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: 1/25/17

January 25, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A record-setting free-throw run came to an end Tuesday with one of the longest streaks in both Michigan and national high school history, while a northern ski power continued a winning streak as well in the Big North Conference.

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

Foster Loyer’s record-setting free throw run ended at 119 straight in Clarkston’s 59-39 win over North Farmington; he bested the previous MHSAA record by 17 – Detroit News

Burton Atherton rode Victor McEwen’s 41 points to a 77-64 win over neighbor Burton Bendle – Flint Journal

East Lansing, the leader in the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue, downed CAAC Red first-place St. Johns 62-51 – Lansing State Journal

Holland West Ottawa improved to 9-1 with a 63-41 win over Grandville that gave coach Steve Windemuller his 300th win on the bench – Holland Sentinel

Morley Stanwood’s Nic Huntey went over 1,000 career points in a 65-56 win over Newaygo – Big Rapids News

Girls Basketball

The Ottawa-Kent Conference Black has become one of the most competitive leagues in the state this season, with Muskegon, Reeths-Puffer and Mona Shores all tied for first after the Big Reds’ 51-48 win Tuesday – Muskegon Chronicle

Marysville handed Marine City its first loss this season, 40-35 in Macomb Area Conference Gold play – Clinton Township Voice

Hockey

Division 1 No. 2 Brighton got three goals and two assists from Jake Crespi in an 8-0 win over No. 10 Howell – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Skiing

Petoskey’s boys continued their string of success against the Big North Conference, while Petoskey’s girls beat both Traverse City Central and West in a race for the first time in multiple seasons – Petoskey News-Review