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: 12/14/18
December 14, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
Another full weekend is upon us, with hoops, hockey and swim matchups kicking things off Thursday. But the two biggest headlines almost surely were coaching announcements you’ll find in the “Also of note” in this report.
1. Boys Swimming & Diving: Lower Peninsula Division 3 top-ranked Holland Christian continued to surge with a 107-79 win over LPD1 honorable mention Grand Haven – Holland Sentinel
2. Girls Basketball: Calumet delivered Ishpeming the latter’s first loss this season, 42-38 – The Upbeat
3. Boys Basketball: Beaverton picked up a solid win over Jack Pine Conference contender Clare, 56-46 – Midland Daily News
4. Boys Basketball: Brooklyn Columbia Central held off Hillsdale 43-38 – Hillsdale Daily News
5. Boys Basketball: Dollar Bay edged Ontonagon 56-55 to bounce back from its first loss this winter – The Upbeat
6. Boys Basketball: Carney-Nadeau improved to 4-0 with a 61-43 win over Powers North Central – The Upbeat
7. Boys Basketball: Coleman improved to 3-1 with a 68-67 win over Breckenridge – Midland Daily News
8. Hockey: Jack Luer scored six goals as Bloomfield Hills downed Royal Oak – Oakland Press
9. Girls Basketball: Grand Haven improved to 4-0 with a 52-36 win over Muskegon Mona Shores – Grand Haven Tribune
10. Girls Basketball: Maple City Glen Lake downed Frankfort 53-35 in part by making 21 free throws – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Also of note …
Football: Longtime Grand Ledge coach Matt Bird has taken the same job leading Muskegon Reeths-Puffer – Lansing State Journal
Hockey: Longtime coach Andy Weidenbach announced this will be his final season guiding the Cranes, who he’s led to 10 MHSAA championships – Observer & Eccentric