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: 9/12/18

September 12, 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. Volleyball: Division 4 No. 3 Leland came back from losing the first set to down Division 2 No. 9 Kingsley in five – Traverse City Record-Eagle

2. Boys Soccer: Division 1 No. 7 Canton avenged an early-season loss to No. 5 Salem by handing the Rocks their first defeat, 3-2 – Observer & Eccentric

3. Cross Country: The Lower Peninsula top-ranked Northville girls and No. 2 Brighton boys won big league races against ranked competition – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

4. Boys Soccer: Division 3 No. 5 Ludington took a significant step in Lakes 8 Conference play with a 2-1 win over Division 4 No. 3 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian –  Ludington Daily News

5. Cross Country: Marquette’s Upper Peninsula Division 1 top-ranked teams continued to dominate, sweeping championships at the Kingsford Invitational – Iron Mountain Daily News

6. Boys Soccer: Cadillac downed host Petoskey 1-0, earning its first road win over the Northmen in at least 10 years – Cadillac News

7. Volleyball: Division 2 No. 2 Pontiac Notre Dame swept Bloomfield Hills and Troy Athens to improve to 23-5 – Oakland Press

8. Volleyball: Schoolcraft, No. 3 in Division 3, shut down league rival Kalamazoo Christian – WWMT

9. Girls Swimming & Diving: Spring Lake, an honorable mention in Lower Peninsula Division 3, edged Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern by nine points – Grand Haven Tribune

10. Cross Country: Romeo swept Macomb Area Conference Red races at the latest league event – Macomb Daily

Also of note ...

Boys Basketball: Longtime Clarkston coach Dan Fife announced his retirement. He's the third-winningest coach in the sport in MHSAA history and led the Wolves to the last two Class A titles – Oakland Press