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: 6/6/19

June 6, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The Girls and Boys Lacrosse Finals pairings are set after eight Semifinals on Thursday, with a number of close finishes and the ascension of a new contender in that sport, plus a few surprises from Regional Semifinals on the baseball diamond.

1. Boys Lacrosse: No. 3 Ada Forest Hills Eastern earned its first championship game berth in this sport with a 9-6 win over No. 2 East Grand Rapids – FOX 17

2. Girls Lacrosse: No. 4 Brighton earned a return to the Division 1 championship game with a 12-10 Semifinal win over No. 3 Hartland – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

3. Boys Lacrosse: No. 2 Detroit Catholic Central will play for another title after getting past No. 6 Lake Orion 14-13 in overtime – Oakland Press

4. Girls Lacrosse: No. 2 Bloomfield Hills Marian also won a close Semifinal, downing No. 4 Okemos 15-13 in Division 2 – Detroit News

5. Baseball: Grand Rapids Catholic Central scored on a walk-off single to edge No. 4 Holland Christian and Miami Marlins draft pick Chris Mokma in a Division 2 Regional Semifinal – FOX 17

6. Baseball: No. 14 Three Oaks River Valley upended No. 2 Muskegon Catholic Central 4-3 to move on in Division 4 – Muskegon Chronicle

7. Baseball: No. 17 Fowlerville moved on to a Division 2 Regional Final with a 2-1 win over No. 12 Tecumseh and Texas Rangers draft selection Cameron Wagoner – Lansing State Journal

8. Lacrosse: The Rockford and East Grand Rapids girls (Nos. 1 in Division 1 and 2, respectively) and Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central and Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice boys (Nos. 1 in Division 2 and Division 1) also won Semifinals – Grand Rapids Press

9. Baseball: A fifth-inning run pushed Boyne City past No. 14 Traverse City St. Francis 1-0 in a Division 3 Regional Semifinal – Petoskey News-Review

10. Baseball: Jake Riggs had 15 strikeouts and a grand slam to lead No. 6 Brethren past Fowler in Division 4 – Manistee News Advocate