Today in the MHSAA: 12/11/15

December 11, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A number of nail-biting girls basketball finishes topped Thursday’s statewide sports action, and we ran across some gymnastics, bowling and swimming and diving coverage as well.  

Girls Basketball

Cassopolis came back for a 37-29 win over New Buffalo with a big fourth quarter while playing with their thoughts on coach Nat Pittman, who reportedly suffered a heart attack Wednesday – Niles Daily Star

Shannon Bates nailed a 3-pointer with five seconds to play as Bay City All Saints edged Standish-Sterling 34-31 – Bay City Times

Sydney Stine’s free throw with 9.2 seconds to play gave Montague a 38-37 win over Hart – Muskegon Chronicle

Birch Run broke away from Millington 56-50 on 30 points and 13 rebounds by Savanah Gibson, who has averaged 25 points and 17 rebounds over her last two games – Saginaw News

Traverse City Central beat Traverse City West for the first time in nearly two calendar years, coming back from an early deficit with an 18-0 run en route to a 49-38 victory – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Niles Brandywine made 12 3-pointers to down rival Buchanan 67-47 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Boys Basketball

Dexter scored only one point during the first quarter and trailed South Lyon by 14, but came back for a 56-52 win – Ann Arbor News

Bellevue scored with 21 seconds left in regulation to send its game with North Adams-Jerome to overtime, then emerged as the winner after three extra periods – Hillsdale Daily News

Bowling

Statewide power Battle Creek Pennfield won all-city titles with boys and girls victories over the teams from Battle Creek Lakeview – Battle Creek Enquirer

Gymnastics

In the first gymnastics headline we’ve seen this season (many teams begin competition in January), Tecumseh earned a victory over Adrian with the top two all-around finishers – Adrian Daily Telegram

Boys Swimming & Diving

Spring Lake defeated neighbor Grand Haven for only the second time ever, 96-90, and also beat Muskegon Mona Shores 149-34 – Grand Haven Tribune

Today in the MHSAA: 1/14/16

January 14, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Gymnastics seasons gets rolling once the new year begins, and two teams that should be in the hunt for this season’s MHSAA championship met Wednesday with the result one of the closest finishes in recent memory.

Girls Basketball

Onsted got down 18-0 by the end of the first quarter – and somehow came back to beat Hudson 52-50 – Adrian Daily Telegram

Frankenmuth’s Kelsie Kujat sank a school-record eight 3-pointres to lead the one-loss Eagles past previously-undefeated Birch Run 69-46 – Saginaw News

Boys Basketball

Big Rapids’ Kenny Davis made 11 3-pointers on the way to 43 points in leading his team to a 71-35 win over Morley Stanwood – Big Rapids Pioneer

In a key matchup of top Upper Peninsula teams, undefeated Negaunee upended rival Ishpeming 66-44, handing the Hematites their first loss – Marqutte Mining Journal

Gymnastics

Arguably the top two teams in Michigan met for the second time in five days; after reigning MHSAA champion Rockford won its invitational Saturday with Forest Hills United second, Forest Hills came back to win a dual by the slimmest of margins, 143.05-142.9 – Grand Rapids Press

Ice Hockey

Farmington scored three unanswered second-period goals to down previously-ranked Berkley, 6-3 – Oakland Press

After trailing 1-0 early, Portage Northern came back to down rival Portage Central 4-2 – Kalamazoo Gazette

Wrestling

Midland scored a pair of memorable wins Wednesday, first over rival Dow 42-21 and then over No. 8 Bay City Western 39-27; the Chemics hadn’t beaten either in at least five seasons – Midland Daily News