Notebook: Battle Creek Academy state ranked in soccer for first time in school history
BATTLE CREEK - For the first time in school history, Battle Creek Academy find itself in the state rankings in boys soccer.
Or any sport, for that matter.
The Battle Creek Academy boys soccer team has made history as it has climbed into the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association state rankings, sitting at No. 15 in Division 4.
"To be the first ranked team in the history of our athletic program is a huge honor and a blessing," said Battle Creek Academy boys soccer coach Shadrach Grentz. "It's pretty neat when you think about how we are the smallest school in the state with a soccer team.
"Now, it's our job to keep focused on one moment at a time and doing our best. Our team wants to keep climbing higher to reach our full potential."
Battle Creek Academy first began high school sports in 1991 with basketball. The soccer program began at the middle school level in 2018. BCA was first recognized by the Michigan High School Athletic Association only last year to compete in postseason play.
BCA was 8-2 on the season when the rankings came out and opened the season with an impressive showing in the annual All-City Boys Soccer Tournament, advancing to the finals in a loss to Lakeview. It was the first year BCA played in the All-City tourney.
"Now, a lot of those kids from that first team (2018) are upperclassmen," Grentz said. "I am happy to see the years of hard work our guys have been putting in has been recognized."
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Cross Country
Lakeview's Aiden Moore finished first overall in the Division 1 race of the prestigious Michigan State University Spartan Invitational in East Lansing, with a time of 15:45.4. Lakeview was second overall as a team in its division with Jonah Bills also coming in with a Top 10 finish at sixth in a time of 16:40.6.
The Marshall boys cross country team is currently ranked No. 3 in the state as a team in Division 2 and showed off its top talent by winning the 18-team Holly Invitational on Saturday. The Redhawks had four runners in the top seven, including Jack Bidwell's second-place finish in a time of 15:57. Connor Griffith was fourth, Reece Davis was sixth and Abe McHugh seventh.
Volleyball
Lakeview won the Portage Northern Invitational in volleyball action on Saturday. The Spartans defeated Three Rivers in the championship final, 25-17, 21-25, 15-10. Lakeview was undefeated in pool play, sweeping Otsego, Hopkins and Bronson. The Spartans beat Buchanan in the quarterfinals, 25-16, 25-19 and Edwardsburg in the semifinals, 25-17, 25-11.
Lakeview's Anya Rankin had 32 kills and 50 digs to help lead the way in the championship effort. Livi Overbeek added 49 kills and 24 digs with Camille Oxley adding 48 digs.
Harper Creek had a nice week on the court, earning a win over rival Marshall in a midweek Interstate 8 Conference match. The Beavers took back 'The Bucket' - a traveling trophy between the two teams - for the first time since 2016. Harper Creek beat Marshall, 25-19, 25-16, 25-16. Ella Chantrenne came up big for the Beavers with 15 kills and 11 digs in the match with Cassidy Pratley adding 15 kills and eight digs and Camille Robinson chipping in with 12 kills and Taegen Anderson running the offense with 48 assists and five aces.
Over the weekend, the Beavers won the Silver Bracket at the Portage Northern Invitational, beating Grand Rapids Northview in the finals, 25-23, 26-24. Chantrenne added 25 kills and 38 digs with Pratley getting 64 kills on the day and Reese Winter adding 61 digs.
Bill Broderick can be reached at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on X/Twitter: @billbroderick.
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: High School Notebook: Battle Creek Academy soccer makes history
