Today in the MHSAA: 11/28/16
November 28, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
As football claimed most of the spotlight over Thanksgiving weekend, high school hockey celebrated a number of holiday tournaments – and we’ve included a few previews with girls basketball season tipping off this evening as well.
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.
Hockey
Reigning Division 3 champion Hancock is rebounding from an 0-2 start to this winter, most recently downing Calumet 5-1 at the Copper Island Classic – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
Big Rapids won its holiday tournament with a 3-2 overtime win over Traverse City Bay Reps – Big Rapids News
Port Huron Northern scored three goals over the final three minutes to beat New Baltimore Anchor Bay 6-4 and win the Larry Manz Holiday Tournament title – Clinton Township Voice
Allen Park also won its holiday weekend tournament, downing Brownstown Woodhaven 8-1 in the final – Southgate News Herald
Midland Dow will celebrate 40 years of high school hockey with an expected 10 players from its 1976-77 team returning for Wednesday’s game – Midland Daily News
Girls Basketball
Flushing will welcome back standout Breanna Perry after she missed nearly all of her junior season with a knee injury – Flint Journal
Muskegon Mona Shores will look to contend for an MHSAA title led by a backcourt that includes Student Advisory Council member Jordan Walker and standout sophomore Alyza Winston – Muskegon Chronicle
Kingsford could be a team to watch from the Upper Peninsula with five returning starters after going 13-9 a year ago – Iron Mountain Daily News
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