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: 1/6/20
January 6, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The clashing of statewide wrestling powers and a nearly unbelievable performance on the ice highlighted a power-packed first weekend of 2020.
1. Wrestling: Division 1 top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central, No. 2 Davison, No. 3 Brighton and Division 2 top-ranked Lowell took the top four team places, respectively, at the 56th DCC Invitational – Oakland Press
2. Hockey: Division 2 No. 2 Livonia Stevenson downed Hartland 5-2, with Seth Lause scoring an incredible three short-handed goals – Observer & Eccentric
3. Boys Basketball: Flint Beecher downed Benton Harbor 76-62 in a matchup of teams expected to make runs at Finals championships in March – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
4. Hockey: Division 1 No. 5 Brighton handed the first loss of the season to the last team without one, 3-2 to Division 3 top-ranked Calumet – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
5. Hockey: Division 1 top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central earned a significant league win 6-0 over No. 4 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s – Oakland Press
6. Girls Basketball: Kelsey Richards went over 30 points for the fifth straight game as Fruitport Calvary Christian earned a 50-46 statement win over Central Montcalm – Muskegon Chronicle
7. Wrestling: Division 4 top-ranked Clinton followed a pair of individual champions to the team title at the 45th Dave Elliott Memorial Tournament – Adrian Daily Telegram
8. Boys Basketball: In another matchup of championship hopefuls, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s downed Grand Blanc 69-66 – Flint Journal
9. Girls Basketball: Hart continued its surge with a 51-35 win over Calvary Christian the day after the latter’s big win noted above – Muskegon Chronicle
10. Hockey: Ann Arbor Pioneer improved to 8-2 with a 2-1 win over rival Skyline in the final of the Jilek Cup – We Love Ann Arbor
Also of note …
Football: The football community is mourning the death of Zeeland West assistant Gasper Giarmo, who coached more than 30 years combined at seven schools including a decade at Byron Center – Grand Rapids Press