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: 1/8/16

January 8, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A light schedule Thursday heading into the first full weekend of 2016 still included noteworthy contests, and read on for an important report on MHSAA sideline concussion testing efforts this school year. 

Girls Basketball

Two of the top teams in the Oakland Activities Association and arguably statewide – Southfield-Lathrup and Rochester Hills Stoney Creek – faced off Thursday, with Southfield-Lathrup handing Stoney Creek its first loss, 63-36 – Oakland Press 

Boys Basketball

Frankfort earned a key upper hand in the Northwest Conference with a 42-39 win over Maple City Glen Lake after Glen Lake came back from 10 down late – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Bridgeport’s T.J. Parham scored 37 as the Bearcats downed Millington 91-54 in a key Tri-Valley Conference East matchup – Saginaw News 

From Wednesday, DeTour ended Cedarville’s 10-season undefeated run in the Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference with a 51-42 win – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

Good Read

This is the first school year of the MHSAA’s sideline concussion testing pilot program, and The Associated Press explained well its value and goals – The Associated Press