MHSAA.TV Makeover Goes LIVE
August 26, 2014
A new look awaits visitors to the MHSAA.tv website this season, a makeover which will allow fans to clip and share highlights and easily track their favorite school.
MHSAA.tv is one of more than 40 states on the NFHS Network, powered by PlayOn! Sports. The highlights clip and share features, among others, are available with free basic memberships. Viewers can subscribe to watch live and freshly-uploaded sporting events, with a portion of the subscription going back to their school. Contests being aired involving schools using Digital Scout for statistics may also include live stats. Games become available for free viewing after 72 hours.
The MHSAA.tv re-launch coincides with the first full week of competition for the 2014-15 school year and fresh school-created content, plus the season debut of MHSAA Football Friday Overtime on FOX Sports Detroit and MHSAA Perspective on a statewide radio network.
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. As many as 60 MHSAA member schools annually participate in the program, which is in its sixth year.
Here’s the schedule of School Broadcast Program members planning to cover varsity competition this week for broadcast at MHSAA.tv (As of Aug. 25):
- Comstock Park Invitational – Volleyball – LIVE – Wednesday, 3 p.m. - Subscription
- Cedar Springs at Comstock Park – Football - LIVE – Thursday, 7 p.m. – Subscription
- Fenton at Davison – Football – Thursday, 7 p.m. – Video on Demand available following game
- Mio at Whittemore-Prescott – Football – Thursday, 7 p.m. – Video on Demand available following game
- Northland Pines (Wis.) at Calumet – Football – Thursday, 7 p.m. – Video on Demand available following game
- St. Johns at East Lansing – Football – Thursday, 7 p.m. - Video on Demand beginning week of Sept. 1
Schools interested in becoming a part of the School Broadcast Program should contact John Johnson at the MHSAA Office.
Beginning this Friday and running for 13 weeks at midnight is MHSAA Football Friday Overtime on FOX Sports Detroit. Mickey York and Rob Rubick return to host the weekly 30-minute highlights show. The show will re-air Saturdays at 11 a.m. and Sunday mornings – check your local listings. (This week at Noon)
The following games are scheduled to be highlighted this week on Football Friday Overtime:
- Saginaw Swan Valley at Saginaw Nouvel
- Saginaw Arthur Hill at Saginaw Heritage
- Macomb Dakota at Clarkston
- Orchard Lake St. Mary’s vs. Southfield at Prep Kickoff Classic, Detroit
- Detroit Cass Tech vs. Oak Park at Prep Kickoff Classic, Detroit
- Ypsilanti Community at Ann Arbor Pioneer
- Westland John Glenn at Ann Arbor Skyline
Beginning its 10th season this week is the radio commentary MHSAA Perspective – presented by the Michigan Army National Guard, which will air on over 60 radio stations across the state generally during the local broadcasts of high school games. The program runs for 30 weeks through the end of the winter sports season. MHSAA Perspective can also be accessed from the home page of the MHSAA Website.
In this week's edition, John Johnson talks about new rules for practice and games in football this season: Safety Trumps Everything
Division 2 Final: 'Anything is Possible'
November 29, 2011
DETROIT – That was the motto of Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice’s football team this season.
And the Warriors had to believe it in order for Friday’s dream finish to become possible.
Brother Rice qualified for the Division 2 playoffs at 5-4 last month and after finishing just fourth in the Detroit Catholic League Central. But riding the legs of senior running back Devin Church, the Warriors finished this season with a 24-14 win over Lowell at Ford Field to earn their seventh MHSAA championship and first since 2005.
Church, who ran for more than 900 yards during the playoffs, piled up 244 and three touchdowns rushing in the Final.
“We did it to make Coach proud,” Church said. “We kept the tradition going.
“That’s everybody’s dream, to win a state title. To walk away with a ring, that’s a blessing.”
“Coach” is Al Fracassa, who finished his 43rd season by winning his 405th high school game. But this run provided a new experience for the longtime leader.
Playing in a conference that also includes Division 1 finalist Detroit Catholic Central, Division 3 finalist Orchard Lake St. Mary and playoff qualifier Warren DeLaSalle, the Warriors lost three league games by a combined four points. Brother Rice (10-4) picked up its fourth loss in Week 8 against Cincinnati LaSalle.
But wins over strong teams – Detroit Martin Luther King and Ann Arbor Pioneer among them – likely gave Brother Rice the playoff points boost it needed to get into the postseason.
“We were worried about making the playoffs again. You get down, but the kids, they taught me a lesson. They came out and they worked their tails off,” Fracassa said. “We had a motto before our season started. … Anything is possible. This motto really personifies this football team. Anything is possible, and they’re going to remember it the rest of their lives.”
Church – who will sign with Northern Illinois in February – ran the ball 33 times. His yards were the sixth-most in an MHSAA Final ever. And they were followed by some flattering comparisons from Lowell coach Noel Dean.
“I don’t want to belittle their team by making it about one player; they have a great team,” Dean said. “(Church) is a fantastic football player. One of the better ones I’ve seen. And I’ve coached against some pretty good running backs in my day. The Grady brothers and the Ducketts, I’ve seen some pretty good ones. He’s fantastic.”
Fracassa added: “He’s done that all year, for the last three years. This is not only his good game he played. He’s played good in every game he’s played.”
And while Church ran wild, the Warriors were able to contain Lowell all-state quarterback Gabe Dean, who was making his third straight appearance in the Division 2 Final. A senior now, he led the Red Arrows to a championship game win in 2009
Dean did throw for 190 yards and two touchdowns, but was able to get free for just 34 yards on the ground as Lowell (12-2) attempted to catch up, and catch Church, most of the afternoon.
“The veer offense, we learned how to shut it down this week in practice. And we did a great job in the game,” Brother Rice junior linebacker Jon Reschke said. “We got them out of the veer and into a shotgun formation, the spread offense, which they didn't want to be in, which helped us.”
Senior linebacker Mark Doman had a team-high 13 tackles for Brother Rice, and Reschke had 10. Junior linebacker Reed Stormzand had 20 to lead Lowell, followed by sophomore linebackers Garrett Stehley and Jake Stehley with 14 and 12, respectively.