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: 12/5/17

December 5, 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. Boys Basketball: Many of the names are different, but Powers North Central got scoring from 10 players to increase its state record winning streak to 84 with a 71-50 win over Stephenson on opening night – Escanaba Daily Press

2. Boys Basketball: Despite 12 3-pointers by Painesdale-Jeffers, Bessemer hung on for a 71-63 overtime victory – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

3. Boys Basketball: Reading came back from 10 down in the third quarter to win the opener over Camden-Frontier 66-57 – Hillsdale Daily News

4. Boys Bowling: Saline trailed 10-0 after losing both Baker games, but came back to dominate the head-to-head portion and defeat Tecumseh 17-13 – Saline Post

5. Boys Basketball: Rapid River held off Carney-Nadeau’s second-half charge to hold on for a 56-53 win – Escanaba Daily Press

6. Boys Basketball: Bronson delivered first-year coach Damien Loveless his first win with the program, 67-44 over Battle Creek St. Philip – Coldwater Daily Reporter

7. Girls Basketball: Hesperia went on a 27-6 third-quarter run to come back from a 10-point halftime deficit and defeat Custer Mason County Eastern 56-52 – Local Sports Journal

8. Boys Basketball: Essexville Garber opened a 20-point lead by halftime to get past Pinconning 64-39 – Bay City Times

9. Boys Basketball: Zach Boyd and Armondo Beverly had double-doubles as Burr Oak opened with a 68-57 win over White Pigeon – Sturgis Journal

10. Hockey: Escanaba scored six goals during the second period to down Negaunee 13-6 – Marquette Mining Journal