Today in the MHSAA: 1/14/19

January 14, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Highly-ranked contenders faced off in a number of sports over the weekend, with our list of high achievers led by a matchup of top wrestling teams from neighboring states and top swimming and hockey teams re-igniting familiar rivalries.

1. Wrestling: Division 1 top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central finished 4-0 at its Super Duals with wins Indiana’s top-ranked Indianapolis Cathedral, Division 3 No. 1 Dundee, Brownstown Woodhaven and Culver Academics (Ind.) – Observer & Eccentric

2. Boys Swimming & Diving: Two days after falling to No. 2 East Grand Rapids in a dual, top-ranked Holland Christian finished ahead of the Pioneers to claim the D3 Invitational championship – Holland Sentinel

3. Hockey: No. 4 Warren DeLaSalle got past No. 1 Detroit U-D Jesuit in a matchup of top teams in Division 3 – Macomb Daily

4. Hockey: Division 2 No. 1 Hartland downed Detroit U-D Jesuit on Friday and followed up with a 3-0 win over Division 1 No. 5 Salem on Saturday – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

5. Hockey: Division 3 No. 6 Houghton earned an impressive 3-1 win over Division 2 No. 4 Birmingham Brother Rice – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

6. Gymnastics: Rockford finished first and Bloomfield Hills second at the annual Lowell Invitational – Coldwater Daily Reporter

7. Bowling: Sturgis and Bronson’s boys teams won their division championships at the Battle of the Bakers at M-66 Bowl in Battle Creek – Sturgis Journal

8. Hockey: Division 3 No. 5 Detroit Country Day rallied to get past No. 11 Grosse Pointe South 5-3 – Oakland Press

9. Wrestling: Led by standout Adam Bruce, Gladstone edged Ishpeming Westwood for the Kingsford Ray Mariucci Invitational title – Escanaba Daily Press

10. Wrestling: Division 3 No. 6 Birch Run finished first and Chesaning second at the Saginaw County Invitational – WEYI

Also of note …

Boys Basketball: Jake Burger went over 1,000 career points although Pittsford fell 49-39 to unbeaten Bellevue – Hillsdale Daily News

Football: Grand Rapids South Christian coach Mark Tamminga announced his retirement after 10 years leading the program and guiding the Sailors to two Division 4 titles – Grand Rapids Press

Today in the MHSAA: 10/10/19

October 10, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Boys Soccer District play opened Wednesday to join Girls Golf Regionals among postseason events this week in the Lower Peninsula, and those sports together claimed seven of our top 10 spots highlighting Wednesday’s major performances.

1. Girls Golf: Individual medalist Brandi Kautz shot an 81 to lead Almont to its third-straight Regional title, in Lower Peninsula Division 4 – Port Huron Times-Herald

2. Boys Soccer: No. 7 Detroit Catholic Central got past No. 6 Brighton 1-0 in overtime to open their Division 1 District – Observer & Eccentric

3. Boys Soccer: Rochester Adams opened District play with a 2-0 upset of No. 10 Rochester – Oakland Press

4. Girls Golf: Lauren Posey shot a 77 to lead No. 8 Big Rapids to an LPD3 Regional championship – Big Rapids News

5. Cross Country: Daisy Englund broke her mother’s 1993 school record to lead Rock Mid Peninsula to its third-straight Mid-Peninsula Conference championship meet win; Stephenson claimed the boys title – Escanaba Daily Press

6. Volleyball: Richland Gull Lake swept Kalamazoo Central to claim a second-straight Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East championship – JoeInsider.com

7. Boys Soccer: Saginaw Heritage avenged a regular-season loss to Midland with a 1-0 shootout victory in Division 1 District play – Midland Daily News

8. Boys Soccer: Utica Eisenhower also picked up a 1-0 Division 1 shootout win, over Rochester Hills Stoney Creek – Oakland Press

9. Boys Soccer: No. 15 Gaylord needed overtime to finish a third win this season over Petoskey, emerging 1-0 in a Division 2 District opener – Gaylord Herald Times

10. Cross Country: Bronson’s teams made themselves contenders for Big 8 Conference championships by sweeping jamboree wins – Hillsdale Daily News

Also of note …

Volleyball: From Tuesday, Dexter swept Jackson to earn a share of the Southeastern Conference White championship – Chelsea Sun Times News