Today in the MHSAA: 1/21/16
January 21, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A pair of hockey games featuring top-ranked teams highlighted Wednesday’s statewide action, and read on as well for an inspirational story out of Fruitport.
Boys Basketball
Bear Lake handed Onekama its first loss to pull within a game of the West Michigan D lead – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Ice Hockey
Division 3 No. 1 Grand Rapids Catholic Central needed overtime, but escaped Muskegon Mona Shores with a 4-3 victory – Grand Rapids Press
Division 2 No. 2 Birmingham Brother Rice earned arguably the best of its 12 wins, 3-0 over Division 1 top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central – Oakland Press
Wrestling
Saginaw Swan Valley fell in both of its matches Wednesday, but K.J. Suitor won his 200th individual match – Saginaw News
Good Read
Fruitport’s Karson Kriger played his first season of varsity football in the fall and was called up to the varsity baseball team as a pitcher last spring. He also can fire a bow – doing all of this with one hand after losing most of his left arm at birth – Local Sports Journal
Today in the MHSAA: 1/15/16
January 15, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Thursday provided a substantial appetizer for another big weekend with key basketball games, noteworthy swimming and diving finishes and a milestone wrestling victory.
Boys Basketball
Clarkston earned a key Oakland Activities Association Red edge with a win over similarly state-ranked North Farmington, 60-47 – Oakland Press
Frankfort earned a similarly important win in Northwest Conference play, winning a matchup of Class D ranked teams 65-55 over Buckley – Traverse City Record-Eagle
For the second straight day, a basketball team made an incredible comeback; this time, it was East Jackson building off a 21-2 deficit at the end of the first quarter to beat Napoleon 42-39 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot
Olivet junior Delbert Redfield made nine of 11 3-point tries and scored 33 points total to lead the Eagles to a 73-55 win over Lansing Christian – MLive Lansing
Girls Basketball
Warren Cousino handed Grosse Pointe North the latter’s first loss this season, 64-58, to move to 9-1 overall – Macomb Daily
Boys Swimming & Diving
Lower Peninsula Division 3 honorable mention Spring Lake downed No. 4 Hamilton, No. 5 Grand Rapids Christian and Division 2 honorable mention Holland in its best meet of a strong run so far – Grand Haven Tribune
Wrestling
Leslie defeated Olivet (and also lost to Lake Odessa Lakewood) on Thursday, giving Blackhawks coach Todd Stern his 400th career win since taking over as head coach in 1987 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot
Good Reads
Battle of the Fans V kicks off tonight with our first visit to Yale, a finalist as well in 2015 – Port Huron Times-Herald
Grand Haven’s basketball teams will return to their former gym now part of Lakeshore Middle School – Pirates Pit – on Feb. 6 and for the first time since 2007 as the high school gym will be used for the league wrestling meet – Grand Haven Tribune
Vanderbilt’s boys basketball team has one win this season, but it was the first in nearly two years and a testament to the rebuilding of the program under first-year coach Darren Conn and assistant Amie Byelich – Petoskey News