Today in the MHSAA: 1/20/17

January 20, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A matchup of two of the top wrestling teams in Michigan and some nail-biting finishes in girls basketball made Thursday night an exciting one, especially across the Lower Peninsula.

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. 

Girls Basketball

Sandusky remained undefeated and dealt Harbor Beach its first loss, 45-35, in a matchup of Greater Thumb East and statewide Class C powers – Huron Daily Tribune

Reigning Class A champion Warren Cousino won a matchup of contenders for this season’s title, 66-45 over Port Huron Northern – Macomb Daily

Comstock moved to 10-1 and broke a Niles Brandywine 83-game home winning streak going back to 2009 with a 46-38 win – Kalamazoo Gazette

Kourtney John’s basket with seven seconds to play gave Sanford Meridian a 39-38 win over Farwell – Saginaw News

Clarkston didn’t lead until the final minute, but came away with a key 50-47 victory over North Farmington – Oakland Press

Alpena also earned a big win with a buzzer beater, downing Tawas 45-43 – Alpena News

Boys Basketball

Napoleon equaled last season’s win total and extended its best start since 2010-11 with a 50-36 win over Grass Lake – Jackson Citizen Patriot

Competitive Cheer

From Wednesday, Breckenridge scored a meet high 743.20 points to finish first of 18 teams at the Sanford Meridian Mustang Cheer Corral – Midland Daily News

Boys Swimming & Diving

Howell’s Caleb Balgaard upped his school diving record to 285.45 in the Highlanders’ win over Hartland – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Wrestling

Top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central got past No. 2 Davison 32-22 in a matchup of the best in Division 1 – Detroit Free Press

Alma clinched a share of its first league title since 1992 with a pair of wins over Shepherd and Bullock Creek – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Today in the MHSAA: 1/15/16

January 15, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Thursday provided a substantial appetizer for another big weekend with key basketball games, noteworthy swimming and diving finishes and a milestone wrestling victory.

Boys Basketball

Clarkston earned a key Oakland Activities Association Red edge with a win over similarly state-ranked North Farmington, 60-47 – Oakland Press

Frankfort earned a similarly important win in Northwest Conference play, winning a matchup of Class D ranked teams 65-55 over Buckley – Traverse City Record-Eagle

For the second straight day, a basketball team made an incredible comeback; this time, it was East Jackson building off a 21-2 deficit at the end of the first quarter to beat Napoleon 42-39 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Olivet junior Delbert Redfield made nine of 11 3-point tries and scored 33 points total to lead the Eagles to a 73-55 win over Lansing Christian – MLive Lansing

Girls Basketball

Warren Cousino handed Grosse Pointe North the latter’s first loss this season, 64-58, to move to 9-1 overall – Macomb Daily

Boys Swimming & Diving

Lower Peninsula Division 3 honorable mention Spring Lake downed No. 4 Hamilton, No. 5 Grand Rapids Christian and Division 2 honorable mention Holland in its best meet of a strong run so far – Grand Haven Tribune

Wrestling

Leslie defeated Olivet (and also lost to Lake Odessa Lakewood) on Thursday, giving Blackhawks coach Todd Stern his 400th career win since taking over as head coach in 1987 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Good Reads

Battle of the Fans V kicks off tonight with our first visit to Yale, a finalist as well in 2015 – Port Huron Times-Herald

Grand Haven’s basketball teams will return to their former gym now part of Lakeshore Middle School – Pirates Pit – on Feb. 6 and for the first time since 2007 as the high school gym will be used for the league wrestling meet – Grand Haven Tribune

Vanderbilt’s boys basketball team has one win this season, but it was the first in nearly two years and a testament to the rebuilding of the program under first-year coach Darren Conn and assistant Amie Byelich – Petoskey News