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: 3/4/20

March 4, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The boys basketball regular season is over for many and has a game left for most of the rest, but Tuesday was still time enough to get in a few of the biggest matchups in the state this season plus plenty of title celebrations and a major scoring milestone.

1. Boys Basketball: Ann Arbor Huron held on for a 64-54 win over Ypsilanti Lincoln that could be a preview of one of next week’s biggest District matchups – Ann Arbor News

2. Boys Basketball: Grand Blanc edged Flint Beecher 62-55 in a matchup of MHSAA title contenders in Divisions 1 and 3, respectively – Flint Journal

3. Boys Basketball: Stevensville Lakeshore broke a first-place tie and clinched the outright Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West championship with a 53-27 win over Portage Central – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

4. Boys Basketball: A 48-41 win over Johannesburg-Lewiston gave Gaylord St. Mary its first Ski Valley Conference title in 18 seasons – Gaylord Herald Times

5. Boys Basketball: Quincy claimed a share of a fourth-consecutive Big 8 Conference championship with a 57-38 win over Jonesville – Coldwater Daily Reporter

6. Boys Basketball: Howell held on for a 52-48 win over Canton to clinch the overall Kensington Lakes Activities Association title – State Champs Sports Network

7. Boys Basketball: Erie Mason downed Onsted 90-62 to finish a repeat run to the Lenawee County Athletic Association title – Monroe News

8. Boys Basketball: Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern earned a share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference White title with Forest Hills Central with a 58-44 win over Grand Rapids Northview – FOX 17

9. Boys Basketball: Grant secured a share of the Central State Activities Association Gold championship with an 85-77 win over Fremont – FOX 17

10. Boys Basketball: Centreville downed Hartford 68-44 to earn a share of the Southwest 10 Conference title with Cassopolis, which defeated Mendon 58-49 – Sturgis Journal | JoeInsider.com

Also of note …

Boys Basketball: Marcus Johnson went over 2,000 career points as Iron Mountain downed Gladstone 95-55 – Escanaba Daily Press