By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The first MHSAA Lower Peninsula Finals begin today, in golf and tennis, and Thursday featured a few more local championship events as teams in those sports began pointing toward the end of their regular seasons.

Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.

Cross Country

The Houghton boys and girls teams swept West Peninsula Athletic Conference championships at the league meet, the boys (who are tied for the No. 1 ranking in Upper Peninsula Division 1) continuing a recent string and the UPD1 No. 5 girls winning for the first time in at least five years – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Anna Fischer finished the Rock ‘N’ Run Invitational in Dowagiac in 18:48, more than a minute ahead of the field, as St. Joseph swept the girls and boys races; the Bears' girls are No. 12 in LPD2 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Boys Soccer

Midland Dow downed Midland 3-0 to complete a Saginaw Valley League title run and move to 16-0-4 heading into next week’s District – Midland Daily News

Good Read

We salute the many programs statewide that play games to benefit a variety of causes. Battle Creek Central’s football team will play a “Gray/Pink” game tonight with a teammate in mind, helping to raise money for the treatment of freshman player Michael Miller as he battles brain cancer – Battle Creek Enquirer