Today in the MHSAA: 12/18/19

December 18, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The 2019 calendar year refuses to finish without making some significant early impacts on this basketball season, with Tuesday including a few that will be remembered.

1. Girls Basketball: Saginaw Swan Valley delivered Hemlock’s first regular-season season defeat in nearly two calendar years, 67-50 – Saginaw News

2. Boys Basketball: Grand Rapids Christian locked down Grand Rapids Catholic Central for a 60-54 win – FOX 17

3. Boys Basketball: Beaverton got past reigning league champ Sanford Meridian 40-38 in a matchup of the two best from the Jack Pine Conference in 2018-19 – Midland Daily News

4. Girls Basketball: Hartland slowed down Okemos for a 41-23 win – State Champs Sports Network

5. Boys Swimming & Diving: Holland West Ottawa had the top finisher in eight races on the way to a 112-72 win over Zeeland – Holland Sentinel

6. Girls Basketball: Carlee Crabtree scored her 1,000th career point as Coldwater earned its first win this season, 62-22 over Hastings – Coldwater Daily Reporter

7. Girls Basketball: Saline moved to 5-0 with a 71-24 win over Dearborn Henry Ford Academy as Ella Stemmer set a school record with eight 3-pointers – Saline Post

8. Boys Basketball: Tyson Acuff scored 44 points including the winning basket in Detroit Cass Tech’s 65-64 win over Henry Ford – Detroit News

9. Girls Basketball: Marquette held on for a low-scoring 35-32 win over Negaunee – The Upbeat

10. Girls Basketball: Morgan Case made a half-court shot at the buzzer to push Blissfield past Erie Mason 50-47 – Adrian Daily Telegram

Also of note …

State Champs Sports Network produced its MHSAA Finals shows for Volleyball, Girls Swimming & Diving and Football

Today in the MHSAA: 1/20/16

January 20, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Buzzer beaters and milestone basketball victories made headlines all over Michigan today, and check out as well a moving video that tells of the importance of our national anthem.

Girls Basketball

Reigning Class C champion Calumet added another accomplishment to the long list with its first win over Houghton since 1999, 44-31 – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Three Rivers’ sophomore Arionne Fowlkes went baseline to baseline for a last-second layup to give her team a 43-41 win over Niles – Niles Daily Star

Class A favorite Saginaw Heritage remained undefeated with a 53-38 win over rival Midland Dow, also ranked in Class A – Saginaw News

One-loss St. Ignace handed Newberry its first defeat of the season, 64-57 – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

Cedar Springs also knocked a team from the unbeaten ranks, with Sam Taylor’s 3-pointer in the closing seconds ending Kent City’s perfect run, 50-47 – Grand Rapids Press

Muskegon edged East Kentwood 50-47 after trailing by 10 and on the strength of 26 points and 22 rebounds by senior Mardrekia Cook – Muskegon Chronicle

Boys Basketball

Despite being outscored 30-22 in the fourth quarter, Southfield Christian held on for an 82-79 win over Southfield – MLive-Detroit

Merrill earned its first win since 2013 by downing Coleman 49-36 – Midland Daily News

One-loss Alma handed previously-undefeated Ithaca its first, 56-53, as Dylan Carl hit 3-pointers to send the game to overtime and then win it – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Muskegon Oakridge’s Brady Luttrull drilled a 3-pointer during the final seconds to push his team past Scottville Mason County Central 67-66 – Muskegon Chronicle

Cassopolis followed a strong third quarter by Deoin Gatson to hand Niles Brandywine its first loss, 61-47 – Niles Daily Leader

One-loss Clarkston also handed out a first loss Tuesday, to Rochester Adams, in a matchup of top Class A teams – Oakland Press

Caleb Brown’s only basket for Northport was the game winner during the final seconds of a 51-49 victory over Central Lake – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Nate Dugener’s sixth 3-pointer of the game gave Muskegon Western Michigan Christian a 52-49 win over Holland Christian – Grand Haven Tribune

Boys Swimming & Diving

In a matchup of top teams on the west side of the Lower Peninsula, Division 1 No. 6 Zeeland got past Division 2 honorable mention Holland 104-73 – Holland Sentinel

Worth Watching

We ran across and were moved by Virginia Tech’s honoring of veterans at the start of this men’s basketball season. Check out this meaningful presentation and how it relates to providing proper respect during The Star-Spangled Banner.