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: 3/1/19
March 1, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The first Hockey Regional champion of this week was crowned Thursday, headlining a number of key matchups on the ice, while an upset popped up from Boys Basketball Districts and most girls basketball teams finished their regular seasons – some celebrating championships as well.
1. Hockey: No. 9 Marquette downed rival Escanaba 5-0 to clinch a Division 2 Regional title – Escanaba Daily Press
2. Hockey: No. 3 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s got past No. 4 Brighton 2-1 in a Division 1 Regional Semifinal – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
3. Girls Basketball: Southfield Arts & Technology finished a regular-season sweep of second-place Royal Oak to clinch the outright Oakland Activities Association Red title – Oakland Press
4. Girls Basketball: Ann Arbor Pioneer handed Chelsea its first loss in a crossover matchup of Southeastern Conference champions – Chelsea Sun Times News
5. Girls Basketball: Walled Lake Western locked up the Lakes Valley Conference Tournament title with a 55-52 overtime win over Walled Lake Central – State Champs!
6. Hockey: No. 3 Livonia Stevenson got past No. 8 Plymouth 5-1 in a Division 2 Regional Semifinal – Observer & Eccentric
7. Boys Basketball: Dollar Bay avenged two regular-season losses with a 70-55 Division 4 District Semifinal win over Chassell – The Upbeat
8. Girls Basketball: Freeland closed out a fourth straight Tri-Valley Conference Central title with a 44-38 win over Alma – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
9. Girls Basketball: Sydney Shafer scored 29 points in becoming Jackson Northwest’s all-time leading scorer during a win over Lansing Waverly – Jackson Citizen-Patriot
10. Hockey: Top-ranked Hartland advanced to the Division 2 Regional Final with an 8-0 win over Saginaw Swan Valley – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Also of note …
Girls Basketball: Holland Calvary ran out of players and couldn’t finish its season, so those who remained went into coaching – Holland Sentinel