Today in the MHSAA: 10/18/18

October 18, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

1. Boys Soccer: Division 4 top-ranked Muskegon Western Michigan Christian earned a trip to the District Finals with a 3-0 win over No. 7 North Muskegon – Muskegon Chronicle

2. Boys Soccer: Unbeaten White Lake Lakeland outlasted Hartland in a shootout to move on in Division 1 – Observer & Eccentric

3. Boys Soccer: Benzie Central won its second shootout this week, this time against Boyne City, to move on to a Division 3 District Final – WPBN

4. Boys Soccer: Harbor Springs lost twice to Charlevoix during the regular season, but came back with a 3-1 District win in Division 4 – Petoskey News-Review

5. Boys Soccer: Charlie Parker scored both of his team’s goals over the final seven minutes to lead Spring Lake past Muskegon Reeths-Puffer 2-1 in Division 2 – Grand Haven Tribune

6. Cross Country: The Zeeland West boys (Lower Peninsula Division 2 No. 10) and Holland Christian girls (LPD2 No. 7) locked up Ottawa-Kent Conference Green titles – Holland Sentinel boys | girls

7. Cross Country: Bloomingdale swept the Southwest 10 Conference championship races – Sturgis Journal

8. Boys Soccer: Birmingham Brother Rice scored the game’s only goal during the second half to defeat Auburn Hills Avondale 1-0 in Division 2 – Oakland Press

9. Volleyball: Division 1 No. 3 Mattawan swept Richland Gull Lake in a matchup of Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference division champs – JoeInsider.com

10. Volleyball: Houghton Lake defeated Division 3 honorable mention Beaverton for the second time this season, handing the Beavers just their third loss overall – Midland Daily News

Also of note …

Football: We are thankful for special moments like Friday’s at Mason, where Muskegon Orchard View and the host Bulldogs cheered Cardinals’ senior Fletcher Payne Jr. into the end zone – Muskegon Chronicle

Cross Country: From Tuesday, the Houghton girls (UPD1 No. 3) and Ishpeming boys (UPD2 No. 1) won Western Peninsula Athletic Conference meet titles – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Volleyball: From Tuesday, unbeaten Carney-Nadeau swept Norway to clinch the Skyline Central Conference small-school championship – Escanaba Daily Press

Cross Country: From Tuesday, Jonesville swept Big 8 Conference championship races – Hillsdale Daily News

Cross Country: From Tuesday, Holland Black River’s girls won the Alliance League title – Holland Sentinel

Today in the MHSAA: 1/14/19

January 14, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Highly-ranked contenders faced off in a number of sports over the weekend, with our list of high achievers led by a matchup of top wrestling teams from neighboring states and top swimming and hockey teams re-igniting familiar rivalries.

1. Wrestling: Division 1 top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central finished 4-0 at its Super Duals with wins Indiana’s top-ranked Indianapolis Cathedral, Division 3 No. 1 Dundee, Brownstown Woodhaven and Culver Academics (Ind.) – Observer & Eccentric

2. Boys Swimming & Diving: Two days after falling to No. 2 East Grand Rapids in a dual, top-ranked Holland Christian finished ahead of the Pioneers to claim the D3 Invitational championship – Holland Sentinel

3. Hockey: No. 4 Warren DeLaSalle got past No. 1 Detroit U-D Jesuit in a matchup of top teams in Division 3 – Macomb Daily

4. Hockey: Division 2 No. 1 Hartland downed Detroit U-D Jesuit on Friday and followed up with a 3-0 win over Division 1 No. 5 Salem on Saturday – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

5. Hockey: Division 3 No. 6 Houghton earned an impressive 3-1 win over Division 2 No. 4 Birmingham Brother Rice – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

6. Gymnastics: Rockford finished first and Bloomfield Hills second at the annual Lowell Invitational – Coldwater Daily Reporter

7. Bowling: Sturgis and Bronson’s boys teams won their division championships at the Battle of the Bakers at M-66 Bowl in Battle Creek – Sturgis Journal

8. Hockey: Division 3 No. 5 Detroit Country Day rallied to get past No. 11 Grosse Pointe South 5-3 – Oakland Press

9. Wrestling: Led by standout Adam Bruce, Gladstone edged Ishpeming Westwood for the Kingsford Ray Mariucci Invitational title – Escanaba Daily Press

10. Wrestling: Division 3 No. 6 Birch Run finished first and Chesaning second at the Saginaw County Invitational – WEYI

Also of note …

Boys Basketball: Jake Burger went over 1,000 career points although Pittsford fell 49-39 to unbeaten Bellevue – Hillsdale Daily News

Football: Grand Rapids South Christian coach Mark Tamminga announced his retirement after 10 years leading the program and guiding the Sailors to two Division 4 titles – Grand Rapids Press