Today in the MHSAA: 12/10/15

December 10, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Wednesday was the first day of winter in full swing with significant matchups coming in six sports as four got into the heart of their first week of the season. Be sure to check out as well a story on MHSAA officials recruiting efforts.

Girls Basketball

Traverse City St. Francis won an early battle between two of the north’s top small-school teams, downing Frankfort (featured today on Second Half) 76-72 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

A pair of Concord players filled the stat sheet in a 62-56 win over Michigan Center; senior Lindsey Lehmen led with 24 points, five assists, four rebounds and four steals, and sophomore Camryn Ward grabbed 19 rebounds – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Boys Basketball

From Tuesday, Sanford Meridian freshman Lucas Lueder will be among first-year players to watch, if his 18 points in a 65-61 win over Saginaw Nouvel are an indication – Midland Daily News

Boys Bowling

Vandercook Lake could be in line for an exciting season or four after watching freshmen Korey Reichard (278) and Conner Lackey (267) lead the way in a 29-1 win over Grass Lake – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Ice Hockey

Division 3 No. 10 Farmington’s two first-period goals were enough as the Falcons scored a key early-season win over Division 2 No. 4 Berkley – Oakland Press

After finishing regulation tied, Division 2 No. 9 Traverse City Central needed only 14 seconds of overtime to get past Cadillac 4-3 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Boys Swimming & Diving

Chelsea coach Dave Jolly was the mid-Michigan link to Wednesday’s Waverly Relays, the annual event for Lansing-area teams to kick off the season; his Lower Peninsula Division 3 No. 3-ranked team broke Okemos’ five-year hold on the meet championship – Lansing State Journal

Wrestling

No. 3 Davison earned one of the most significant early wins so far this season, 45-27 over No. 4 Brighton, which beat Davison in the Division 1 Semifinals last season – Livingston Daily

Saginaw Swan Valley, No. 8 in Division 3, just escaped Essexville Garber for a 32-30 win – Saginaw News

Good Read

After more than five decades as an official, Dick Kalahar is watching from the stands this season. He is among a growing number of retiring officials the MHSAA is charged with replacing over the next few years, and this piece looks at some of the challenges and opportunities, in part through Kalahar’s eyes – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Today in the MHSAA: 11/8/19

November 8, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

This week so far has seen 78 volleyball District champions celebrate – and while today’s list of Thursday’s headliners couldn’t include every great story, it’s a pretty strong selection of statewide coverage.

1. Volleyball: Top-ranked Schoolcraft swept Division 3 Kalamazoo Christian to clinch a Division 3 District title – WWMT

2. Volleyball: No. 4 Hamilton won the final two games to get past No. 9 Holland Christian in five for a Division 2 District title – Holland Sentinel

3. Volleyball: No. 5 Bronson got past No. 8 Centreville in four games to win a Division 3 District championship – Sturgis Journal

4. Volleyball: No. 4 Southfield Christian won a matchup of ranked Division 4 teams, downing No. 9 Plymouth Christian Academy in four games – Oakland Press

5. Volleyball: Unranked Waterford Our Lady swept No. 7 Auburn Hills Oakland Christian in a Division 4 District Final, winning all three sets 25-23 – Oakland Press

6. Volleyball: Rock Mid Peninsula swept Rapid River in Division 4 to claim its first District championship in volleyball – Escanaba Daily Press

7. Volleyball: Flat Rock locked up its first District title in this sport since 1990 with a sweep of New Boston Huron in Division 2 – Southgate News-Herald

8. Volleyball: Hudson claimed its first District championship in this sport since 1997 with a sweep of Addison in Division 4 – Adrian Daily Telegram

9. Volleyball: Clare got past Gladwin in five games in Division 3 to claim its first District championship in 21 years – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

10. Volleyball: Novi avenged a league championship loss with a Division 1 District Final sweep of Northville in a matchup of honorable mentions in Division 1 – Observer & Eccentric