Today in the MHSAA: 12/11/18

December 11, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

A matchup of hockey rivals tops the list of Monday’s most intriguing results that also includes girls and boys basketball, wrestling and girls and boys bowling action to kick off the week – plus a notable football coaching hire in the mid-Michigan area.

1. Hockey: Portage Central downed rival Portage Northern 5-2 to reclaim the Canoe Trophy – JoeInsider.com

2. Boys Basketball: Brimley improved to 4-0 with a 90-70 win over Mackinaw City – MI Sports Now

3. Boys Basketball: Pontiac remained undefeated with a 61-53 win over Mount Clemens – Oakland Press

4. Boys Basketball: Ironwood came back to remain unbeaten with a 62-59 win over Washburn, Wis. – The Upbeat

5. Girls Basketball: Kelsey Richards scored all 20 of her points in the first half of Fruitport Calvary Christian’s big win over Muskegon Heights – Muskegon Chronicle

6. Boys Basketball: Lincoln Alcona led by as many as 29 before completing a 60-55 win over Posen – Alpena News

7. Boys Basketball: Kory Henigan’s 30 points led Hillman in a big win over Whittemore-Prescott – WBKB

8. Bowling: Tecumseh’s girls and boys earned a pair of 27-3 wins over Adrian after sweeping the Baker frames – Adrian Daily Telegram

9. Wrestling: Escanaba downed Marquette and Iron Mountain for its first team wins of the season – Escanaba Daily Press

10. Boys Bowling: Ethan May bowled a match high 259 to lead Ravenna past Scottville Mason County Central – Local Sports Journal

Also of note …

Football: St. Johns hired alum and former Eastern Michigan University quarterback Andy Schmitt as its new football coach after longtime coach Dave Mariage stepped down – Lansing State Journal

Today in the MHSAA: 12/20/18

December 20, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

Teams are getting in their final competitions before at least a brief holiday break, and we’re taking one too after today’s list – “Today” will return Jan. 7, although Second Half will continue publishing stories from all over the state during the final week of December and first of January.  

1. Boys Basketball: Gaylord St. Mary broke a 31-game, 14-year losing streak to Bellaire with a 29-26 win – Gaylord Herald Times

2. Boys Basketball: Camden-Frontier improved to 7-0 by handing a first loss to Reading, 57-46 – Hillsdale Daily News

3. Hockey: Evan MacDonald had a hat trick as Division 1 No. 5 Brighton downed reigning Division 3 runner-up Livonia Churchill 4-1 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

4. Boys Basketball: Mancelona gave Pellston its first loss of this season, 67-65 – Petoskey News-Review

5. Girls Basketball: Waterford Our Lady made a late run to get past Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 61-56 – Oakland Press

6. Wrestling: Grand Haven came back from a 24-0 deficit to defeat Caledonia 39-33 – Grand Haven Tribune

7. Gymnastics: Escanaba remained undefeated to start the season with wins over Marquette and Negaunee – Escanaba Daily Press

8. Boys Basketball: Portland St. Patrick closed on a 22-5 run to beat Fowler 52-42 – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

9. Hockey: Brendan Pellerito had 34 saves as Mattawan shut out Portage Northern 4-0 – JoeInsider.com

10. Wrestling: Division 4 top-ranked Hudson earned a pair of league wins over Blissfield and Onsted – Adrian Daily Telegram

Also of note …

Hockey: The status of high school hockey is on the rise with talent evaluators at the game’s next levels – Observer & Eccentric

Tennis: Longtime coach Paul Bandrowski retired after leading Traverse City St. Francis’ girls and boys teams to a number of strong MHSAA Finals finishes – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Girls Basketball: From Tuesday, Eaton Rapids came back to stun Jackson Northwest 44-41, but the Mounties’ Sydney Shafer went over 1,000 career points – Jackson Citizen Patriot

Boys Swimming & Diving: From Tuesday, Lower Peninsula Division 1 No. 2 Ann Arbor Skyline edged LPD2 top-ranked Dexter 95-90 – We Love Ann Arbor