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: 11/14/17

November 14, 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. Volleyball: Novi’s Erin O’Leary was named this season’s Miss Volleyball Award winner on the eve of her team’s Class A Quarterfinal against honorable mention Temperance Bedford; Novi is the reigning champ and ranked No. 2 – Observer & Eccentric

2. Volleyball: Class C top-ranked Bronson is plenty familiar with tonight’s Quarterfinal opponent, No. 2 Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central – Sturgis Journal

3. Volleyball: Class B No. 4 Niles is hoping to add to its first District and Regional titles with a first Quarterfinal win, over No. 3 Lake Odessa Lakewood – Niles Daily Star

4. Volleyball: Class A No. 3 Grand Rapids Christian downed top-ranked Rockford in the Regional, a big step as the Eagles pursue their first MHSAA championship in the sport with No. 4 DeWitt up next – FOX17

5. Volleyball: Honorable mention Cadillac is set to continue an impressive tournament run tonight that started with an upset of No. 5 Kingsley in the District – Cadillac News

6. Volleyball: Facing Cadillac tonight is honorable mention Fruitport, which has some history with the Vikings from its Class B championship runs – Grand Haven Tribune

7. Volleyball: Class C No. 8 Calumet has a new outlook as it aims to return to Kellogg Arena, and will take on Houghton Lake tonight to earn that opportunity – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

8. Volleyball: No. 8 Rogers City is seeking to reach the Class D Semifinals for the second year in a row, and second time ever, with Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart up next – Alpena News

9. Volleyball: Meanwhile, No. 10 Sacred Heart will be playing in its fifth straight Quarterfinal and looking to break through to the weekend for the first time in this run – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

T-10. Volleyball: After a long-distance pep talk and a first Regional title, Class A honorable mention New Baltimore Anchor Bay will take on No. 6 Farmington Hills Mercy seeking to make the final weekend of the season for the first time as well – Macomb Daily

T-10. Volleyball: Honorable mention Midland is hoping to follow a strong senior class to the Class A Semifinals for the first time in two decades – NBC25