Michigan HS reaches state ‘Elite Eight’ with assist from trans athlete | USAEMALL.com

The Ann Arbor Skyline girls volleyball team, which has a trans-identifying male in its starting lineup, advanced to the Michigan state quarterfinals with a decisive sweep (25-15, 25-18, 25-21) over Saline on Thursday night at Mason High School. They are now one of just eight teams remaining in the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Division I girls tournament, the highest level in the state. 

The MHSAA requires transgender athletes to have an approved waiver to compete in any organization-sponsored events, which include the district and regional tournaments. The organization said in September that it had not granted any waivers since last fall (waivers have to be approved every year), but has ignored multiple follow-up requests asking if one has since been granted. 

As OutKick has reported throughout the fall season, Skyline appears to have attempted to hide its biological male player’s identity, with many parents of opposing teams expressing outrage when they discovered their teenage girls were competing against a male. 

Ann Arbor Skyline beat Saline to reach the MHSAA Division I quarterfinals, stirring debate over a trans-identifying player in Michigan girls’ high school volleyball. (OutKick)

The trans-identifying player, who OutKick is not naming because the athlete is believed to be a minor, dominated the first set with several massive kills, helping Skyline cruise to the first set win, 25-15. 

Every time the player spiked the ball, though, the frustration on the faces of those in the Saline cheering section was evident. One parent kept holding two thumbs down every time the player made a key play. 

Another parent saw the player spike a ball and turned to her husband and quietly said, “That’s the boy, right?” 

However, after Skyline won the first set, it appeared the team was less inclined to set that player up for spikes. While the trans-identifying player wasn’t the most dominant on the court — perhaps intentionally — the advantages in jumping and hitting ability from the male player over the female players was clear. 

“As you saw, it was actually a pretty even match when he wasn’t on the court,” one Saline parent told me after the match. 

LAWYER IN SCOTUS TRANS ATHLETE BATTLE, ICONS ACTIVISTS REACT TO REPORTS IOC WILL PROTECT WOMEN’S CATEGORY

The trans-identifying player, who OutKick is not naming because the athlete is believed to be a minor, dominated the first set with several massive kills, helping Skyline cruise to the first set win, 25-15.  (Getty Images)

Another person in attendance remarked, “I’ve never seen a girl jump that high.” 

Unfortunately, as much as it seemed clear that several Saline parents wanted to voice their frustrations, most shied away. One told me that as much as they’d like to make their feelings known, they feared that their children might face retribution. 

Part of the issue in reporting this story is that all the schools Skyline has played so far in the MHSAA tournament are in or around Ann Arbor. Several people commented on X, jokingly referring to the city as “The People’s Republic of Ann Arbor” because of its radical left-wing political culture. 

Parents are scared that speaking out against the radical left-wing ideology will put their children in harm’s way. It’s hard to blame them for feeling that way. 

But things are about to change. Skyline will face Byron Center in the state quarterfinal on Nov. 18 at Gull Lake High School in Richland, Mich. While Ann Arbor overwhelmingly voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election (71 percent in Washtenaw County, which encompasses Ann Arbor), Byron Center High School is located in Kent County. Kent County was much more divided (52 percent to 47 percent in favor of Harris). 

The Ann Arbor Skyline girls volleyball team advanced to the Michigan state quarterfinals with a decisive sweep (25-15, 25-18, 25-21) over Saline on Thursday night at Mason High School.  (iStock)

But Byron Center is located very near the border of two other counties, Allegan and Barry. Both decidedly voted for Donald Trump (64 percent and 66 percent respectively). 

It’ll be interesting to see what happens once Skyline gets outside its bubble. Inside its bubble, spectators harassed me for doing my job and were, in my opinion, practically encouraged by Skyline principal Casey Elmore. Why wouldn’t they? It’s clear their views on these subjects are rarely, if ever, challenged. 

We’ll see what happens on Nov. 18 at Gull Lake High School. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.