Today in the MHSAA: 1/13/17
January 13, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
For the second straight day, we’ve seen news of a resignation of a successful football coach. Scroll to the bottom of today’s report to find out two more who are leaving the sideline.
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.
Boys Basketball
Hart came back from nine down in the first quarter to get past Shelby 49-43 in double overtime – Muskegon Chronicle
Brimley moved into a first-place tie in the Eastern U.P. Conference by handing previous lone leader Cedarville its first league loss, 60-57 in overtime – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News
Big Rapids Crossroads handed Baldwin its first loss of the season, 53-51 – Big Rapids News
Buckley remained in a tie for first in the Northwest Conference, knocking Maple City Glen Lake into second with a 78-39 win – Cadillac News
Girls Basketball
Port Huron Northern continued a tough run through the Macomb Area Conference Red, this time with a 35-30 win over Grosse Pointe North – Clinton Township Voice
Boys Swimming & Diving
Lower Peninsula Division 1 No. 3 Holland West Ottawa continued to shine with a 186-121 win over honorable mention Grand Haven – Grand Haven Tribune
Football
Lake Orion’s Chris Bell, now the school’s athletic director, ended his coaching tenure at 19 seasons and promoted assistant John Blackstock to take his place – Oakland Press
Mason's Jerry VanHavel will join the staff at Division III Mount Union after 26 seasons and 169 wins with the Bulldogs – Lansing State Journal
Today in the MHSAA: 1/22/18
January 22, 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. Wrestling: Division 3 No. 1 Dundee, Division 1 No. 7 Oxford and Division 4 No. 1 Hudson took the top three spots, respectively, at the Hudson Super 16 – Adrian Daily Telegram
2. Boys Basketball: Reigning Class D runner-up Buckley and 2017 Class C semifinalist Manton played a classic, with Buckley winning 62-60, while doing so to raise money for a family struggling with a cancer fight and to honor a local coach who died after battling the disease – Traverse City Record-Eagle
3. Competitive Cheer: Division 4 No. 4 Sanford Meridian Early College edged No. 3 Farwell and No. 7 Houghton Lake to win the 10-team Harrison Invitational – Midland Daily News
4. Hockey: Top-ranked Livonia Stevenson hung on for a 4-2 win over No. 5 Trenton in a matchup of Division 2 contenders – Observer & Eccentric
5. Hockey: Division 3 No. 7 Detroit Country Day handed Birmingham United its first loss this season in the premier game of the Oakland Activities Association/Metro League Showdown – Southgate News Herald
6. Bowling: The unranked New Baltimore Anchor Bay girls and Division 1 No. 2 Macomb L’Anse Creuse North boys won Macomb County championships – Macomb Daily
7. Wrestling: Escanaba won the 17-team 51st U.P. Championships meet, finishing just ahead of Gladstone and Marquette – Marquette Mining Journal
8. Wrestling: Division 3 No. 4 Whitehall claimed its 12th straight Greater Muskegon Athletic Association title, with 11 wrestlers reaching tournament finals – Muskegon Chronicle
9. Boys Swimming & Diving: Lower Peninsula Division 2 honorable mention Battle Creek Lakeview claimed its 27th straight All-City championship – Battle Creek Enquirer
10. Girls Basketball: Battle Creek Central bravely took to the floor and was edged by Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 53-47 a day after the unexpected death of junior varsity coach Julionna Mahar – Battle Creek Enquirer
Also of note …
Football: Longtime Walled Lakes Western coach Mike Zdebski stepped down after leading the team to 160 wins and 17 playoff appearances, to take a coaching job in Arizona – Detroit Free Press
Boys Soccer: Longtime Warren DeLaSalle and Fraser coach Thaier Mukhtar is returning to take over the Pilots’ program – Macomb Daily