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: 2/27/17

February 27, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The MHSAA postseason is fully in motion, as girls basketball and boys hockey teams begin postseason play tonight and we look back on the Team Wrestling Finals, Bowling and Cheer Regionals and league swimming & diving meets from the weekend.

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. 

Boys Basketball

Sault Ste. Marie completed a perfect run through the Straits Area Conference with a 54-34 win over Rudyard – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

Carney-Nadeau fell to Crystal Falls Forest Park 51-38, but Wolves standout golfer Hunter Eichhorn scored his 1,000th basketball point – Escanaba Daily Press

Detroit U-D Jesuit won a record fifth straight Catholic League A-B title, downing Warren DeLaSalle 63-56 in the championship game – Macomb Daily

Macomb Lutheran North got past Riverview Gabriel Richard 70-62 to claim the Catholic League C-D title – C&G Newspapers

Bowling

The Ithaca boys may be in Division 3 this season instead of Division 4, but the success is the same as the No. 4 Yellowjackets won their Regional ahead of reigning MHSAA champion and top-ranked Saginaw Swan Valley – Saginaw News

Coldwater’s boys, ranked No. 4 in Division 2, won their third straight Regional championship, this time by 72 pins – Coldwater Daily Reporter

Bad Axe’s Melissa Steinbis added a Regional title to her league championship while competing as one of only a few bowlers on her team – Huron Daily Tribune

Cheer

Top-ranked Richmond has finished first or second in Division 3 five of the last six seasons, but won its first Regional title Saturday since 2013 – Port Huron Times Herald

Swimming & Diving

Ludington won its first Coastal Conference championship since 2008, finishing only 12 points ahead of runner-up Manistee – Ludington Daily News

Midland Dow won its 15th straight Saginaw Valley League title, edging Saginaw Heritage by 32 points; both are honorable mentions in the Lower Peninsula Division 2 rankings – Midland Daily News

Wyandotte Roosevelt won the Downriver League meet to claim the overall league title ahead of Allen Park, and LPD2 honorable mention – Southgate News Herald

Wrestling

Detroit Catholic Central won a matchup of the top seeds in Division 1, downing second seeded Davison – Second Half

Lowell became the fifth program in 30 years of Team Finals to win four straight, downing Warren Woods Tower in Division 2 – Second Half

Richmond got past rival Dundee on tie-breaker criteria to claim another Division 3 title – Second Half

After falling to New Lothrop in the Division 4 Final the last three seasons, Hudson won Saturday’s rematch and the championship – Second Half