Today in the MHSAA: 12/13/19

December 13, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Matchups close to home in boys swimming & diving and girls basketball stood out most from Thursday’s headliners across the state, but one of the biggest newsmakers of the week came this morning from Rockford football.

1. Boys Swimming & Diving: Williamston/Lansing Christian won the annual Waverly Relays as the top three teams were separated by just six points – Lansing State Journal

2. Girls Basketball: Ann Arbor Huron downed Ypsilanti Arbor Prep 62-49 in a matchup of teams with high expectations this winter – Ann Arbor News

3. Boys Swimming & Diving: Grand Haven got past Spring Lake 110-71; Spring Lake is ranked No. 5 in Lower Peninsula Division 3 – Grand Haven Tribune

4. Girls Basketball: Neveah Benavides’ basket during the closing seconds gave Saginaw Arthur Hill a 48-46 win over Saginaw High – Saginaw News

5. Girls Basketball: Adrian Lenawee Christian won a matchup of frequent small-school powers, 64-30 over Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes – Adrian Daily Telegram

6. Girls Basketball: Fruitport Calvary Christian won a meeting of two more highly-regarded small-school programs, 53-46 over Battle Creek Calhoun Christian – Muskegon Chronicle

7. Boys Basketball: Oxford earned coach Steve Laidlaw his 100th victory with a 59-36 win over Walled Lake Central – Oakland Press

8. Girls Basketball: Riverview Gabriel Richard improved to 4-0 with a 42-37 win over Grosse Ile – Southgate Times-Herald

9. Girls Basketball: Lake City also moved to 4-0 with a 56-31 win over Houghton Lake – Cadillac News

10. Girls Basketball: Gaylord St. Mary capitalized on 37 turnovers in a 44-29 win over Mancelona – Gaylord Herald-Times

Also of note …

Football: Rockford coach Ralph Munger announced his retirement Friday after 40 seasons coaching there and at Frankenmuth – FOX 17

Today in the MHSAA: 3/4/19

March 4, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

An uplifting story behind a game-winning last-second shot tops our list of non-Finals headliners from the weekend, followed by first-time Regional championships won in gymnastics and hockey – and please see the “Latest Posts” at right for all of our Finals coverage of wrestling, competitive cheer and bowling.

1. Boys Basketball: Grand Rapids Northview defeated previously-unbeaten Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern 76-75 in triple overtime in a Division 1 District Final on a putback by Aidan Walker, just three weeks after his father’s unexpected death – WOOD TV

2. Gymnastics: Fowlerville won its first Regional to qualify for the MHSAA Finals for the first time in this sport, taking the championship at Grand Ledge – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

3. Hockey: Petoskey defeated Muskegon Mona Shores 7-3 in Division 2 to claim its first Regional title in this sport – Petoskey News-Review

4. Boys Basketball: Muskegon Orchard View won its first District title in 24 years, edging Spring Lake 55-53 in Division 2 – Muskegon Chronicle

5. Boys Basketball: New Baltimore Anchor Bay claimed its first District title since 1999 with a 54-49 win over Macomb Dakota in Division 1 – Macomb Daily

6. Boys Basketball: Union City clinched its first District title since 2002 with a 41-38 win over Bronson in Division 3 – Coldwater Daily Reporter

7. Boys Basketball: Traverse City St. Francis won a Division 3 matchup of league champions, downing Maple City Glen Lake 59-44 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. Boys Basketball: Wayne Memorial earned a Division 1 District title with a 55-50 win over Canton – Observer & Eccentric

9. Boys Basketball: Bessemer claimed its first District title since 2004 with a 51-50 win over Ewen-Trout Creek – Ironwood Daily Globe

10. Boys Basketball: Grandville Calvin Christian earned one of the biggest District upsets of the week, claiming a Division 3 title with a 63-52 win over Wyoming Potter’s House Christian – FOX 17

Also of note …

Boys Swimming & Diving: Northville, No. 9 in Lower Peninsula Division 1, claimed the Kensington Lakes Activities Association league meet followed by honorable mentions Novi, Brighton and Salem – Observer & Eccentric

Girls Basketball: Alexys Carlstrom went over 1,000 career points in Harrison’s 33-30 win over Farwell – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Football: Longtime Ishpeming coach Jeff Olson announced his retirement, having led the team to three MHSAA championships – ABC 10

Girls Basketball: From Thursday, Pickford clinched the Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference title with a 67-54 win over Cedarville – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News