Today in the MHSAA: 1/21/20

January 21, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Major matchups at basketball events honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s memory made for a highlight-filled weekend and Monday across Michigan, and girls basketball, wrestling, competitive cheer, hockey and boys swimming & diving also contributed headliners as teams braved the mid-January weather.

1. Boys Basketball: Division 3 Flint Beecher downed Division 1 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 70-61 in a matchup of MHSAA championship contenders – State Champs Sports Network

2. Girls Basketball: Howell handed Brighton its first loss, 43-41, with Maeve St. John connecting on two last-minute free throws – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

3. Wrestling: Division 4 No. 7 Hart defeated No. 6 Leroy Pine River 40-20 in the championship match of the Fallen Bucks Memorial Tournament – Cadillac News

4. Boys Basketball: Grand Rapids Christian remained undefeated with a 66-64 win over Wyoming, which also was unbeaten entering the contest – WOOD TV

5. Girls Basketball: Reeya Patel’s basket with 2.5 seconds to play pushed Ann Arbor Huron past previously-undefeated Temperance Bedford 53-51 – State Champs Sports Network

6. Boys Swimming & Diving: Midland Dow – No. 8 in Lower Peninsula Division 2 – locked up its 18th-straight Tri-Cities championship, nearly doubling up the field – Midland Daily News

7. Boys Basketball: Detroit Martin Luther King got past Detroit Douglass 55-46 in a matchup of two more Finals hopefuls – Detroit Free Press

8. Boys Basketball: Emoni Bates led Ypsilanti Lincoln on a 13-2 run to close a 75-68 win over Detroit Edison – Detroit News

9. Hockey: Division 3 No. 10 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central avenged a late December loss to rival Forest Hills Northern/Eastern, winning this time 3-1 – FOX 17

10. Cheer: Stevensville Lakeshore won the Division 2 and overall championships at the Coloma Invitational – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Also of note …

Girls Basketball: Although Niles fell to St. Joseph 59-54, Alycia Patterson went over 1,000 career points – Niles Daily Star

Boys Basketball: Reese Hazelton scored his 1,000th career point on a game-winner to lead Maple City Glen Lake past Saginaw Heritage 51-49 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Girls Basketball: Elise Besonen also went over 1,000 career points in leading Ewen-Trout Creek past Ontonagon – The Upbeat

Today in the MHSAA: 1/30/19

January 30, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Teams outran the oncoming cold spell Tuesday with a highlight-filled night of basketball across Michigan despite a weather-caused shortened schedule.

1. Boys Basketball: Flint Beecher got past Grand Blanc 81-69 in a matchup of top teams in the Flint area and statewide – WJRT

2. Boys Basketball: Westland John Glenn edged Wayne Memorial 67-63 to create a three-way tie for first in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East while Joe Moon IV set Glenn’s career scoring record – Observer & Eccentric

3. Boys Basketball: Milford handed Walled Lake Northern its first loss this season, 37-34 – State Champs!

4. Girls Basketball: Gladstone took the final lead with 16 seconds to play in a 43-39 upset of Negaunee – Escanaba Daily Press

5. Hockey: Brighton got past Division 2 No. 9 Howell 1-0 with an overtime goal – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

6. Boys Basketball: Johannesburg-Lewiston avenged an early loss to Pellston by handing the Hornets their second defeat of the season, 81-65 – MI Sports Now

7. Girls Basketball: Mackinaw City maintained its lead in the Northern Lakes Conference with a 58-24 win over reigning league champion Harbor Springs Harbor Light Christian – Petoskey News-Review

8. Girls Basketball: Chelsea improved to 13-0 with a 52-43 win over Jackson – Ann Arbor News

9. Boys Basketball: Marquette downed Ishpeming Westwood 47-39 in a matchup of contenders in their respective leagues – The Upbeat

10. Boys Basketball: Rogers City won its seventh of the last eight games, 59-39 over Posen – WBKB

Also of note …

Battle Creek: The community is mourning the death of Al Leibert, who served as a teacher, principal and/or coach in multiple sports for more than 65 years at Battle Creek Central, Lakeview and St. Philip – Battle Creek Enquirer