Today in the MHSAA: 1/20/16

January 20, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Buzzer beaters and milestone basketball victories made headlines all over Michigan today, and check out as well a moving video that tells of the importance of our national anthem.

Girls Basketball

Reigning Class C champion Calumet added another accomplishment to the long list with its first win over Houghton since 1999, 44-31 – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Three Rivers’ sophomore Arionne Fowlkes went baseline to baseline for a last-second layup to give her team a 43-41 win over Niles – Niles Daily Star

Class A favorite Saginaw Heritage remained undefeated with a 53-38 win over rival Midland Dow, also ranked in Class A – Saginaw News

One-loss St. Ignace handed Newberry its first defeat of the season, 64-57 – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

Cedar Springs also knocked a team from the unbeaten ranks, with Sam Taylor’s 3-pointer in the closing seconds ending Kent City’s perfect run, 50-47 – Grand Rapids Press

Muskegon edged East Kentwood 50-47 after trailing by 10 and on the strength of 26 points and 22 rebounds by senior Mardrekia Cook – Muskegon Chronicle

Boys Basketball

Despite being outscored 30-22 in the fourth quarter, Southfield Christian held on for an 82-79 win over Southfield – MLive-Detroit

Merrill earned its first win since 2013 by downing Coleman 49-36 – Midland Daily News

One-loss Alma handed previously-undefeated Ithaca its first, 56-53, as Dylan Carl hit 3-pointers to send the game to overtime and then win it – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Muskegon Oakridge’s Brady Luttrull drilled a 3-pointer during the final seconds to push his team past Scottville Mason County Central 67-66 – Muskegon Chronicle

Cassopolis followed a strong third quarter by Deoin Gatson to hand Niles Brandywine its first loss, 61-47 – Niles Daily Leader

One-loss Clarkston also handed out a first loss Tuesday, to Rochester Adams, in a matchup of top Class A teams – Oakland Press

Caleb Brown’s only basket for Northport was the game winner during the final seconds of a 51-49 victory over Central Lake – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Nate Dugener’s sixth 3-pointer of the game gave Muskegon Western Michigan Christian a 52-49 win over Holland Christian – Grand Haven Tribune

Boys Swimming & Diving

In a matchup of top teams on the west side of the Lower Peninsula, Division 1 No. 6 Zeeland got past Division 2 honorable mention Holland 104-73 – Holland Sentinel

Worth Watching

We ran across and were moved by Virginia Tech’s honoring of veterans at the start of this men’s basketball season. Check out this meaningful presentation and how it relates to providing proper respect during The Star-Spangled Banner.

Today in the MHSAA: 9/11/19

September 11, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Power-packed matchups took place all over the state Tuesday in a variety of sports, perhaps nowhere more than on cross country courses on both peninsulas that witnessed the closest of finishes.

1. Cross Country: Top-ranked Brighton downed reigning Lower Peninsula Division 1 champion Plymouth in the boys race, and the No. 10 Bulldogs girls edged No. 7 Plymouth by three points – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

2. Cross Country: LPD1 No. 4 Ann Arbor Pioneer outpaced No. 3 Saline in the girls race of the Southeastern Conference Jamboree 1, while the No. 8 Saline boys were victorious ahead of No. 2 Dexter – We Love Ann Arbor Girls | Boys

3. Volleyball: Division 1 No. 5 Bloomfield Hills Marian downed Division 2 No. 6 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep in four sets – Oakland Press

4. Boys Soccer: Division 2 No. 12 Gaylord downed No. 13 Alpena 2-0 in a key Big North Conference matchup – Petoskey News-Review

5. Cross Country: The UPD1 top-ranked Marquette girls and boys teams swept Kingsford Invitational titles, the boys by just a point ahead of No. 3 Houghton – Escanaba Daily Press

6. Cross Country: Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart swept the Beal City Invitational championships; the Shamrocks girls are ranked No. 1 in LPD4 and the boys are No. 3 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun Girls | Boys

7. Boys Soccer: Grand Haven got past Division 2 No. 9 Spring Lake 2-0 – Grand Haven Tribune

8. Boys Tennis: Traverse City West earned its second win this season over rival Central (No. 10 in LPD2) after entering this fall without a victory in the series in more than 15 years – Traverse City Record-Eagle

9. Boys Soccer: Temperance Bedford earned its first win this season by handing Monroe its first defeat, 3-2 – Monroe Evening News

10. Boys Soccer: Ludington and Division 4 top-ranked Muskegon Western Michigan Christian played to a 1-1 draw – Ludington Daily News