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: 4/22/19

April 22, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

From track to softball to soccer, big wins and big upsets dominated this weekend as we go back to Thursday night for today’s list of high achievers.

1. Track & Field: Zeeland East’s girls and boys teams are looking like contenders again after sweeping the Grand Rapids Elite Challenge titles – Holland Sentinel

2. Softball: Traverse City West split with Division 2 No. 5 Muskegon Oakridge, earning its win on a walk-off homer – Muskegon Chronicle

3. Softball: Division 4 honorable mention Three Oaks River Valley downed No. 6 Onaway 10-9 in 10 innings to clinch the Holton Invitational title – Alpena News

4. Girls Soccer: No. 11 Rochester Hills Stoney Creek should be moving up in Division 1 after a 2-0 win over No. 4 Troy – Oakland Press

5. Girls Soccer: Top-ranked Novi downed No. 6 Hartland 4-0 in a league matchup of top Division 1 teams statewide – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

6. Girls Tennis: Lower Peninsula Division 2 No. 9 Traverse City Central and No. 7 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central tied for the Twin Bay Quad title – Traverse City Record-Eagle

7. Boys Golf: LPD1 No. 8 Clarkston shot a 287 to win the Green/Black/Gold/Orange tournament 19 strokes ahead of runner-up and No. 5 Birmingham Brother Rice – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

8. Track & Field: Deckerville’s girls and boys swept their home invitational titles – Huron Daily Tribune

9. Track & Field: Midland’s girls edged Traverse City West and Traverse City Central’s boys edged Alpena to win Graves/Swayze Relays titles at Midland Community Stadium – Midland Daily News

10. Softball: Quincy downed Gobles and Niles Brandywine to win Brandywine’s invitational – Coldwater Daily Reporter

Also of note …

Boys Basketball: The Detroit Mumford community is mourning the death of former coach and athletic director Sam “Sonny” Taub – Detroit News