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: 1/8/20

January 8, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Tuesday’s statewide basketball slate had just about everything, from matchups between championship contenders to historic wins, record breakers and buzzer beaters.

1. Girls Basketball: Detroit Edison downed East Lansing 56-39 in a matchup of championship contenders in Divisions 2 and 1, respectively – Detroit News

2. Girls Basketball: Farmington Hills Mercy’s fourth-quarter run gave it a 46-34 win over Bloomfield Hills Marian in a matchup of Catholic League Central rivals that both entered unbeaten – Observer & Eccentric

3. Boys Basketball: Escanaba earned its first win over Marquette since 2010, 63-56 – Escanaba Daily Press

4. Boys Basketball: Warren De La Salle Collegiate edged Eastpointe 64-61 in a matchup of the Nos. 1 and 2-ranked teams, respectively, in Monday’s Division 1 MPR posting – Macomb Daily

5. Girls Basketball: Pittsford held on to move to 8-0 with a 43-40 win over Reading – Hillsdale Daily News

6. Girls Basketball: Martin’s 52-19 win over West Michigan Aviation Academy gave the Clippers their best start at 7-0 since 1997 – FOX 17

7. Boys Basketball: Pellston’s Blake Cassidy has been one of the state’s top scorers this winter, and he put up a career-high 45 points in Tuesday’s 65-58 win over Johannesburg-Lewiston – Petoskey News-Review

8. Girls Basketball: White Pigeon’s Claycee West broke her school scoring record with 41 points in a 58-39 win over Marcellus – JoeInsider.com

9. Boys Basketball: Ferndale came back to hand North Farmington its first defeat of the season, 52-48 – MLive-Detroit

10. Boys Basketball: Onsted handed Blissfield its first loss 55-53 on a buzzer beater by Cooper Lake – Adrian Daily Telegram

Also of note …

Football: Cassopolis coach Dan Purlee has resigned after eight seasons leading the program to a 70-22 record and two MHSAA Semifinals – South Bend Tribune