Today in the MHSAA: 11/21/16

November 21, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The MHSAA volleyball and girls swimming & diving tournaments finished Saturday with seven championships awarded to teams from across the Lower Peninsula and coverage provided of each Final by Second Half correspondents. 

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.

Swimming & Diving

Rockford passed recent champs and favorites to win the Lower Peninsula Division 1 Final and claim its first championship in the sport – Second Half

Birmingham Seaholm won its first title in 20 years, finishing ahead of reigning champ Dexter in LP Division 2 – Second Half

East Grand Rapids claimed its 20th MHSAA championship with arguably its most talented team ever, winning in LP Division 3 – Second Half

Volleyball

Novi advanced to its third straight Class A Final and won its second straight championship, 3-1 over Rockford – Second Half

North Branch met Lake Odessa Lakewood in the Class B Final for the third time in five seasons and prevailed over the top-ranked Vikings – Second Half

Bronson repeated in Class C against a Brown City team appearing in the Final for the first time – Second Half

Plymouth Christian secured its first MHSAA title, downing league mate Auburn Hills Oakland Christian in Class D – Second Half

Today in the MHSAA: 12/10/15

December 10, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Wednesday was the first day of winter in full swing with significant matchups coming in six sports as four got into the heart of their first week of the season. Be sure to check out as well a story on MHSAA officials recruiting efforts.

Girls Basketball

Traverse City St. Francis won an early battle between two of the north’s top small-school teams, downing Frankfort (featured today on Second Half) 76-72 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

A pair of Concord players filled the stat sheet in a 62-56 win over Michigan Center; senior Lindsey Lehmen led with 24 points, five assists, four rebounds and four steals, and sophomore Camryn Ward grabbed 19 rebounds – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Boys Basketball

From Tuesday, Sanford Meridian freshman Lucas Lueder will be among first-year players to watch, if his 18 points in a 65-61 win over Saginaw Nouvel are an indication – Midland Daily News

Boys Bowling

Vandercook Lake could be in line for an exciting season or four after watching freshmen Korey Reichard (278) and Conner Lackey (267) lead the way in a 29-1 win over Grass Lake – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Ice Hockey

Division 3 No. 10 Farmington’s two first-period goals were enough as the Falcons scored a key early-season win over Division 2 No. 4 Berkley – Oakland Press

After finishing regulation tied, Division 2 No. 9 Traverse City Central needed only 14 seconds of overtime to get past Cadillac 4-3 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Boys Swimming & Diving

Chelsea coach Dave Jolly was the mid-Michigan link to Wednesday’s Waverly Relays, the annual event for Lansing-area teams to kick off the season; his Lower Peninsula Division 3 No. 3-ranked team broke Okemos’ five-year hold on the meet championship – Lansing State Journal

Wrestling

No. 3 Davison earned one of the most significant early wins so far this season, 45-27 over No. 4 Brighton, which beat Davison in the Division 1 Semifinals last season – Livingston Daily

Saginaw Swan Valley, No. 8 in Division 3, just escaped Essexville Garber for a 32-30 win – Saginaw News

Good Read

After more than five decades as an official, Dick Kalahar is watching from the stands this season. He is among a growing number of retiring officials the MHSAA is charged with replacing over the next few years, and this piece looks at some of the challenges and opportunities, in part through Kalahar’s eyes – Jackson Citizen-Patriot