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: 2/20/18

February 20, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

Today's Top 10 

1. Gymnastics: The “Superior 7” co-op based at Lake Linden-Hubbell won the Upper Peninsula Conference meet by a point ahead of Negaunee – Marquette Mining Journal

2. Girls Basketball: Howell edged Brighton 38-36 in a Kensington Lakes Activities Association semifinal and will face Wayne Memorial in Thursday’s championship game – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

3. Girls Basketball: Wayne came back from a halftime deficit to get past Hartland 45-40 in the other KLAA semifinal – Observer & Eccentric

4. Boys Basketball: Otsego downed Plainwell 61-49 to earned the Wolverine Conference North championship outright and run its winning streak to 15 – FOX17

5. Boys Basketball: Hillsdale Academy handed Bellevue its first loss this season, 56-46 – Hillsdale Daily News

6. Girls Basketball: Brimley handed Harbor Springs Harbor Light Christian just its second loss of the season, 57-52 – Petoskey News-Review

7. Girls Basketball: Powers North Central avenged an earlier 17-point loss with a 61-56 overtime upset of Bark River-Harris – Escanaba Daily Press

8. Girls Basketball: Mount Pleasant scored a last-second basket to beat Bay City John Glenn 37-35 and guarantee its best regular-season record in more than a decade – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

9. Boys Basketball: Benton Harbor is mourning the death of longtime successful coach Earl McKee, who died Saturday at age 81 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

10. Officials: Former MHSAA registered official Rob Ford writes about why he took up the whistle – and why it’s worthwhile to give it a try – Traverse City Record-Eagle