKinzie
Battle Creek St. Philip senior
Volleyball

McKinzie, a 6-foot outside hitter, helped lead St. Philip to a 66-2-1 record heading into the postseason and the overall top ranking, regardless of class, by the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association. The Tigers are going for their seventh consecutive MHSAA Class D championship, and McKinzie has been a key player on the last three. Her 2,396 career kills heading into the Regional rank fourth in the MHSAA record book since the beginning of the rally scoring era in 2004, and her 352 aces are 12th. She intends to sign with Virginia Tech and is one of 10 candidates for the state's Miss Volleyball award.

The candidate speaks: "I never would've thought (I'd be a finalist) when I was younger. I know so many good girls from around here too. It's just such an honor."

This is it: "I've started to feel the nerves. There aren't many (matches) left. I've been on (varsity) since freshman year, been on the teams that won all these past years, and I can feel the pressure. Yeah, this is it. We can't take things for granted." 

Had to be a Hokie: McKinzie also considered Duke and Indiana before settling on Virginia Tech. "The coaches, the facilities, just the all-around campus, how it's set up. It's easy to get around places. And the coaches are so welcoming. Everything they have for you is pretty much right there."

Staying in sport: Although McKinzie is unsure what she'll study, she's considering something in health and nutrition that is connected to athletics.

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Connor Mora
Cedar Springs senior
Cross country

Mora won last weekend's Division 2 Regional at Benzie Central by more than 22 seconds with a time of 14:54. That's 39 seconds faster than his MHSAA Finals time of 15:33 that placed him third last fall. He won the 1,600 and 800-meter runs at the Division 2 Track and Field Finals this spring.

Finally, 14s: "It doesn't feel like it happened. It's just an unimaginable feeling. It's been my goal since I started running, and at the end of my freshman year I realized I could do really well at this sport if put in the work. When I ran that time, I reailzied all that I'd been wroking for has paid off."

A nickname that stuck: Mora was labeled Mr. Competitive by his fourth-grade teacher.  “I was just your average little kid, like all the other little kids. I never thought of myself as fast. But one thing I do remember is I always liked to win at everything. Just everything. Every sort of competition."

No slam dunk: "I wish I was good at basketball. I didn't even make the team in middle school. I can't make a layup to save my life. (But) I still love playing. It's really fun. I like every sport, whether I'm good at it or not."

Up next: Mora hopes to continue running for a Division I college program, with Michigan and Michigan State among in-state possibilities. He'd like to study kinesiology and become a physical therapist.

Click to read more. 

Ithaca football

The Yellowjackets are 10-0 heading into Friday's Division 6 Regional Final against Hemlock, and haven't lost since falling in a 2009 MHSAA Semifinal. Ithaca has won 38 straight games, with two Division 6 championships along the way, and holds the fifth-longest winning streak in MHSAA football history. The streak is the third longest since the beginning of the playoff era in 1975.

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Previous 2012-13 honorees:

Did you see that?

January 29, 2012

Check out our must-know scores and news from Jan. 23-29.

(Click on links for coverage.)

Competitive Cheer

Eagles fly: Hudsonville was one of four top-six Division 1 teams at Saturday's LMCCOA Scholarship Meet at East Kentwood, with top teams from Divisions 2 and 3 also competing. The Eagles soared above them all with a score of 810.0704. (Grand Rapids Press)

Boys basketball

Big Reds roll: The annual matchups between Lansing Sexton and Eastern always are among mid-Michigan's biggest games. But Friday's might've been arguably the biggest regular-season matchup in that city in at least a decade -- especially since Sexton joined Eastern's CAAC Blue this year. Sexton, the reigning MHSAA Class B champion, knocked off the Class A No. 2 Quakers 72-60. They'll meet again one more time this winter. (Lansing State Journal)

Girls basketball

Detroit Public School League tournament begins: First-round games are complete, with the championship game scheduled for Feb. 16. Pershing and Cass Tech received the top seeds. (Detroit Public School League)

Hockey

Cranbrook-Kingswood cruises: The Cranes, ranked No. 1 in Division 3, might have an argument as the state's best regardless of division after beating Division 2 No. 7 Warren DeLaSalle and Division 1 No. 5 Grosse Pointe North by a combined score of 17-6 on back-to-back nights. DeLaSalle did come back with a 2-1 win over Division 2 No. 1 Trenton on Saturday. The MHSAA Network has broadcasts of both Cranes games. (MHSAA.tv)

MHSAA news

Scholar-Athlete finalists announced: More than 1,600 applicants were whittled to 120 finalists, with Marlette, Northville and Rochester Adams placing three apiece. The first winners will be announced Feb. 7. (Second Half)

Editor's note: Did we miss something? Comment below and tell us about it. Is there an event coming up that we should make sure to note? Comment or e-mail [email protected].