Did You See That? (April 8-14)
April 30, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Near-constant rain – and for our northern schools, plenty of snow – has stalled many teams during this spring season.
But there still were plenty of notable performances as most schools returned last week from spring break and battled the elements to get back into the swing.
Below is a look, with links to coverage, of some of news and results that stuck out most:
Softball
Lake Orion mourns longtime coach: Former Lake Orion softball coach Denny Davis, who retired in 2009 with 503 wins and more than 30 seasons in the dugout, died after a heart attack on April 7. His funeral was Thursday. (Oakland Press)
Strong start: Sturgis opened its season with a no-hitter by pitcher Dominique Beach over Three Rivers in a 7-0 win. (Sturgis Journal)
Girls Tennis
Strong start II: Traverse City Central – a top team in Division 2 last season – beat Division 1 powers Midland Dow and Saline on Thursday at the Midland Tennis Center. Traverse City Central will play in Division 1 this spring. (Traverse City Record-Eagle)
Golf
Rockford rules Winding Creek: Through snow, wind and freezing temperatures, Rockford went low against 16 other teams to win Saturday’s Zeeland East Invitational with a score of 314. Junior A.J. Varekois shot a one-under 70 to finish as medalist. (Grand Rapids Press)
Soccer
Gull Lake golden: The Blue Devils beat rival Plainwell 2-1 on Friday in a game that likely gave Gull Lake some added push for the first Division 2 state rankings released today. Gull Lake is ranked No. 5 and Plainwell sits No. 6. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
MHSAA
Minter honored with Norris Award: Longtime MHSAA official and former assistant to the director Tom Minter has been named the Vern L. Norris Award winner for this year and will be honored at the MHSAA’s Officials’ Awards & Alumni Banquet on May 4 in East Lansing. Minter has officiated MHSAA games for 48 years and continues to serve as a clinician at training sessions all over the state. (Second Half)
Football
Mifsud heads to Parma Western: After 16 seasons leading a strong Dearborn program, coach Dave Mifsud was hired as the new leader of Parma Western’s last week. He led Dearborn to eight playoff berths over the last nine seasons – with 11-win finishes in 2004 and 2006. He is taking over a program seeking its first playoff appearance and coming off a 1-8 finish. (Jackson Citizen Patriot)
Monroe Jefferson’s Cisco steps down: After 47 seasons and more than 400 games leading Jefferson’s program, coach Marc Cisco announced his retirement last week. Including three more seasons as an assistant, he coached in the program for a half century. (Monroe Daily News)
Boys Track and Field
Northern wins Port Huron matchup: The boys track meet between Port Huron and Port Huron Northern came down to the day’s final event, the 1,600-meter relay. Northern finished seven seconds faster and a little more than four points better. (Port Huron Times-Herald)
Girls Lacrosse
Chargers survive Saline: Flint Powers Catholic, which missed last season’s Division 2 Semifinals via a one-goal loss to eventual runner-up Okemos, held off a comeback attempt by Saline to earn a 15-14 win Saturday. (Mlive.com)
Boys Lacrosse
Defining win: That’s how the Grand Haven Tribune defined the Buccaneers’ 12-7 victory over three-time Division 2 champion East Grand Rapids – which also has finished MHSAA runner-up in its division three times. (Grand Haven Tribune)
Today in the MHSAA: 2/18/19
February 18, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Wrestling Regionals, Cheer Districts and more than a dozen hockey, basketball and bowling league championships won over the weekend make today’s list of high achievers perhaps the longest so far this 2018-19 school year – and check elsewhere on Second Half for coverage of our first winter Finals in Upper Peninsula swimming & diving.
1. Boys Basketball: Oscoda tied a school record with its 17th win and clinched the North Star League Big Dipper title, its first conference championship since 1991, with a 61-39 victory over Whittemore-Prescott – WBKB
2. Hockey: Division 3 No. 9 Alpena downed Traverse City Central 5-0 to clinch its first Big North Conference title since 2004-05 – Alpena News
3. Girls Basketball: Detroit Mumford repeated as Detroit Public School League Tournament champion with a 59-49 win over Detroit Martin Luther King – State Champs!
4. Wrestling: No. 2 Brighton qualified a Livingston County-record 13 for the Individual Finals from Saturday’s Division 1 Regional – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
5. Boys Basketball: Wyoming Godwin Heights clinched its 10th straight Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver title with a 63-44 win over Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian – FOX 17
6. Boys Basketball: Detroit U-D Jesuit clinched its seventh straight Detroit Catholic League A-B Tournament title with a 63-54 win over Detroit Catholic Central – Detroit News
7. Boys Basketball: Detroit Cass Tech downed Detroit Renaissance 80-56 to win the Detroit PSL Tournament title – Detroit News
8. Boys Basketball: Benton Harbor won a matchup of Division 2 championship contenders, 72-62 over River Rouge – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
9. Basketball: Kinross Maplewood Baptist’s girls and boys basketball teams won Northern Lights Conference Tournament titles, Ellie Bell going over 1,000 career points for the girls during their run – MI Sports Now
10. Competitive Cheer: Reigning Division 2 champion Allen Park won its District, ahead of runner-up Dearborn Divine Child – Southgate News-Herald
Also of note …
Gymnastics: Jackson Area finished first and Coldwater second at the South Central Gymnastics League Championship meet, Coldwater finishing its highest since 1989 – Coldwater Daily Reporter
Boys Bowling: Gaylord put the finishing touches on a second straight Northern Michigan Bowling Conference championship – Gaylord Herald Times
Boys Bowling: Division 4 top-ranked Bronson clinched the Kensington Valley Association championship – Sturgis Journal
Boys Basketball: Josh Palo went over 1,000 career points in Howell’s 57-45 win over Novi – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Boys Basketball: Ovid-Elsie claimed a share of the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference title with a 69-66 double-overtime win over Mount Morris – Owosso Argus-Press
Boys Basketball: Richmond clinched its second straight Blue Water Area Conference title with a 51-41 win over Almont – Port Huron Times-Herald
Bowling: The Rockford girls and Caledonia boys claimed O-K Red championships at the league tournament – Grand Haven Tribune
Boys Basketball: Ionia clinched the outright Capital Area Activities Conference White title with a big win over Lansing Catholic – Greenville Daily News
Girls Basketball: Muskegon clinched the O-K Black championship with a 72-66 win over Jenison – Local Sports Journal
Boys Basketball: Fremont clinched the Central State Activities Association Gold title with a 60-58 overtime win over Grant – Local Sports Journal
Bowling: New Boston Huron’s girls and boys teams swept the Monroe County Invitational titles; the girls are ranked No. 4 and the boys No. 10 in Division 2 – Monroe News
Boys Basketball: Royal Oak Shrine defeated Ann Arbor Greenhills to win the Catholic League C-D title – Oakland Press