Today in the MHSAA: 10/29/15

October 29, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half

Boys Soccer Regionals continued Wednesday with a number of ranked teams matching up, but also note some significant volleyball accomplishments and a piece on a football coach taking major strides with West Bloomfield.

Boys Soccer

Division 3 No. 10 Gladwin downed No. 9 Whitehall by shootout in a Regional Semifinal – Muskegon Chronicle

Division 3 No. 11 Ludington made its first Regional Final since 2001 with a shutout of No. 12 Elk Rapids – Muskegon Chronicle

Division 4 No.3 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian took No. 12 Charlevoix to a shootout before winning their Regional Semifinal – Muskegon Chronicle

Division 4 No. 14 Burton Genesee Christian flew under the radar for much of this fall, but remained undefeated with a 5-0 win over Lincoln Alcona – Flint Journal

Division 1 No. 4 Utica Ford outlasted No. 7 Utica Eisenhower for a 2-0 Regional Semifinal win – Macomb Daily

Reigning Division 1 runner-up Rochester Adams, now ranked No. 3, edged Bloomfield Hills 1-0 – Oakland Press

Volleyball

Class C No. 10 Kent City won its first volleyball league title in 15 seasons while ending Morley-Stanwood’s run of 13 straight championships – Grand Rapids Press

Class B honorable mention Frankenmuth capped a perfect run through a Tri-Valley Conference East that includes No. 8 North Branch – Saginaw News

Class C honorable mention Calumet survived a five-set match against Hancock, a possible opponent in next week’s District – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Good Read

West Bloomfield football is undefeated for the first time since 1962, coached by former University of Michigan and NFL receiver Ron Bellamy, who brought his team through struggles his first few seasons and also received some touching assistance from the legendary longtime coach next door – Detroit News

Today in the MHSAA: 5/9/16

May 9, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

This weekend was a major one for tournament events statewide as close finishes and falling records were seen on both sides of the bridge.

Baseball

Montague downed reigning Division 4 champion Muskegon Catholic Central 8-2 to win the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association’s Tier 2 championship – Muskegon Chronicle

From Thursday, Blissfield earned longtime coach Larry Tuttle his 1,200th win; he’s second on the MHSAA record list by just a handful of victories – Adrian Daily Telegram

Boys Golf

Grand Haven won its inaugural invitational at Grand Haven Golf Course with a 326, seven strokes ahead of Spring Lake – Grand Haven Tribune

Boys Lacrosse

Also from Thursday, Lake Orion, coming off records of 7-12 in 2014 and 5-14 in 2015, clinched the Oakland Activities Association Red championship with a double-overtime win over Bloomfield Hills – Oakland Press

Softball

Hudson’s Lauren Valdez struck out 18 batters in throwing a no-hitter against Petersburg-Summerfield – Adrian Daily Telegram

Girls Tennis

North Muskegon won five flights including all four doubles in claiming the title at the annual Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament – Muskegon Chronicle

Track & Field

The Utica Ford boys just edged Troy to win Sterling Heights’ Harold Arft Invitational, while Grosse Pointe South won the girls meet by nearly 15 points – Macomb Daily

The Sanford Meridian boys cleared Harrison by 5.5 points to win the 32nd Nite Trax Invitational, while Gaylord’s girls won by six over Remus Chippewa Hills – Midland Daily News

Petoskey’s Isabel Anderson should be a contender for an MHSAA Finals championship after besting her previous school record high jump of 5-foot-6 at the Ken Bell meet in Traverse City – Petoskey News

Harbor Springs’ Caylin Bonser broke her school’s discus record with a toss of 135-7 during Friday’s Lake City Invitational – Petoskey News

Pickford’s boys just got past Newberry 142-141 to win the St. Ignace Invitational, while the host Saints girls won their meet comfortably by 24.5 points – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News