Today in the MHSAA: 11/30/16

November 30, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Although a handful of teams kicked off girls basketball season Monday, the majority took the court for the first time Tuesday – and wasted little time delivering dramatic finishes and a look at some of what we can expect this winter.

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.

Girls Basketball

Otsego, which won 20 games last season, opened with a nail-biting 33-31 victory over Portage Northern – Kalamazoo Gazette

Jordan Walker scored 33 points as Muskegon Mona Shores downed Grand Rapids Catholic Central 59-52 in a matchup of expected state contenders – Grand Rapids Press

Beecher came back in the fourth quarter to force overtime, but Flint Southwestern emerged with a 42-41 victory – Flint Journal

Reigning Class B runner-up Grand Rapids South Christian also started with a close win, 38-35 over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern – Grand Rapids Press

In another low-scoring opener, Bay City Central just edged Traverse City West 32-31 – Bay City Times

Frankenmuth came back from an 11-point deficit to edge Bullock Creek 40-38 – Saginaw News

Lansing Catholic trailed Perry by six points at halftime but came on to win by 28, 56-28 – Lansing State Journal

Charlevoix freshman Elise Stuck had 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead her team to a 43-39 win over Petoskey – Petoskey News Review

Belding’s Hallee Breimayer put up 32 points in her team’s 57-52 win over reigning Greater Lansing Activities Conference champion Lake Odessa Lakewood – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

Edwardsburg, coming off a District title last season, survived a 37-32 opener against Niles – South Bend Tribune

Southfield Arts & Technology won its first game since the merger of Southfield and Southfield-Lathrup this fall, 64-43 over Birmingham Groves – Oakland Press

Ice Hockey

Hancock continued another strong start with a 5-0 defeat of rival Houghton – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Softball

Gladstone coach Ashley Hughes, who led the Braves to the Division 3 championship in her first season in 2014 and the Semifinals this spring, has resigned amid sad circumstances – Escanaba Daily Press

Today in the MHSAA: 3/4/19

March 4, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

An uplifting story behind a game-winning last-second shot tops our list of non-Finals headliners from the weekend, followed by first-time Regional championships won in gymnastics and hockey – and please see the “Latest Posts” at right for all of our Finals coverage of wrestling, competitive cheer and bowling.

1. Boys Basketball: Grand Rapids Northview defeated previously-unbeaten Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern 76-75 in triple overtime in a Division 1 District Final on a putback by Aidan Walker, just three weeks after his father’s unexpected death – WOOD TV

2. Gymnastics: Fowlerville won its first Regional to qualify for the MHSAA Finals for the first time in this sport, taking the championship at Grand Ledge – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

3. Hockey: Petoskey defeated Muskegon Mona Shores 7-3 in Division 2 to claim its first Regional title in this sport – Petoskey News-Review

4. Boys Basketball: Muskegon Orchard View won its first District title in 24 years, edging Spring Lake 55-53 in Division 2 – Muskegon Chronicle

5. Boys Basketball: New Baltimore Anchor Bay claimed its first District title since 1999 with a 54-49 win over Macomb Dakota in Division 1 – Macomb Daily

6. Boys Basketball: Union City clinched its first District title since 2002 with a 41-38 win over Bronson in Division 3 – Coldwater Daily Reporter

7. Boys Basketball: Traverse City St. Francis won a Division 3 matchup of league champions, downing Maple City Glen Lake 59-44 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. Boys Basketball: Wayne Memorial earned a Division 1 District title with a 55-50 win over Canton – Observer & Eccentric

9. Boys Basketball: Bessemer claimed its first District title since 2004 with a 51-50 win over Ewen-Trout Creek – Ironwood Daily Globe

10. Boys Basketball: Grandville Calvin Christian earned one of the biggest District upsets of the week, claiming a Division 3 title with a 63-52 win over Wyoming Potter’s House Christian – FOX 17

Also of note …

Boys Swimming & Diving: Northville, No. 9 in Lower Peninsula Division 1, claimed the Kensington Lakes Activities Association league meet followed by honorable mentions Novi, Brighton and Salem – Observer & Eccentric

Girls Basketball: Alexys Carlstrom went over 1,000 career points in Harrison’s 33-30 win over Farwell – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Football: Longtime Ishpeming coach Jeff Olson announced his retirement, having led the team to three MHSAA championships – ABC 10

Girls Basketball: From Thursday, Pickford clinched the Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference title with a 67-54 win over Cedarville – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News