Today in the MHSAA: 12/1/16

December 1, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

As fans of competition, we can give thanks for early-season matchups of top-ranked teams like we saw in hockey Wednesday. But check out our “Good Reads” today for a wider perspective of why else we should be grateful.

Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.

Girls Basketball

Michigan Center survived a Jonesville comeback to win its season opener 43-40 in overtime – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Class D power Athens got off to the right start with a 32-20 win over Battle Creek St. Philip – Battle Creek Enquirer

Mackinaw City pulled out an overtime win over rival Pellston, 36-33 – Petoskey News Review

From Tuesday, Canton downed Bloomfield Hills Marian 43-40 in an early-season meeting of regular contenders in Class A – Observer & Eccentric

Hockey

Hartland – ranked No. 1 in Division 2 – came back from a two-goal deficit to beat Division 1 top-ranked Brighton 3-2 in overtime – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Cadillac led 4-0 but had to hold on for a 5-4 win over Cheboygan – Cadillac News

On his team’s 56th shot of the night, Mario Steffin netted the game-winner as Wyandotte Roosevelt downed Southgate Anderson 4-3 in overtime – Southgate News Herald

Good Reads

We missed this one a few days ago, but the Port Huron Times Herald provided some awesome perspective by printing what many of its most notable local sports figures – coaches, high school stars and champions past – were thankful for this Thanksgiving weekend – Port Huron Times Herald

We’ve been following the story of longtime northern Michigan and current Traverse City St. Francis basketball coach Keith Haske (Second Half, 3/3/16), who has been fighting cancer but finished up a round of chemotherapy this week – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Today in the MHSAA: 2/18/16

February 18, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The postseason was in full swing for two sports Wednesday, as wrestling teams battled to make the MHSAA Quarterfinals and ski teams also competed in Regionals with an opportunity to make the final meet of the season.

Girls Basketball

New Baltimore Anchor Bay earned its first league championship in 27 years with a 60-48 victory over Warren Mott that clinched the Macomb Area Conference Blue title – Macomb Daily

From Tuesday, Spring Lake junior Reiko Johnson scored 31 points in a win over Montague to go over 1,000 for her career – Grand Haven Tribune

Boys Basketball

Also from Tuesday, Gage Kreski set the St. Ignace career scoring record with 1,997 points after scoring 26 in a win over Brimley – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

Ice Hockey

Division 3 No. 1 Saginaw Heritage finished the Saginaw Valley League undefeated for the first time since 2009, capping the run with a 4-1 win over Bay City – Saginaw News

Skiing

Cadillac’s boys and girls teams swept their Division 2 Regionals at Caberfae Peaks, with freshman Alex Netzley winning both boys races – Cadillac News

Wrestling

In arguably the night’s most impressive Regional win, Division 2 top-ranked Lowell made its sixth straight Quarterfinals by defeating undefeated and No. 8 Sparta – Grand Rapids Press

Also in Division 2, No. 3 St. Johns just got past No. 7 Eaton Rapids, 32-30, after losing to the Greyhounds in this round last season – Lansing State Journal

Unranked Grand Ledge eliminated No. 4 and reigning Division 1 champion Brighton, then defeated Holt in the Final – Livingston Daily

Sturgis celebrated its first Regional title in school history after downing Battle Creek Harper Creek 49-27 – Sturgis Journal

In a matchup of ranked Division 3 teams, No. 2 Lake Fenton took down No. 9 Lake Odessa Lakewood at Ithaca – Ionia Sentinel-Standard