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: 1/11/19

January 11, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Thursday was dominated by major matchups in the pool in Lower Peninsula Divisions 1 and 3, plus a milestone coaching victory on the wrestling mat.

1. Boys Swimming & Diving: LPD3 No. 2 East Grand Rapids – last season’s MHSAA Finals runner-up – edged current No. 1 and reigning champion Holland Christian 105-80 – Holland Sentinel

2. Boys Swimming & Diving: In another matchup of two of the state’s best, LPD1 No. 5 Ann Arbor Pioneer downed No. 7 Saline 110-76 – We Love Ann Arbor

3. Wrestling: Division 1 No. 10 Macomb Dakota downed New Baltimore Anchor Bay in a matchup of Macomb Area Conference Red powers, after Anchor Bay coach Jim Morisette earned his 700th win earlier in the night against Clinton Township Chippewa Valley – Macomb Daily

4. Girls Basketball: Manchester improved to 6-1 by handing Hanover-Horton its first defeat, 53-37 – Jackson Citizen Patriot

5. Boys Swimming & Diving: Grand Haven ended a long losing streak to Rockford with a 74-point win in a matchup of LPD1 honorable mentions – Grand Haven Tribune

6. Hockey: Division 3 No. 8 Alpena downed Division 2 No. 15 Grand Rapids Christian 5-2 to highlight first-day action at the North/South Showcase in Traverse City – WPBN

7. Boys Basketball: Montague handed Muskegon Western Michigan Christian its first defeat, 47-42 – Local Sports Journal

8. Skiing: Harbor Springs’ girls opened the season with a sweep of both events at the Lake Michigan Conference race – Petoskey News-Review

9. Girls Basketball: Comstock downed Olivet 66-42 with Daisy Ansel scoring 37 points – JoeInsider.com

10. Girls Basketball: Iron River West Iron County followed up Tuesday’s big win over Negaunee with a 49-48 nail-biter over Menominee – The Upbeat