Today in the MHSAA: 12/10/19

December 10, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Boys basketball season opened Monday across the state and produced a number of highlights – topped by a meeting between teams that finished last season at the Breslin Center.

1. Boys Basketball: In the night’s most power-packed opener, returning Division 2 runner-up River Rouge downed reigning Division 1 champion Ypsilanti Lincoln 63-53 – Detroit News

2. Boys Basketball: Joseph Kimmerer broke Hale’s school scoring record that had stood since 1992 in leading his team to a 67-57 win over Rogers City – Alpena News

3. Boys Basketball: Brady Hunter scored his 1,000th career point as Gaylord St. Mary got past Lake Leelanau St. Mary 78-71 – Gaylord Herald Times

4. Girls Basketball: Howell went on the road and handed Midland Dow its first loss, 57-46 – Midland Daily News

5. Hockey: Portage Central won a high-scoring rematch for the “Canoe” downing Portage Northern 9-5 – WWMT

6. Girls Basketball: Bay City John Glenn won a matchup of annually-strong area programs, 50-39 over Bay City Western – Bay City Times

7. Girls Basketball: Gwinn took Bark River-Harris to a second overtime before emerging with a 61-58 win – The Upbeat

8. Boys Basketball: Pellston’s Blake Cassidy had one of the highest-scoring opening nights with 37 points in his team’s 74-46 win over Mackinaw City – Petoskey News-Review

9. Girls Basketball: Morrice edged Lansing Christian 45-44 in overtime thanks in part to five Olivia Riley 3-pointers – Owosso Argus-Press

10. Boys Basketball: Midland Bullock Creek had 20 steals to lock down Gladwin in a season opener 56-26 – Midland Daily News

Also of note …

Boys Swimming & Diving: From Saturday, Ann Arbor Pioneer – No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – was first and LPD2 honorable mention Battle Creek Lakeview second at the 74th Cereal Bowl Relays – We Love Ann Arbor

Today in the MHSAA: 5/15/19

May 15, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The softball diamond was the scene Tuesday for a historic accomplishment up north and an inspiring performance in the Kalamazoo area as well.

1. Softball: Mackinaw City swept Ellsworth to claim its first Northern Lights Conference championship since 1999 – Petoskey News-Review

2. Softball: Alpena swept Traverse City Central to lock up a share of its ninth straight Big North Conference championship – Alpena News

3. Girls Soccer: Division 1 No. 2 Grandville locked up the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red title outright with a 1-0 win over Rockford – FOX 17

4. Softball: Division 3 No. 3 Sanford Meridian clinched a share of the Jack Pine Conference title with a 4-1 win over Beaverton, but fell in the second game 6-4 – Midland Daily News

5. Track & Field: Reese’s girls and Caro’s boys (No. 7 in Lower Peninsula Division 3) won the Greater Thumb Conference West league meet championships – Huron Daily Tribune

6. Boys Lacrosse: Dexter closed the regular season with a 15-7 win over Chelsea to clinch a share of the Southeastern Conference White title – Chelsea Sun Times News

7. Softball: Division 4 honorable mention Beal City clinched a share of the Highland Conference championship with a sweep of Evart – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

8. Softball: Division 2 top-ranked Escanaba and Division 3 No. 10 Gladstone split in a league matchup of state powers – Escanaba Daily Press

9. Baseball: Division 2 No. 3 Holland Christian and Chris Mokma got past Zeeland East and Adam Berghorst in a matchup of future Michigan State teammates – Holland Sentinel

10. Girls Soccer: Bloomfield Hills scored the game-winner late to upset Division 1 No. 7 Troy 2-1 – Oakland Press

Also of note …

Softball: We’re all rooting for Portage Central freshman Sophie Varney, who was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in December but continues to take the field as she fights the disease – Kalamazoo Gazette

Boys Golf: From Monday, Centreville claimed the final Southwest 10 Conference jamboree to lock up the league title – Three Rivers Commercial News

Girls Tennis: From Saturday, Niles Brandywine locked up its seventh straight league title, in the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference – Niles Daily Star