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: 2/15/19

February 15, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The final three wrestling Regional champions were awarded Thursday, with a massive comeback topping today’s list that also includes a number of girls and boys basketball title-clinching wins.

1. Wrestling: No. 8 Alma came back from a 33-6 deficit to defeat No. 10 Lake Odessa Lakewood 39-34 for a Division 3 District title – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

2. Girls Basketball: Midland Dow clinched the Saginaw Valley League North title with a 59-32 win over Bay City Western – Midland Daily News

3. Girls Basketball: Ann Arbor Pioneer downed Monroe 53-44 to clinch the Southeastern Conference Red title, its first league championship since 2000 – We Love Ann Arbor

4. Wrestling: Onaway downed Iron Mountain and Ishpeming Westwood to repeat as a Division 4 Regional champion – MI Sports Now

5. Wrestling: No. 7 Niles downed Edwardsburg and Battle Creek Harper Creek to win its fifth Division 2 Regional title in seven seasons – South Bend Tribune

6. Girls Basketball: Essexville Garber downed Millington 64-36 to claim its first outright league title in this sport – Bay City Times

7. Boys Basketball: Ann Arbor Pioneer clinched the Southeastern Conference Red title with a big win over Monroe – We Love Ann Arbor

8. Girls Basketball: Chelsea clinched the outright Southeastern Conference White championship with a 34-29 win over Dexter – Sun Times News

9. Girls Basketball: Morrice downed Burton Bentley 60-14 and has wrapped up its first outright league title since 1998 – Owosso Argus-Press

10. Boys Basketball: Ellsworth clinched a share of the Northern Lakes Conference title with a big win over Alba – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Also of note …

Football: Remus Chippewa Hills coach Larry Jose stepped down after 21 seasons and with a 131-86 record – MI Sports Now

Girls Basketball: Claycee West scored 31 points in a win over Eau Claire to go over 1,000 for her White Pigeon career – JoeInsider.com

Wrestling: From Wednesday, Schoolcraft downed White Pigeon in Division 3 to win its first Regional title – WWMT

Boys Basketball: From Wednesday, Rudyard clinched a share of the Straits Area Conference title with a 75-51 win over St. Ignace – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

Bowling: The Central Montcalm girls have won their third straight Central State Activities Association title – Greenville Daily News