Today in the MHSAA: 11/7/17

November 7, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

Today's Top 10

1. Football: The movement of many Michigan high schools from 11 to 8-player caught the attention of the Washington Post, which took a trip to Felch North Dickinson during Week 9 to tell one community’s story – Washington Post

2. Volleyball: With only eight players, Pentwater this fall has continued its recent run of success and won a fifth straight Class D District title – Local Sports Journal

3. Football: The Monroe Evening News’ Niles Kruger describes in detail what one of many postgame gatherings in football communities all over our state looked like Friday, and why the tradition is special – Monroe Evening News

4. Football: The Grand Rapids Press caught up with former Michigan State standout and NFL pro Ty Hallock, who told of his enjoyment in watching sons Tanner and Tate’s high school careers at Forest Hills Central – Grand Rapids Press

5. Volleyball: Grand Haven’s Avolyn Lepo suffered a torn knee ligament in January, but made it all the way back for her senior season to lead the Buccaneers to an 11th-straight District title – Grand Haven Tribune

6. Volleyball: Class D No. 8 Rogers City and No. 2 Leland will face off tonight in one of the state’s most intriguing Regional Semifinals – Alpena News

7. Volleyball: Class B honorable mention Fruitport is gearing up for a Regional that also includes honorable mention Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Grand Rapids South Christian and Grant – Grand Haven Tribune

8. Football: Frankenmuth basketball all-stater Mario Whitley came back out for football this fall after leaving the team midway through his junior season to focus on the hoops recruiting process – and he’s turned into a key contributor for an undefeated team – Saginaw News

9. Volleyball: Ishpeming Westwood is balancing a couple of good opportunities this week – playing in a Regional at Gladstone while hosting a Regional as well – Marquette Mining Journal

10. Girls Basketball: Practice began Monday, and for Petoskey seniors Megan Hannah and Isabel Anderson it was the start of a fourth season on the varsity – Petoskey News-Review

Also of note …

Girls Swimming & Diving: From Saturday, Macomb L’Anse Creuse North continued its climb with the Macomb Area Conference Blue meet championship – Macomb Daily

Girls Swimming & Diving: From Friday, Lower Peninsula Division 3 honorable mention Trenton won its seventh straight Downriver League title by claiming the league meet win – Southgate News-Herald

Today in the MHSAA: 5/23/17

May 23, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The last week of the regular season for most in baseball, golf, soccer and softball got rolling with a bevy of championship matchups, both for high-powered leagues and across regions – with Gaylord’s boys golf team continuing an especially impressive tournament run.

Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.

Baseball

Byron Center won the second game of a split with No. 2-ranked Holland Christian, 3-2, to win the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green title ahead of the reigning Division 2 champion – Holland Sentinel

Detroit Western International came back from a 3-0 deficit to win its 10th straight Detroit Public School League championship with a 5-4 victory over Detroit Martin Luther King – Detroit News

Mount Pleasant held on to first place in the Saginaw Valley League, but now only shares the lead with Midland after splitting with Division 1 No. 19 Saginaw Heritage – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

St. Johns opened the 56th Capital Diamond Classic with a 5-4 eight-inning win over Division 4 No. 6 Fowler – Lansing State Journal

Girls Golf

Upper Peninsula Division 1 Houghton continued its latest surge with another invitational title Monday, this time at L’Anse Golf Club with Kaaren Liston shooting a 43 to finish first individually – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Boys Golf

Charlevoix locked up the Lake Michigan Conference championship shooting a 322 at Grayling Country Club – Petoskey News-Review

LP Division 2 No. 3 Gaylord upped its winning streak to eight straight tournaments with a victory at the Traverse City Central Invitational – Gaylord Herald Times

Girls Soccer

Division 3 No. 10 Birch Run shut out No. 9 Frankenmuth 1-0 to regain a share of first place in the Tri-Valley Conference East – Saginaw News

Plainwell got past Division 3 No. 11 Otsego 3-0 to claim a share of the Wolverine Conference title – Kalamazoo Gazette

No. 17 New Baltimore Anchor Bay upset No. 2 Utica Eisenhower in a meeting of top teams in the Macomb Area Conference Red and statewide Division 1 – Macomb Daily

Division 1 No. 7 Rochester Adams downed Rochester 2-0 to claim the Oakland Activities Association Red title – Oakland Press

From Saturday, Division 4 No. 7 Madison Heights Bishop Foley got past No. 20 Royal Oak Shrine 1-0 in the Catholic League Division II-III title game – Oakland Press

Softball

Division 3 No. 4 Napoleon broke up a close game in the fifth inning in downing Parma Western 5-0 to win the Al Glick Tournament at Spring Arbor – Jackson Citizen Patriot

Division 2 honorable mention Eaton Rapids followed the shutout pitching of freshman Grace Lehto to the Mid-Michigan area’s Softball Classic championship with a 4-0 win over Grand Ledge – Lansing State Journal

Houghton and Lake Linden-Hubbell combined for 60 runs over a doubleheader, the Lakes winning the first game 20-15 and the Gremlins the second 14-11 – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Warren Regina won a matchup of recent state powers, downing Farmington Hills Mercy 14-6 to claim the Detroit Catholic League A-B championship – Macomb Daily

Division 4 honorable mention Waterford Our Lady downed Wixom St. Catherine 5-0 in the Catholic League C-D final thanks to a no-hitter by Hannah Davies – Oakland Press

Division 2 No. 6 Stevensville Lakeshore swept Niles to claim the outright Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West title – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Track & Field

From the weekend, the LP Division 1 top-ranked Rockford girls clinched their 20th straight Regional title finishing ahead of Okemos and Grand Ledge in Division 1 – Grand Rapids Press

Good Read

Born without a left hand, Stockbridge freshman pitcher Carson Robinson has always shown plenty of determination and had his share of success. This spring, he has dominated on the mound – after also playing football and basketball this school year – Lansing State Journal