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: 10/10/18

October 10, 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.

1. Boys Soccer: Division 1 No. 2 Portage Central got past Division 2 No. 6 Mattawan 3-1 to win the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference championship match – WWMT

2. Boys Tennis: Northville – No. 5 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – edged reigning league champion and No. 8 Novi to claim the Kensington Lakes Activities Association A tournament championship – Observer & Eccentric

3. Boys Soccer: Division 2 No. 4 East Lansing scored the game’s lone goal in the 43rd minute and made it stand in its Capital Area Activities Conference Gold Cup championship victory over Haslett – Lansing State Journal

4. Cross Country: St. Louis’ girls and boys teams secured Tri-Valley Conference West championships with wins at the final league jamboree; the girls are tied for No. 10 in LPD3 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun girls | boys

5. Cross Country: Brighton’s LPD1 top-ranked boys clinched the KLAA West title, and the No. 14 Bulldogs’ girls won their races led by an inspirational first-place finisher – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

6. Cross Country: Benzie Central swept championships at the Northwest Conference finals; the girls are ranked No. 7 and the boys are No. 8 in LPD3 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

7. Volleyball: Division 4 No. 2 Mendon clinched the Southwest 10 Conference title with a sweep of Marcellus – Sturgis Journal

8. Cross Country: Shepherd’s girls and boys clinched TVC Central titles with wins at the final league jamboree, both teams are ranked No. 4 in LPD3 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

9. Volleyball: Division 4 No. 10 Onaway swept honorable mention Bellaire to clinch a share of the Ski Valley Conference championship – Alpena News

10. Volleyball: Morley Stanwood clinched a share of the Central State Activities Association Silver title with a 3-1 win over Kent City – Big Rapids News

Also of note …

Girls Swimming & Diving: LPD3 No. 8 Hamilton downed No. 6 Holland Christian 98-88 led by record-setting diver Rayah Blood – Holland Sentinel

Volleyball: Division 2 No. 9 Whitehall completed a perfect run through the West Michigan Conference with a sweep of Shelby – Local Sports Journal

Boys Soccer: Division 1 top-ranked Troy Athens finished a perfect run through the Oakland Activities Association Red with a 3-0 win over North Farmington – Oakland Press

Volleyball: Division 1 No. 5 Northville swept No. 10 Novi in a key KLAA West matchup – Observer & Eccentric

Boys Tennis: From Monday, Gibraltar Carlson won the Downriver League tournament to clinch the outright league title – Southgate News-Herald