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: 11/2/20

November 2, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The Finals fields for Lower Peninsula cross country and soccer were settled over the weekend, topped by a victory in each that especially jumped off the webpage.

1. Cross Country: The No. 2-ranked St. Johns boys won their first Regional title since 1979, and the No. 8 Mason girls also won in Division 2 at DeWitt – Lansing State Journal 

2. Boys Soccer: Top-ranked (MPR) Elk Rapids clinched a Division 3 Regional title with a shutout of No. 15 Shelby, finishing a month during which it didn’t give up a goal over seven games – Traverse City Record-Eagle

3. Cross Country: Romeo (No. 10 girls, No. 1 boys) swept Lower Peninsula Division 1 championships – Macomb Daily 

4. Cross Country: Pinckney (No. 10 girls, No. 3 boys) swept Division 2 Regional titles, adding to league and Pre-Regional championships this fall – Livingston Daily

5. Cross Country: Ann Arbor Pioneer (No. 3 girls, No. 4 boys) swept Division 1 Regionals, and Chelsea (No. 12 girls, No. 7 boys) swept races in Division 2 – Ann Arbor News

6. Cross Country: Hart continued its domination this fall with a sweep of Division 3 titles; both teams are ranked No. 1 statewide in their division  Ludington Daily News

7. Cross Country: Saugatuck built on its successful decade with a pair of Division 4 Regional championships; the girls are ranked No. 7, and the boys are No. 1  Holland Sentinel

8. Cross Country: The No. 6 Clarkston girls and No. 7 Milford boys won Division 1 Regionals – State Champs Sports Network

9. Cross Country: The No. 2 Petoskey girls and top-ranked Fremont boys were among Division 2 Regional winners – Petoskey News-Review

10. Cross Country: The No. 10 Hanover-Horton boys and No. 6 Jackson Lumen Christi girls won Division 3 titles – JTV