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: 5/17/19

May 17, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Girls Tennis and girls and boys track & field joined the postseason march Thursday with the first of this week’s Regional competitions in their respective sports.  

1. Girls Tennis: No. 2 Birmingham Seaholm edged No. 4 Bloomfield Hills Marian to claim a Lower Peninsula Division 2 Regional title – Oakland Press

2. Track & Field: Ishpeming’s boys and Hancock’s girls won close races to Upper Peninsula Division 2 Regional titles – Iron Mountain Daily News

3. Softball: Division 2 honorable mention Chelsea improved to 26-4, handing No. 3 Eaton Rapids (26-1) its first loss of this season during a quad – Chelsea Sun Times News

4. Baseball: Division 1 top-ranked Brownstown Woodhaven locked up its fifth straight Downriver League title with a big win over Allen Park – Southgate News-Herald

5. Track & Field: Gladstone’s boys won eight of 12 events to claim a UPD1 Regional title, while Marquette’s girls prevailed as well – Escanaba Daily Press

6. Baseball: Marysville claimed the outright Macomb Area Conference Blue title with a sweep of Fraser – Port Huron Times-Herald

7. Softball: Fowlerville swept Haslett to lock up the Capital Area Activities Conference Red championship – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

8. Girls Soccer: Division 1 No. 13 Livonia Stevenson claimed the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East title with a 3-0 win over Dearborn – Observer & Eccentric

9. Girls Tennis: No. 9 Jackson Lumen Christi won its LPD4 Regional by seven points over runner-up Kalamazoo Christian – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

10. Baseball: No. 6 Portage Northern won big over No. 10 Richland Gull Lake in a matchup of top teams in Division 1 – Kalamazoo Gazette

Also of note …

Football: The Muskegon area is mourning the death of coach Pete Kutches, who led both Muskegon Catholic Central and Reeths-Puffer to MHSAA championships – Muskegon Chronicle

Baseball: From last week, Division 1 No. 2 Birmingham Seaholm claimed its first league title since 2009 – Observer & Eccentric