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: 2/9/18

February 9, 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.

Today's Top 10 

1. Cheer: Division 2 No. 2 Gibraltar Carlson won its fifth straight Downriver League championship, edging reigning Division 2 champion and top-ranked Allen Park by two tenths of a point – Southgate News Herald

2. Wrestling: Allen Park won its first District championship in wrestling since 2003, downing Riverview in the title match – Southgate News Herald

3. Wrestling: Mancelona claimed its first wrestling District title since 2003 with wins over Traverse City St. Francis and Frankfort in Division 4 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

4. Boys Basketball: North Muskegon claimed a share of its first league title since 2003 with a 48-41 win over Whitehall in the West Michigan Conference – Muskegon Chronicle

5. Girls Bowling: Tecumseh clinched a 12th straight Southeastern Conference championship with a win over Ypsilanti – Adrian Daily Telegram

6. Cheer: Division 3 No. 2 Richmond won the Blue Water Area Conference for the 13th straight season, while Port Huron won the Macomb Area Conference Gold title – Port Huron Times Herald

7. Wrestling: St. Louis won its third straight Division 4 District title, downing Blanchard Montabella – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

8. Wrestling: No. 3 Warren Woods Tower won its third straight District title, downing Warren Lincoln in a Final in Division 2 – C&G Newspapers

9. Girls Basketball: Fruitport Calvary Christian finished a sixth straight Alliance League title with a win over Wyoming Tri-unity Christian – Local Sports Journal

10. Wrestling: Cass City repeated as a Division 4 District champion, defeating Bad Axe and Ubly – Huron Daily Tribune

Also of note …

Wrestling: Memphis got past New Haven in a championship match to win a Division 4 District title – Macomb Daily

Boys Skiing: Brighton clinched the outright Mt. Brighton High School Ski Association championship by winning the league meet – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Girls Basketball: Harbor Springs Harbor Light Christian clinched its second straight Northern Lakes Conference title with a 47-30 win over Ellsworth – Petoskey News-Review

Wrestling: After tie-breaking criteria was needed to decide a winner in their December match, Iron Mountain won a bit more comfortably 39-24 over Kingsford to claim a Division 3 District title – Iron Mountain Daily News

Girls Basketball: Gaylord St. Mary captured a share of the Ski Valley Conference title with a big win against Indian River Inland Lakes – Gaylord Herald-Times

Wrestling: Bronson downed Reading and Camden-Frontier to win a Division 4 District title – Coldwater Daily Reporter

Wrestling: Coloma repeated as a Division 3 District champ with a final match win over South Haven – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Wrestling: Auburn Hills Avondale downed Orchard Lake St. Mary’s to claim a Division 2 District title – Oakland Press

Wrestling: No. 7 Leroy Line River downed Manton and Fife Lake Forest Area to win a Division 4 District title – Cadillac News

Wrestling: No. 9 Addison and No. 2 Clinton earned Division 4 District titles – Adrian Daily Telegram

Wrestling: No. 3 Mendon also claimed a Division 4 District championship – Sturgis Journal

Wrestling: Mattawan downed Three Rivers in the championship match of their Division 2 District – Three Rivers News

Wrestling: Three Oaks River Valley and Bloomingdale also clinched Division 4 District titles – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium