Today in the MHSAA: 10/23/15

October 23, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Notable milestones made headlines Thursday – among them, Rockford’s boys cross country team extending an incredible championship streak and one of Michigan’s best volleyball coaches being celebrated for 1,000 victories.

Cross Country

The Milford girls and White Lake Lakeland boys, both ranked No. 5 in Lower Peninsula Division 1, won Kensington Lakes Activities Association Lakes championships; Milford’s girls finished ahead of No. 4 Brighton and No. 12 Waterford Mott – Oakland Press

The Rockford boys, No. 1 in LPD1, won their 21st straight league title, claiming the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red; Rockford’s 10th-ranked girls added their third straight league title – Grand Rapids Press

Boys Soccer

Unranked Okemos edged No. 11 Portage Central in a Division 1 semifinal 2-1 after jumping out to a two-goal lead – Kalamazoo Gazette

Division 2 No. 14 Petoskey advanced despite three Cadillac comebacks, finally winning a 5-4 semifinal – Petoskey News

Division 3 No. 4 Hudsonville Unity Christian repeated as a district champion with a 2-1 win over No. 18 Grand Rapids Catholic Central – Grand Rapids Press

Volleyball

Unionville-Sebewaing, an MHSAA semifinalist in 2014, won its fourth straight Greater Thumb Conference West title by avenging an earlier loss to Bad Axe with a five-set win – Huron Daily Tribune

Class D No. 6 North Adams-Jerome needed to reach 31-29 to win its first set against Pittsford before finishing a sweep – Hillsdale Daily News

Good Reads

Battle Creek Enquirer sports editor Bill Broderick says what a lot of former high school football players have felt in his message to seniors playing their final games this week and over the next few – Battle Creek Enquirer

Longtime Midland Dow, Pinconning and now Bronson volleyball coach Jean LaClair won her 1,000th match last week; her team is ranked No. 1 in Class C and she was the 2015 MHSAA Women in Sports Leadership Award winner – Sturgis Journal

Today in the MHSAA: 2/18/16

February 18, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The postseason was in full swing for two sports Wednesday, as wrestling teams battled to make the MHSAA Quarterfinals and ski teams also competed in Regionals with an opportunity to make the final meet of the season.

Girls Basketball

New Baltimore Anchor Bay earned its first league championship in 27 years with a 60-48 victory over Warren Mott that clinched the Macomb Area Conference Blue title – Macomb Daily

From Tuesday, Spring Lake junior Reiko Johnson scored 31 points in a win over Montague to go over 1,000 for her career – Grand Haven Tribune

Boys Basketball

Also from Tuesday, Gage Kreski set the St. Ignace career scoring record with 1,997 points after scoring 26 in a win over Brimley – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

Ice Hockey

Division 3 No. 1 Saginaw Heritage finished the Saginaw Valley League undefeated for the first time since 2009, capping the run with a 4-1 win over Bay City – Saginaw News

Skiing

Cadillac’s boys and girls teams swept their Division 2 Regionals at Caberfae Peaks, with freshman Alex Netzley winning both boys races – Cadillac News

Wrestling

In arguably the night’s most impressive Regional win, Division 2 top-ranked Lowell made its sixth straight Quarterfinals by defeating undefeated and No. 8 Sparta – Grand Rapids Press

Also in Division 2, No. 3 St. Johns just got past No. 7 Eaton Rapids, 32-30, after losing to the Greyhounds in this round last season – Lansing State Journal

Unranked Grand Ledge eliminated No. 4 and reigning Division 1 champion Brighton, then defeated Holt in the Final – Livingston Daily

Sturgis celebrated its first Regional title in school history after downing Battle Creek Harper Creek 49-27 – Sturgis Journal

In a matchup of ranked Division 3 teams, No. 2 Lake Fenton took down No. 9 Lake Odessa Lakewood at Ithaca – Ionia Sentinel-Standard