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: 12/11/19

December 11, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The Hartland girls basketball team continued its champion-toppling season start Tuesday, and a West Bloomfield freshman enjoyed an impressive debut as hoops dominated statewide action.

1. Girls Basketball: Hartland followed up last week’s win over reigning Division 4 champion Adrian Lenawee Christian with a 37-26 victory over reigning Division 1 title winner Saginaw Heritage – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

2. Boys Basketball: Freshman Ryan Hurst debuted with 28 points to lead West Bloomfield past Southfield Christian 88-66 – Oakland Press

3. Boys Swimming & Diving: Midland Dow – No. 3 in Lower Peninsula Division 2 – swept all four divisions of the Dan Pangborn Invitational – Midland Daily News

4. Boys Basketball: Benton Harbor opened on a 14-0 run on the way to defeating Dowagiac 73-59 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

5. Girls Basketball: Nicole Kamin sank the game-winner as Escanaba came back to defeat Negaunee 50-48 – Escanaba Daily Press

6. Boys Basketball: Ty Horky scored 42 points with eight 3-pointers in Manchester’s 70-57 win over Clinton – Jackson Citizen Patriot

7. Boys Basketball: Canton defeated Ann Arbor Pioneer 75-69 in a matchup of annual powers – Observer & Eccentric

8. Girls Basketball: Brazyll Watkins’ last-second basket gave Battle Creek Lakeview a 45-44 win over Coldwater – Coldwater Daily Reporter

9. Boys Basketball: Schoolcraft edged Hopkins 58-56 in overtime – Kalamazoo Gazette

10. Girls Basketball: Montague came back from a 22-8 halftime deficit to get past Spring Lake 51-48 – Local Sports Journal

Also of note …

Girls Basketball: Stockbridge won 62-59, but Ida’s Taylor Wegener did go over 1,000 career points – Monroe News