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: 11/8/19

November 8, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

This week so far has seen 78 volleyball District champions celebrate – and while today’s list of Thursday’s headliners couldn’t include every great story, it’s a pretty strong selection of statewide coverage.

1. Volleyball: Top-ranked Schoolcraft swept Division 3 Kalamazoo Christian to clinch a Division 3 District title – WWMT

2. Volleyball: No. 4 Hamilton won the final two games to get past No. 9 Holland Christian in five for a Division 2 District title – Holland Sentinel

3. Volleyball: No. 5 Bronson got past No. 8 Centreville in four games to win a Division 3 District championship – Sturgis Journal

4. Volleyball: No. 4 Southfield Christian won a matchup of ranked Division 4 teams, downing No. 9 Plymouth Christian Academy in four games – Oakland Press

5. Volleyball: Unranked Waterford Our Lady swept No. 7 Auburn Hills Oakland Christian in a Division 4 District Final, winning all three sets 25-23 – Oakland Press

6. Volleyball: Rock Mid Peninsula swept Rapid River in Division 4 to claim its first District championship in volleyball – Escanaba Daily Press

7. Volleyball: Flat Rock locked up its first District title in this sport since 1990 with a sweep of New Boston Huron in Division 2 – Southgate News-Herald

8. Volleyball: Hudson claimed its first District championship in this sport since 1997 with a sweep of Addison in Division 4 – Adrian Daily Telegram

9. Volleyball: Clare got past Gladwin in five games in Division 3 to claim its first District championship in 21 years – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

10. Volleyball: Novi avenged a league championship loss with a Division 1 District Final sweep of Northville in a matchup of honorable mentions in Division 1 – Observer & Eccentric