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: 10/3/19

October 3, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

In addition to the crowning of our first MHSAA Finals champions of 2019-20 (see girls tennis coverage under "Latest Posts"), Wednesday was filled with conference championship celebrations, mostly on the soccer pitch – where a number of ranked boys teams matched up – but also for an undefeated girls golf power.

1. Boys Soccer: Division 3 top-ranked Holland Christian drew with No. 2 Hudsonville Unity Christian 1-1 to clinch the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green championship – Holland Sentinel

2. Boys Soccer: Grand Blanc scored a 4-1 win over Division 1 No. 4 Midland Dow to clinch the overall Saginaw Valley League title – WJRT

3. Girls Golf: Ann Arbor Pioneer – No. 7 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – finished its regular season undefeated and with the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship after outpacing runner-up Skyline by 12 strokes – We Love Ann Arbor

4. Boys Soccer: Alcona tied Oscoda 1-1 to secure the North Star League championship – Alpena News

5. Boys Soccer: McBain Northern Michigan Christian shut out Big Rapids Crossroads 3-0 to win a share of the Northern Michigan Soccer League South championship – Cadillac News

6. Boys Soccer: Gladwin clinched the other half of the NMSL South title with a big win over Clare – Midland Daily News

7. Boys Soccer: Division 4 top-ranked Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett edged No. 10 Royal Oak Shrine 3-2 in the Detroit Catholic League C-D Tournament final – C&G Newspapers

0. Boys Soccer: Division 1 No. 15 Detroit U-D Jesuit got past Division 2 No. 6 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood 3-0 to win the Catholic League A-B Tournament title – Oakland Press

9. Boys Soccer: Walled Lake Western netted the game-winner during the final minutes of overtime to get past South Lyon 3-2 in the Lakes Valley Conference Tournament title game – Oakland Press

10. Volleyball: Bridgman downed Niles Brandywine in four sets to gain an important edge in the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference Red title race – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium