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: 1/13/16

January 13, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half

Close finishes in girls basketball produced the most exciting headlines from a snowy night that otherwise saw a number of games postponed.

Girls Basketball

Flint Carman-Ainsworth followed freshman Destiny Strother’s 24 points to a 67-64 win over Saginaw Nouvel – Flint Journal

Brianna Young’s 3-pointer at the buzzer gave Rockford a 53-52 win over Grand Rapids Christian – Grand Rapids Press

Addyson Tomczak made two free throws after the regulation buzzer to send Bay City Central’s game against Saginaw Arthur Hill to overtime, and three more to help finish a 57-53 win – Bay City Times

Novi held off South Lyon to remain undefeated with a 40-33 win, the 200th of coach Bill Kelp’s career – Oakland Press

Boys Basketball

Shepherd upset Freeland 47-39 after leading at the end of the first quarter and halftime against the previous one-loss Falcons – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Warren DeLaSalle’s Kevin McKay drained 35 points – on 13 of 17 shooting – to lead the Pilots past West Bloomfield 59-40 – Mlive Detroit

Bowling

Tecumseh’s boys trailed 12-7 heading into the final individual match frame, but emerged with an 18-12 win over rival Adrian – Adrian Daily Telegram

Good Read

Lauren Haines is only 26 and not too far removed from starring at Midland. But she studied athletic training at Alma College, earned a master’s in sports administration from Central Michigan University, and is serving her first school year as both the athletic director and trainer at Gladwin – Midland Daily News