Today in the MHSAA: 1/11/16

January 11, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The first full sports weekend of 2016 included notable performances in a number of sports, highlighted by one of the top swimming and diving meets of the regular season.

Girls Basketball

Ithaca girls basketball coach Bob Anderson earned his 700th win as his team beat Carrollton 66-40; he’s coached both girls and boys teams to success over 27 seasons – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Durand handed Goodrich its first league loss in seven years while staying undefeated this season in the Genesee Area Conference Red – Flint Journal

DeWitt remained undefeated at 8-0 after handing Lansing Waverly its first loss this season in a matchup of two of the Lansing area’s top teams – Lansing State Journal

St. Joseph moved to 6-1 with a 72-35 win over Benton Harbor, a semifinalist in Class B last season – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Saranac was missing its leading scorer, but still managed to get past annual Class D power Portland St. Patrick 41-33 – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

Boys Basketball

Okemos handed Holt its first loss this season and won its first game on the Rams’ home court since 2010 – Lansing State Journal

Ice Hockey

Portage Central earned a win that could boost it into the state rankings, downing Division 1 No. 10 East Kentwood 2-1 on Saturday in Muskegon – Kalamazoo Gazette

Boys Swimming & Diving

Division 2 No. 1 Dexter scored 409 points to beat No. 4 Warren DeLaSalle by 33 at the annual Spartan Invitational at Battle Creek Lakeview, with the field also including reigning champion Birmingham Seaholm and Division 1 contender Ann Arbor Skyline – Battle Creek Enquirer

Lower Peninsula Division 1 honorable mention Grand Rapids Forest Hills defeated a field that included LPD2 No. 6 Midland Dow at the Forest Hills Invitational – Midland Daily News

Wrestling

Unranked Westland John Glenn got past Division 1 No. 9 New Baltimore Anchor Bay to win the Michigan Duals at Bay City Western over a field that also included No. 8 Western and Division 3 No. 5 Remus Chippewa Hills – Mlive-Detroit

Division 2 No. 9 Sparta won the Dave Dunneback Tournament with 247 points, ahead of Lake Odessa Lakewood, Belding and Division 3 No. 6 Grand Rapids Catholic Central – Grand Rapids Press

Football

Mike McDowell returned four seasons ago for his second stint coaching Morenci and led the program to its best finishes in nearly two decades. He recently resigned – Adrian Daily Telegram

Good Reads

Longtime coach Keith Haske remains cancer-free after fighting Stage 4 throat cancer only a year ago – and he’s added significantly to his day, becoming the girls basketball coach in addition to leading the boys program at Traverse City St. Francis. The Record-Eagle’s Brett Sommers documented a typical Haske day – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Carleton Airport senior Jessica Book is her school’s Homecoming Queen this year – and a cheerleader – and a wrestler – and plans to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps and defuse bombs – Monroe Evening News

Today in the MHSAA: 3/7/17

March 7, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A trio of buzzer beaters lead off our collection of boys basketball District headlines from across the state after a Monday filled with close finishes and milestones.

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. 

Boys Basketball

Nolan Hornbacher’s basket with nine seconds to play gave Caro a 40-39 Class B win over North Branch; the Tigers have built their first winning season since 2002 – Saginaw News

Ross Bogart’s bucket during the final seconds gave Southgate Anderson a 48-46 Class A win over Riverview – Southgate News Herald

Coloma’s Zach Goodline hit 3-pointers to send his team’s Class B game against Buchanan into overtime and then help it win 56-55 in a second extra period – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Otsego had 11 points at halftime of its Class B game against Plainwell, but Bill Woodhams scored 27 during the second half to lead the Bulldogs to a 54-40 win – Kalamazoo Gazette

Napoleon downed Concord 70-59 in a Class C matchup of 15-win teams entering the night – Jackson Citizen Patriot

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s eliminated 2016 Class A runner-up North Farmington, 58-42 – Oakland Press

Konner Vedrode went over 1,000 career points as Alma downed Shepherd 52-45 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Danny Griffin went over 1,000 points as well as Evart downed White Cloud 69-48 – Big Rapids News

Good Read

Four travel hockey standouts came out for Hartland’s team this season, joining two more who made the switch a year ago, and the Eagles are 24-2-1 heading into a Division 2 Quarterfinal tonight. They talk about some of the best of becoming part of the high school team – Livingston Daily Press & Argus