Today in the MHSAA: 1/15/16

January 15, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Thursday provided a substantial appetizer for another big weekend with key basketball games, noteworthy swimming and diving finishes and a milestone wrestling victory.

Boys Basketball

Clarkston earned a key Oakland Activities Association Red edge with a win over similarly state-ranked North Farmington, 60-47 – Oakland Press

Frankfort earned a similarly important win in Northwest Conference play, winning a matchup of Class D ranked teams 65-55 over Buckley – Traverse City Record-Eagle

For the second straight day, a basketball team made an incredible comeback; this time, it was East Jackson building off a 21-2 deficit at the end of the first quarter to beat Napoleon 42-39 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Olivet junior Delbert Redfield made nine of 11 3-point tries and scored 33 points total to lead the Eagles to a 73-55 win over Lansing Christian – MLive Lansing

Girls Basketball

Warren Cousino handed Grosse Pointe North the latter’s first loss this season, 64-58, to move to 9-1 overall – Macomb Daily

Boys Swimming & Diving

Lower Peninsula Division 3 honorable mention Spring Lake downed No. 4 Hamilton, No. 5 Grand Rapids Christian and Division 2 honorable mention Holland in its best meet of a strong run so far – Grand Haven Tribune

Wrestling

Leslie defeated Olivet (and also lost to Lake Odessa Lakewood) on Thursday, giving Blackhawks coach Todd Stern his 400th career win since taking over as head coach in 1987 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Good Reads

Battle of the Fans V kicks off tonight with our first visit to Yale, a finalist as well in 2015 – Port Huron Times-Herald

Grand Haven’s basketball teams will return to their former gym now part of Lakeshore Middle School – Pirates Pit – on Feb. 6 and for the first time since 2007 as the high school gym will be used for the league wrestling meet – Grand Haven Tribune

Vanderbilt’s boys basketball team has one win this season, but it was the first in nearly two years and a testament to the rebuilding of the program under first-year coach Darren Conn and assistant Amie Byelich – Petoskey News

Today in the MHSAA: 3/11/19

March 11, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The hockey, gymnastics and boys swimming & diving seasons came to an end with Finals over the weekend – and you can find coverage of all of them to the right under “Latest Posts.” Meanwhile, girls basketball finished its tournament’s first week with a pair of unbeaten teams continuing on with first District championships.

1. Girls Basketball: Undefeated Stanton Central Montcalm won its first District title in this sport, downing Alma 49-24 in Division 2 – Greenville Daily News

2. Girls Basketball: Unbeaten Oscoda also added its first District championship with a 65-47 Division 3 win over Lincoln Alcona – Alpena News

3. Girls Basketball: Haslett avenged a pair of losses to Williamston with a 44-42 Division 2 District Final win – Lansing State Journal

4. Girls Basketball: East Kentwood won a matchup of league champions in Division 1, 57-54 over East Grand Rapids – FOX 17

5. Girls Basketball: Centreville added to its league title this winter with its first District championship since 1998, thanks to a 61-48 win over Constantine in Division 3 – Sturgis Journal

6. Girls Basketball: Utica downed Troy 55-48 in overtime in Division 1 to claim its first District title since 2000 – Macomb Daily

7. Girls Basketball: St. Ignace earned its 11th straight District title with an 84-41 win over Pickford in Division 4 – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

8. Girls Basketball: Niles Brandywine continued an impressive streak with its 10th District title in 11 seasons, defeating Watervliet 56-19 in Division 3 – Niles Daily Star

9. Girls Basketball: Michigan Center got past rival Grass Lake 49-44 in a Division 3 District Final – JTV

10. Girls Basketball: Ewen-Trout Creek won its first District title since 2005, defeating Painesdale-Jeffers 47-37 in Division 4 – The Upbeat

Also of note …

Boys Basketball: New Haven’s Romeo Weems was named this year’s Mr. Basketball Award winner – State Champs!