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: 2/28/19

February 28, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Wednesday was filled with upsets galore as we kick off the headlines with a pair of Hockey Regional surprises and move into Boys Basketball Districts and a big night for Byron’s girls hoops team.

1. Hockey: Big Rapids upset its second straight ranked opponent this week, downing No. 8 Flint Powers Catholic 8-4 in a Division 3 Regional Semifinal – Big Rapids News

2. Hockey: No. 6 Detroit Country Day downed No. 3 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood 3-1 in another Division 3 Regional Semifinal – Oakland Press

3. Boys Basketball: Grand Rapids Catholic Central came back from a 15-point deficit to defeat Grand Rapids Christin 71-63 in a Division 2 District Semifinal – Grand Rapids Press

4. Hockey: Division 3 No. 11 East Grand Rapids scored the game winner with 16 seconds to play in a 5-4 victory over No. 14 Grand Rapids Catholic Central – WOOD TV

5. Boys Basketball: Unionville-Sebewaing won a Division 3 District matchup of champions from the Greater Thumb Conference, downing Harbor Beach 70-51 – Huron Daily Tribune

6. Boys Basketball: Saline stunned Ann Arbor Pioneer, 63-52 in a Division 1 District Semifinal – Detroit News

7. Boys Basketball: Last place Gaylord upset Big North Conference co-champion Petoskey 49-38 in Division 1 – Gaylord Herald Times

8. Boys Basketball: Canton downed Westland John Glenn 67-61 in a Division 1 matchup showcasing two Mr. Basketball Award finalists – State Champs!

9. Girls Basketball: Byron clinched a share of the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference title, and Maylee Hatt went over 1,000 career points against Durand – Flint Journal

10. Boys Basketball: Schoolcraft avenged its two regular-season losses to Kalamazoo Hackett with a 60-58 win in Division 3 – JoeInsider.com

Also of note …

Girls Basketball: Detroit Edison’s Rickea Jackson, Grosse Pointe North’s Julia Ayrault, Saginaw Heritage’s Moira Joiner and Muskegon’s Alyza Winston were named finalists for the Miss Basketball Award – State Champs!

Boys Basketball: Mason Bakker went over 1,000 career points although Zeeland West fell to Hudsonville in Division 1 – Holland Sentinel

Officiating: Dowagiac’s Randy Melvin will retire from officiating after this week and 46 years serving high school sports – Niles Daily Star

Girls Basketball: From Tuesday, Pittsford claimed its sixth straight Southern Central Athletic Association East title with a 53-45 win over Camden-Frontier – Hillsdale Daily News