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: 3/6/19

March 6, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The final four hockey contenders in Division 2 earned the opportunity with Quarterfinal wins Tuesday, while Boys Basketball Regional Semifinals saw the elimination of four teams that entered the evening unbeaten this winter.

1. Hockey: No. 2 Trenton edged No. 3 Livonia Stevenson 3-2 in a Division 2 Quarterfinal to earn a return to USA Hockey Arena – Southgate News-Herald

2. Boys Basketball: Emoni Bates drilled a 3-pointer during the closing seconds to carry Ypsilanti Lincoln past Ann Arbor Skyline 58-55 in a Division 1 Regional Semifinal – Ann Arbor News

3. Boys Basketball: DeWitt handed the first and only loss this season to Mattawan in a 51-38 Division 1 win – Lansing State Journal

4. Boys Basketball: Benton Harbor got past previously-undefeated Otsego 63-59 in Division 2 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

5. Hockey: No. 4 Birmingham Brother Rice held off Port Huron Northern 6-5 to also advance in Division 2 – Oakland Press

6. Hockey: No. 9 Marquette earned a spot in the Division 2 Semifinals with a 4-1 win over Petoskey – MI Sports Now

7. Hockey: Top-ranked Hartland got past No. 12 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern/Eastern 6-0 to move on in Division 2 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

8. Boys Basketball: East Kentwood avenged an early-season loss with a 68-62 win over Muskegon in Division 1 – FOX 17

9. Boys Basketball: Alma had another of the night’s stunners, handing Bridgeport its first loss 64-56, in Division 2 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

10. Boys Basketball: Pellston handed Brimley its first and only loss of the season, 75-60 in Division 4 – Petoskey News-Review

Also of note …

Boys Basketball: Dylan Jergens scored 27 points to set the MHSAA single-season record of 971, but his Marcellus Howardsville Christian team fell to Wyoming Tri-unity Christian 68-56 in Division 4 – Kalamazoo Gazette

Boys Basketball: Pittsford upended Athens 48-42 in Division 4 to set a program record for wins in improving to 21-2 – Hillsdale Daily News