Today in the MHSAA: 12/20/18
December 20, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
Teams are getting in their final competitions before at least a brief holiday break, and we’re taking one too after today’s list – “Today” will return Jan. 7, although Second Half will continue publishing stories from all over the state during the final week of December and first of January.
1. Boys Basketball: Gaylord St. Mary broke a 31-game, 14-year losing streak to Bellaire with a 29-26 win – Gaylord Herald Times
2. Boys Basketball: Camden-Frontier improved to 7-0 by handing a first loss to Reading, 57-46 – Hillsdale Daily News
3. Hockey: Evan MacDonald had a hat trick as Division 1 No. 5 Brighton downed reigning Division 3 runner-up Livonia Churchill 4-1 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
4. Boys Basketball: Mancelona gave Pellston its first loss of this season, 67-65 – Petoskey News-Review
5. Girls Basketball: Waterford Our Lady made a late run to get past Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 61-56 – Oakland Press
6. Wrestling: Grand Haven came back from a 24-0 deficit to defeat Caledonia 39-33 – Grand Haven Tribune
7. Gymnastics: Escanaba remained undefeated to start the season with wins over Marquette and Negaunee – Escanaba Daily Press
8. Boys Basketball: Portland St. Patrick closed on a 22-5 run to beat Fowler 52-42 – Ionia Sentinel-Standard
9. Hockey: Brendan Pellerito had 34 saves as Mattawan shut out Portage Northern 4-0 – JoeInsider.com
10. Wrestling: Division 4 top-ranked Hudson earned a pair of league wins over Blissfield and Onsted – Adrian Daily Telegram
Also of note …
Hockey: The status of high school hockey is on the rise with talent evaluators at the game’s next levels – Observer & Eccentric
Tennis: Longtime coach Paul Bandrowski retired after leading Traverse City St. Francis’ girls and boys teams to a number of strong MHSAA Finals finishes – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Girls Basketball: From Tuesday, Eaton Rapids came back to stun Jackson Northwest 44-41, but the Mounties’ Sydney Shafer went over 1,000 career points – Jackson Citizen Patriot
Boys Swimming & Diving: From Tuesday, Lower Peninsula Division 1 No. 2 Ann Arbor Skyline edged LPD2 top-ranked Dexter 95-90 – We Love Ann Arbor
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