Today in the MHSAA: 10/14/15

October 14, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

With Lower Peninsula golf and tennis heading into the MHSAA Finals this weekend, it’s cross country, soccer and volleyball teams’ turns to claim league championships.

Cross Country

Lower Peninsula Division 3 No. 5 Shepherd won its sixth straight Tri-Valley Conference Central girls championship with the top four finishers at the final league jamboree – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Boys Soccer

Hillsdale Academy won the Hillsdale Cup and clinched a league title with a shootout win over Hillsdale High – Hillsdale Daily News

Division 2 No. 6 Spring Lake and No. 9 Fruitport will split the Lakes 8 Conference title thanks to the former’s 4-1 victory over Division 3 No. 11 Ludington on Tuesday – Muskegon Chronicle

Girls Swimming and Diving

LP Division 1 No. 6 Brighton opened its new pool by handing honorable mention Grand Blanc its first loss this season – Livingston Daily

Volleyball

Lake Odessa Lakewood, No. 7 in Class B, stayed undefeated in Greater Lansing Activities Conference play with a three-set win over Class D No. 5 Lansing Christian – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

Class B No. 7 Chelsea clinched its second straight Southeastern Conference White championship with a sweep of Tecumseh – AnnArbor.com

West Bloomfield unseated two-time reigning champion Farmington Hills Harrison in the Oakland Activities Association White, coming back from a first-set loss to claim the deciding match – Oakland Press

Ortonville-Brandon continued a 13-3 run coming off a 3-7 start this fall with a 3-1 win over Flushing – Flint Journal

Good Reads

The MHSAA Finals preview of Port Huron-area boys tennis teams kicks off with a look at 50-year Armada coach Dave Fredette – Port Huron Times-Herald

The origins of the unique Ann Arbor Huron River Rat mascot are tough to lock down, but this report looks at a few theories – AnnArbor.com

Today in the MHSAA: 3/9/16

March 9, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

It’s tough to remember a night of MHSAA playoff action with more close finishes, as Tuesday included three one-goal hockey Regional Finals – including two that went to overtime – and a number of one-basket deciders in girls basketball.

Girls Basketball

Freshman Alyza Winston scored off a steal during the final seconds to give Muskegon Mona Shores a 61-59 win over Grand Rapids Christian in Class A – Muskegon Chronicle

Farmington Hills Mercy earned a Class A Regional Final berth on Katie Coe’s basket at the buzzer in a 37-35 win over Howell – Oakland Press

Jackson Northwest continued its impressive Class A run with a 59-57 win over Kalamazoo Central – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Marshall ran its winning streak to 22 with a 62-44 win over Stevensville Lakeshore in Class B – Battle Creek Enquirer

Bay City John Glenn needed overtime in one of its few close wins this season, but edged Frankenmuth 49-46 in Class B – Saginaw News

Portland also needed overtime in Class B to get past Eaton Rapids 47-45 – Lansing State Journal

Flat Rock needed a 20-2 third-quarter run to get past Brooklyn Columbia Central in Class B, 49-48 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Reigning Class C champion Calumet kept its perfect run alive with a 46-45 overtime win over Negaunee – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Ithaca reached its first Regional Final and set a school record with 22 wins in a 53-41 victory over New Lothrop – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Gaylord St. Mary earned a slight upset in Class D, downing Frankfort 54-41 – Gaylord Herald Times

Ice Hockey

Hartland outlasted Birmingham Brother Rice 5-4 in overtime to reach the Division 2 Semifinals – Livingston Daily

Ada Forest Hills Eastern earned its Semifinal bid with a 2-1 triple-overtime win over Marquette – Grand Rapids Press

Livonia Stevenson got past rival Trenton for the second straight season, 2-1, to advance – Detroit News

Romeo earned its trip to the Semifinals thanks in part to six points from senior Logan Jenuwine in an 8-3 win over New Baltimore Anchor Bay – Macomb Daily