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: 12/6/17
December 6, 2017
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. Girls Basketball: East Lansing’s Aazh Nye hit the game-winning shot against DeWitt in last year’s Class A District Final, and did so again Tuesday as the Trojans sank the Panthers 52-51 in a matchup of highly-touted squads – Lansing State Journal
2. Boys Basketball: Following up a major football matchup just a month ago, Canton upset Belleville on the basketball court 65-61 – Observer & Eccentric
3. Girls Basketball: Bay City Western won another matchup of two of the state’s most highly-regarded with a steal and free throws at the end to down Freeland 59-57 – Bay City Times
4. Boys Basketball: Mancelona broke a 43-game losing streak stretching back to the end of 2014-15 with a 50-43 win over East Jordan – Traverse City Record-Eagle
5. Boys Basketball: After a winless 2016-17, Fruitport also opened with a victory, 54-28 over Holton – Grand Haven Tribune
6. Girls Basketball: Sandusky downed Unionville-Sebewaing 53-26, delivering coach Al DeMott his 700th career victory – Huron Daily Tribune
7. Boys Basketball: Reigning Class A champion Clarkston opened with a 65-55 win over Wayne Memorial, another anticipated contender this winter – Detroit News
8. Boys Basketball: Benton Harbor opened the season on an 18-0 run on the way to defeating Dowagiac 77-43 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
9. Boys Basketball: Battling a lingering foot injury, Johnny Shields gave Howell a necessary boost in its 74-68 overtime win over Linden – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
10. Girls Basketball: Pittsford down Hillsdale Academy, but the real story was how the two communities worked together to support someone who surely will remain a friend of both programs – Hillsdale Daily News