Today in the MHSAA: 12/18/15

December 18, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Holiday break is nearly upon us, but heroics of December, these few included, are setting up what should be an interesting January and February for a number of teams all over the state.

Girls Basketball

Detroit Renaissance might be the best in Detroit this winter – and a contender in Class A – after handing a rare city loss to Detroit Martin Luther King, 68-65 – Detroit News

Muskegon’s Mardrekia Cook drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Big Reds a 55-52 win over Muskegon Oakridge – Muskegon Chronicle

Boys Basketball

Shawn Pardee is again starring for Millington this season – and missed his school record by only a point Thursday with 55 in an 83-77 double overtime win over Essexville Garber – Saginaw News

Frankfort and Traverse City St. Francis traded baskets over the final 20 seconds, with St. Francis getting the last in a 69-68 victory – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Andrew Terry’s fifth 3-pointer of the game gave Warren Lincoln a 61-60 final lead with 4.9 seconds to play against Center Line – Macomb Daily

Girls Swimming & Diving

Gladstone, runner-up at last season’s Upper Peninsula Final, edged Kingsford by three points in a tri-meet; Kingsford was sixth last season – Iron Mountain Daily

Track & Field

Longtime Kingsford athletic director and 2001 MHSAA Bush Award winner Don Edens, Jr., died Tuesday at the age of 70. Edens also was a longtime manager of the U.P. Track & Field Finals – WLUC

Today in the MHSAA: 3/9/16

March 9, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

It’s tough to remember a night of MHSAA playoff action with more close finishes, as Tuesday included three one-goal hockey Regional Finals – including two that went to overtime – and a number of one-basket deciders in girls basketball.

Girls Basketball

Freshman Alyza Winston scored off a steal during the final seconds to give Muskegon Mona Shores a 61-59 win over Grand Rapids Christian in Class A – Muskegon Chronicle

Farmington Hills Mercy earned a Class A Regional Final berth on Katie Coe’s basket at the buzzer in a 37-35 win over Howell – Oakland Press

Jackson Northwest continued its impressive Class A run with a 59-57 win over Kalamazoo Central – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Marshall ran its winning streak to 22 with a 62-44 win over Stevensville Lakeshore in Class B – Battle Creek Enquirer

Bay City John Glenn needed overtime in one of its few close wins this season, but edged Frankenmuth 49-46 in Class B – Saginaw News

Portland also needed overtime in Class B to get past Eaton Rapids 47-45 – Lansing State Journal

Flat Rock needed a 20-2 third-quarter run to get past Brooklyn Columbia Central in Class B, 49-48 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Reigning Class C champion Calumet kept its perfect run alive with a 46-45 overtime win over Negaunee – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Ithaca reached its first Regional Final and set a school record with 22 wins in a 53-41 victory over New Lothrop – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Gaylord St. Mary earned a slight upset in Class D, downing Frankfort 54-41 – Gaylord Herald Times

Ice Hockey

Hartland outlasted Birmingham Brother Rice 5-4 in overtime to reach the Division 2 Semifinals – Livingston Daily

Ada Forest Hills Eastern earned its Semifinal bid with a 2-1 triple-overtime win over Marquette – Grand Rapids Press

Livonia Stevenson got past rival Trenton for the second straight season, 2-1, to advance – Detroit News

Romeo earned its trip to the Semifinals thanks in part to six points from senior Logan Jenuwine in an 8-3 win over New Baltimore Anchor Bay – Macomb Daily