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: 9/20/17

September 20, 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: Class B No. 10 Montague moved to 4-0 in the West Michigan Conference by a slim margin, downing Class C No. 5 Shelby in five sets, the last 15-13Local Sports Journal

2. Boys Soccer: Portage Central, No. 4 in Division 1, downed rival Portage Northern for the first time since 2014, 3-1 – Kalamazoo Gazette

3. Cross Country: The unranked Grand Haven boys won the first Ottawa-Kent Conference Red jamboree ahead of LPD1 No. 14 Rockford, although the top-ranked Rams girls won their side of the meet – Grand Haven Tribune

4. Volleyball: Class A No. 6 Clarkston won all three sets by five or fewer points to down honorable mention Rochester Hills Stoney Creek in a matchup of first-place teams in the Oakland Activities Association Red – Oakland Press

5. Boys Soccer: Division 2 No. 2 Dexter moved to 13-0 with a 1-0 win over No. 18 Tecumseh in Southeastern Conference White play – Adrian Daily Telegram

6. Cross Country: The Manton boys and McBain girls, both honorable mentions in LPD3, won Highland Conference jamborees; the boys race also included LPD4 No. 9 Beal City – Cadillac News

7. Girls Swimming & Diving: Ann Arbor Huron downed rival Ann Arbor Pioneer in a matchup of honorable mentions in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – Ann Arbor News

8. Boys Soccer: Fruitport scored three second-half goals to down Division 3 No. 14 Grand Rapids Covenant Christian 5-2 – Grand Haven Tribune

9. Volleyball: Class B No. 8 Fruitport continued building momentum for what will be a tough weekend with a four-set win over rival Muskegon Mona Shores – Grand Haven Tribune

10. Girls Swimming & Diving: Alma earned first places in nine of 12 events, but Mount Pleasant’s depth showed through in a 98-76 win over its pool neighbor – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun