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: 2/6/19
February 6, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
We can sense tournament time is coming on quickly after a Tuesday night filled with championship-caliber matchups, upsets and last-second game-winners.
1. Girls Basketball: Southfield Arts & Technology took over first place alone in the Oakland Activities Association Red with a 60-47 win over previously-undefeated Royal Oak – State Champs!
2. Girls Basketball: Rachel Elms connected on a 3-pointer during the final seconds to lead Holland West Ottawa past previously-undefeated Grand Haven 41-39 – Holland Sentinel
3. Boys Basketball: Clarkston clinched a share of the OAA Red title with a 47-31 win over North Farmington – Oakland Press
4. Boys Basketball: Beal City downed Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart in overtime, but the Irish’s Colten Nelson set his school’s career scoring record now at 1,204 points – Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart
5. Boys Basketball: Mattawan won a matchup of division leaders 48-47 in overtime over Kalamazoo Central – WWMT
6. Hockey: In a matchup of first-place teams in the Northern Michigan Hockey League, Division 1 No. 11 Traverse City Bay Reps moved to the top of the standings with a 3-2 win over Petoskey – MI Sports Now
7. Boys Basketball: Connor Murphy’s halfcourt buzzer beater carried McBain past Manton 45-42, putting McBain in first alone in the Highland Conference – Traverse City Record-Eagle
8. Hockey: South Lyon downed Division 2 No. 11 White Lake Lakeland 4-3 in a key Lakes Valley Conference matchup – Oakland Press
9. Boys Basketball: Brock Mullins’ last-second basket pushed second-place Flat Rock past Huron League leader Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 50-48 – Monroe News
10. Boys Swimming & Diving: Ann Arbor Pioneer, No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 1, had the winner in every event on the way to downing LPD2 No. 10 Temperance Bedford – We Love Ann Arbor
Also of note …
Boys Swimming & Diving: East Kentwood coach Jock Ambrose announced his retirement after nearly four decades – WOOD TV
Wrestling: In its first season in the league, Caro locked up the Greater Thumb Conference tournament title – Huron Daily Tribune