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: 10/2/17

October 2, 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. Volleyball: Edwardsburg, after falling to Bronson in pool play, came back to upset the Class C top-ranked Vikings and win their invitational – Coldwater Daily Reporter

2. Girls Swimming & Diving: Battle Creek Harper Creek (LPD3 honorable mention) edged 14-time reigning champion Battle Creek Lakeview for its first All-City championship in this sport – Battle Creek Enquirer

3. Cross Country: The Rockford (LPD1 No. 2) and Hart (LPD3 No. 1) girls and Grand Haven (LPD1 honorable mention) and Fremont (LPD2 No. 10) boys won Allendale Invitational titles against loaded fields – Athletic.net

4. Cross Country: St. Joseph’s boys placed 15-19 individually to win the Berrien County Invitational by a point, while the girls team won for the eighth straight year as standout Anna Fischer earned her third straight individual title – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

5. Boys Tennis: Muskegon Mona Shores edged rival Whitehall by two points to take back the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association title – Local Sports Journal

6. Girls Golf: LPD4 No. 4 Harbor Springs added a Lake Michigan Conference title to a fine season so far, finishing 48 strokes ahead of the field at the league tournament – Petoskey News-Review

7. Girls Golf: Lake Odessa Lakewood won its fifth straight Greater Lansing Activities Conference title, claiming the league tournament by eight strokes and 11 in front of Stockbridge, which was tied for first entering the event – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

8. Boys Cross Country: Gaylord St. Mary’s Brendan Delaney won races two days in a row, running his team’s course record Saturday to finish first at the Boyne Falls Logger Invitational – Gaylord Times-Herald

9. Girls Swimming & Diving: Trenton (LPD3 honorable mention) repeated as Downriver Classic champion with a top-three finish in every event – Southgate News Herald

10. Cross Country: Negaunee swept Escanaba Invitational titles with Colton Yesney and Emily Paupore continuing to dominate; both Miners teams are No. 3 in UPD1 – Marquette Mining Journal