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: 2/26/18

February 26, 2018

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. Wrestling: Lowell downed Gaylord to tie the record for most consecutive Team Finals championships with its fifth straight, while Detroit Catholic Central shut out Brighton, Dundee edged Richmond and Hudson repeated Saturday at Wings Events Center. All four entered the postseason ranked No. 1 in their respective divisions – Second Half

2. Competitive Cheer: No. 2 Sanford Meridian Early College edged top-ranked Farwell by three points to claim its second Division 4 Regional title in three seasons – Midland Daily News

3. Boys Swimming & Diving: Lower Peninsula Division 1 honorable mention Novi upset No. 5 Northville by just 20 points to claim its second straight Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship – Observer & Eccentric

4. Boys Basketball: Detroit U-D Jesuit came back from six down in the fourth quarter to win its sixth straight Catholic League A-B championship with a 64-55 win over Warren DeLaSalle – Detroit Free Press

5. Girls & Boys Bowling: The Division 1 No. 5 Brownstown Woodhaven girls and Division 2 No. 5 New Boston Huron boys repeated as Regional champions – Southgate News Herald

6. Boys Bowling: The No. 7 Sturgis boys edged No. 4 Battle Creek Pennfield to claim a Division 2 Regional title – Sturgis Journal

7. Girls Bowling: Unranked Muskegon Mona Shores won the Division 2 Regional at Sherman Lanes by more than 300 pins – Local Sports Journal

8. Boys Swimming & Diving: Allen Park and Gibraltar Carlson tied for first at the Downriver League meet, giving Allen Park the overall league title – Southgate News Herald

9. Hockey: Lake Orion came back during the third period to down Rochester Hills Stoney Creek 3-2 and claim a second straight Oakland Activities Association Red title – Oakland Press

10. Boys Basketball: Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood claimed its first Catholic League tournament title with a 52-36 win over Madison Heights Bishop Foley – Observer & Eccentric

Also of note …

Boys Basketball: Coldwater needed overtime but finished a comeback win over Hastings 61-54 to earn the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference title – Coldwater Daily Reporter

Boys Basketball: Undefeated Unionville-Sebewaing claimed a share of the Greater Thumb Conference West title with a 51-35 win over Elkton-Pigeon-Bayport Laker – Huron Daily Tribune

Boys Basketball: Bear Lake clinched a share of the West Michigan D League championship with a win over Pentwater – Manistee News Advocate

Boys Swimming & Diving: Ludington clinched the Coastal Conference championship – Ludington Daily News

Hockey: Holland West Ottawa earned a share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Tier 2 title with a 6-5 win over Byron Center – Holland Sentinel

Boys Bowling: Scottville Mason County Central freshman Michael Lammi won a Division 4 Regional singles championship – Ludington Daily News