Today in the MHSAA: 10/16/15

October 16, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

First-time champions are always worth noting, and we found a few in checking out today’s media reports of Thursday action statewide.

Cross Country

The Calumet girls, ranked No. 4 in Upper Peninsula Division 1, and the unranked Houghton boys won the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference finals at Chassell – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Boys Soccer

Grand Rapids Union clinched its first league title since moving from the Grand Rapids City League to the Ottawa-Kent Conference, downing Muskegon 3-0 – Grand Rapids Press

Manchester edged Hillsdale Academy 2-1 to claim its first Independent Soccer League championship after winning only one league game in 2014 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Volleyball

Class B honorable mention Buchanan downed Class C’s top-ranked team, Bronson, in five sets, and also Class D No. 6 Mendon in five – Niles Daily Star

Class B No. 6 Mount Morris avenged a five-set loss to No. 5 Goodrich in September by sweeping the Martians to improve to 55-5-1 – Flint Journal

Zeeland West claimed its first conference title in this sport, defeating Holland Christian in five sets to claim a share of the O-K Green championship – Holland Sentinel

Good Reads

Longtime Burton Atherton leader Mary Down will become the third volleyball coach inducted into the Greater Flint Area Hall of Fame, having impacted a generation of players and more as a number of former players went on to coach as well – Flint Journal

Today in the MHSAA: 1/13/16

January 13, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half

Close finishes in girls basketball produced the most exciting headlines from a snowy night that otherwise saw a number of games postponed.

Girls Basketball

Flint Carman-Ainsworth followed freshman Destiny Strother’s 24 points to a 67-64 win over Saginaw Nouvel – Flint Journal

Brianna Young’s 3-pointer at the buzzer gave Rockford a 53-52 win over Grand Rapids Christian – Grand Rapids Press

Addyson Tomczak made two free throws after the regulation buzzer to send Bay City Central’s game against Saginaw Arthur Hill to overtime, and three more to help finish a 57-53 win – Bay City Times

Novi held off South Lyon to remain undefeated with a 40-33 win, the 200th of coach Bill Kelp’s career – Oakland Press

Boys Basketball

Shepherd upset Freeland 47-39 after leading at the end of the first quarter and halftime against the previous one-loss Falcons – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Warren DeLaSalle’s Kevin McKay drained 35 points – on 13 of 17 shooting – to lead the Pilots past West Bloomfield 59-40 – Mlive Detroit

Bowling

Tecumseh’s boys trailed 12-7 heading into the final individual match frame, but emerged with an 18-12 win over rival Adrian – Adrian Daily Telegram

Good Read

Lauren Haines is only 26 and not too far removed from starring at Midland. But she studied athletic training at Alma College, earned a master’s in sports administration from Central Michigan University, and is serving her first school year as both the athletic director and trainer at Gladwin – Midland Daily News