Hesperia lost both its matches last Wednesday at the season-opening Spring Lake Tri against Spring Lake and Kent City.
Shelby had another good performance at Saturday's Western Michigan Christian tournament, earning the runner-up position after dropping a tough finals match to Kalamazoo Christian 25-23, 25-15.
Shelby won its second straight Ludington Invitational championship Friday, winning all four of its matches to open the season on a high note.
Hart started its 2022 season in style Saturday, winning the Silver bracket title at the Officials for Kids Tournament at MSA Fieldhouse. The tournament benefits DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids.
HESPERIA — As county sports teams continued preparation for the coming season, outgoing Hesperia coach Monica Grimard was providing a bridge to the new era for the Panthers.
Hesperia will hold a volleyball camp in August for players entering kindergarten through sixth grade to develop their skills.
It was a big year for hardware for Oceana County volleyball this season, especially in Shelby. The district champion Tigers had three players earn all-West Michigan Conference first team honors, a fourth get honorable mention, and maybe most notably of all, earned a team academic all-state honor.
Shelby got off to the start it wanted last Tuesday in the regional semifinals against NorthPointe Christian, but two very close games in the middle swung the Mustangs’ way and were the difference in a 20-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-19 defeat.
HOLTON — A lot of Shelby Tigers, past and present, had celebrating to do after their team defeated Hesperia Thursday night in the district finals, 25-9, 21-25, 25-10, 25-13, none more so than the classes of 2021 and 2022.
MUSKEGON — Pentwater’s volleyball team was able to keep pace with Muskegon Catholic early in each game of their MHSAA Division 4 district championship match Thursday, but the host Crusaders pulled away late to earn the win, 15-25, 13-25, 11-25.
HOLTON — Back with its regular lineup, Shelby enjoyed one of its most dominant performances of the season Wednesday night, dispatching rival Hart 25-11, 25-9, 25-10.
SHELBY — Shelby coaches tracked freshman Navea Gauthier’s eventual arrival on the varsity volleyball team for some time, and now that she’s here, she’s lived up to expectations.
MUSKEGON — Pentwater had no trouble dispatching a hapless Muskegon Heights squad Tuesday in a district semifinal matchup, 25-10, 25-6, 25-5.
Hesperia finished its regular season by earning the Bronze bracket championship Saturday at the Central Montcalm tournament. Hesperia beat Reed City in the Bronze finals, 25-23, 25-21.
Shelby finished its regular season with a 3-1 record at Saturday's Sparta Invitational, falling to Fremont in a tight three-game semifinal match, 15-25, 25-21, 15-10.
Hesperia dropped its Central State Activities Association Silver finale Wednesday night at Holton in a close match, 25-22, 26-24, 17-25, 25-19.
Shelby won all three of its matches Tuesday at the Sparta Quad, although it wasn't easy. The Tigers fought off Grant in a close match to start the night (25-23, 29-27) and had to go three games to beat Chippewa Hills (25-22, 16-25, 15-5). Shelby did finish strong with a 25-7, 25-17 win over Sparta.
WHITEHALL — Although neither finished at their desired place at the top, both Hart and Shelby played some of their best volleyball of the season Saturday at the West Michigan Conference tournament in Whitehall.
Shelby dominated Manistee Thursday night in a non-conference match, 25-10, 25-13, 25-12, behind one of its best offensive nights of the season.
Hesperia lost its senior night matchup against Central State Activities Association Silver foe Morley-Stanwood Wednesday night, 25-20, 25-20, 25-18.
Shelby went 2-1 Wednesday night at the Cedar Springs Quad, winning its first two matches over Greenville and Central Montcalm but falling to Cedar Springs in a competitive match, 25-20, 25-21.
Hart lost all three of its matches Monday night at the Kent City Quad. The Pirates fell to NorthPointe Christian, Kent City and Ludington, all in two games.
Pentwater settled for second place at Saturday's West Michigan D League volleyball tournament in Mesick, falling to the Bulldogs in the championship match.
Hart and Hesperia each went 1-1 Thursday night at the Hesperia Tri. The Pirates beat Hesperia (25-11, 13-25, 15-10) but lost to Oakridge in a tough match (21-25, 25-18, 15-13), and the Panthers defeated Oakridge (25-19, 25-18).
Shelby continued its recent hot streak Thursday night, sweeping all three of its matches at the Big Rapids Quad in two games each.
Pentwater won its West Michigan D League regular-season finale Wednesday night at Big Rapids Crossroads, 22-25, 25-15, 25-17, 25-9.
Hesperia couldn't parlay a good start into a win over Kent City Wednesday night in Central State Activities Association Silver action, losing 25-19, 25-11, 25-13.
Pentwater played its second and last home match of the season Tuesday night and lost a tough battle to West Michigan D League leader Mesick, 25-18, 25-13, 10-25, 25-13.
SCOTTVILLE — Hart defeated Mason County Central Tuesday night for its first West Michigan Conference victory, 25-18, 25-16, 25-22.
HOLTON — Hart won both its matches in exciting fashion Monday night at the Holton Tri, defeating the Red Devils 21-25, 28-26, 15-13, and beating Central Montcalm 22-25, 25-22, 15-12.
WAYLAND — Shelby earned its third tournament title of the season Saturday by winning the Wayland Invitational, defeating Otsego in an exciting finals match, 30-28, 25-18.
BIG RAPIDS — Hart went 2-1-1 Saturday at the Big Rapids Crossroads Cougar Invitational, defeating Evart and Crossroads in two games each.
CUSTER — Even with only six players available, Pentwater was ready for its gut-check when it came Thursday night at Mason County Eastern, rallying from a two-game deficit to win 22-25, 20-25, 25-19, 25-14, 15-2.
LAKEVIEW — Finally playing with most of its team, Hesperia swept Lakeview Wednesday night in a Central State Activities Association Silver match, 25-21, 25-11, 25-17.
RAVENNA — Hart narrowly missed its best chance yet at a West Michigan Conference win Wednesday, losing a hard-fought match to Ravenna, 25-22, 13-25, 16-25, 25-21, 15-8.
HART — Shelby continued its recent hot streak at the expense of rival Hart Tuesday night, earning a 25-14, 25-17, 25-15 victory.
PENTWATER — Pentwater overcame some first-home-game jitters early in Tuesday's match against Manistee Catholic and earned a West Michigan D League sweep of the Sabers, 25-16, 25-20, 25-18.
WHITE CLOUD — Still playing "a skeleton crew", coach Monica Grimard said, due to COVID-19 quarantines, Hesperia lost its fourth straight Central State Activities Association Silver match to White Cloud Wednesday, 25-13, 20-25, 25-16, 25-14.
BEAR LAKE — Pentwater swept Bear Lake Tuesday night in West Michigan D League action, 25-16, 25-15, 25-14.
SHELBY — Just five days after dropping a match to Oakridge at the Ludington Tri, Shelby restored order Tuesday with an impressive 25-19, 25-15, 25-11 win in West Michigan Conference action.
ONEKAMA — Hart volleyball had a 1-1-3 record Saturday at the Onekama Invitational, meet consisting of two-game matches.
MARION — Pentwater defeated West Michigan D League foe Marion Thursday night in four games, 25-9, 25-20, 17-25, 25-23.
HART — Hart dominated much of its four-game win over White Cloud Thursday night, 25-12, 28-30, 25-11, 25-21.
LUDINGTON — Coming off a hard-fought five-game loss to Whitehall on Tuesday, Shelby struggled to play cohesively at Thursday's Ludington Tri, going 1-1. The Tigers defeated Ludington 21-25, 25-23, 15-10 but fell to Oakridge 25-13, 25-23.
HESPERIA — With a lineup affected by contact tracing and quarantines, Hesperia lost to Holton Wednesday in a close Central State Activities Association Silver matchup, 27-25, 25-22, 26-24.
SHELBY — Shelby got off to a roaring start Tuesday against West Michigan Conference foe Whitehall and took the Vikings all the way to a fifth game, but didn’t quite have the finish it needed, losing a thriller 13-25, 25-18, 25-21, 23-25, 15-8.
HART — Hart lost a close three-game match to North Muskegon Tuesday night, 25-16, 25-19, 25-23.
PENTWATER — Pentwater finally returned to action Tuesday after almost three weeks off. The Falcons understandably had some rust to shake off, but they were able to do so and win in four games, 25-27, 25-22, 25-13, 25-21.
HESPERIA — Hesperia went 2-1 Thursday night at its home quad, earning victories over Onekama and Mason County Central but falling to Muskegon Catholic.
MORLEY — Hesperia lost a lopsided match against Central State Activities Association Silver power Morley-Stanwood Wednesday, 25-10, 25-8, 25-7.
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