Today in the MHSAA: 11/3/15

November 3, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Monday saw the first games of this season’s MHSAA Volleyball Tournament – and with those, a number of key matches including a few that came down to the final set.

Volleyball

Class A No. 4 Lake Orion swept honorable mention Clarkston, guaranteeing an end to the Wolves’ string of eight straight District championships – Oakland Press

Portage Central won a matchup of Class A honorable mentions, sweeping Niles 3-0 in their opener – Kalamazoo Gazette

Class B top-ranked Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard started what it hopes will be a title run with a sweep of No. 10 Chelsea – AnnArbor.com

Class B honorable mentions Coopersville and Fruitport also met in an opener, with Coopersville coming away with a sweep – Grand Rapids Press

Also in Class B, Essexville Garber won a battle of Tri-Valley Conference teams, claiming the fifth game 15-12 to win the match 3-2 – Saginaw News

Concord lost the first two sets to Hanover-Horton in their Class C opener, but came back to win 3-2 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Good Read

We’ve heard a few stories like this in the past, but they never get old. Algonac’s Morgan Beadlescomb is one of the top cross country runners in Michigan and won the Lower Peninsula Division 2 title last season – and last week, pulled St. Clair’s Jack Keais to the latter's first sub-16 minute finish – Port Huron Times-Herald

Today in the MHSAA: 1/14/16

January 14, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Gymnastics seasons gets rolling once the new year begins, and two teams that should be in the hunt for this season’s MHSAA championship met Wednesday with the result one of the closest finishes in recent memory.

Girls Basketball

Onsted got down 18-0 by the end of the first quarter – and somehow came back to beat Hudson 52-50 – Adrian Daily Telegram

Frankenmuth’s Kelsie Kujat sank a school-record eight 3-pointres to lead the one-loss Eagles past previously-undefeated Birch Run 69-46 – Saginaw News

Boys Basketball

Big Rapids’ Kenny Davis made 11 3-pointers on the way to 43 points in leading his team to a 71-35 win over Morley Stanwood – Big Rapids Pioneer

In a key matchup of top Upper Peninsula teams, undefeated Negaunee upended rival Ishpeming 66-44, handing the Hematites their first loss – Marqutte Mining Journal

Gymnastics

Arguably the top two teams in Michigan met for the second time in five days; after reigning MHSAA champion Rockford won its invitational Saturday with Forest Hills United second, Forest Hills came back to win a dual by the slimmest of margins, 143.05-142.9 – Grand Rapids Press

Ice Hockey

Farmington scored three unanswered second-period goals to down previously-ranked Berkley, 6-3 – Oakland Press

After trailing 1-0 early, Portage Northern came back to down rival Portage Central 4-2 – Kalamazoo Gazette

Wrestling

Midland scored a pair of memorable wins Wednesday, first over rival Dow 42-21 and then over No. 8 Bay City Western 39-27; the Chemics hadn’t beaten either in at least five seasons – Midland Daily News