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: 1/16/19

January 16, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Tuesday night is usually a basketball night – and there’s big news to report. But the most major headline may have come in the pool as three swimming & diving stories made today’s top 10.

1. Boys Swimming & Diving: Lower Peninsula Division 1 honorable mention Zeeland downed LPD3 No. 1 Holland Christian 113-73 to take the lead in the Ottawa Kent Conference Green – Holland Sentinel

2. Girls Basketball: Flint Carman-Ainsworth downed reigning Class B champion Detroit Country Day 65-60 – Flint Journal

3. Boys Basketball: Muskegon Reeths-Puffer ended Muskegon’s 58-game league winning streak with a 63-59 overtime win – Muskegon Chronicle

4. Boys Basketball: Roseville downed Macomb Dakota 63-56 in a matchup of Macomb Area Conference Red contenders – Detroit News

5. Boys Swimming & Diving: LPD1 No. 5 Ann Arbor Pioneer outraced honorable mention Ann Arbor Huron 117-69 – We Love Ann Arbor

6. Boys Basketball: Behind eight 3-pointers by Nolan Finkbeiner, Hemlock handed Sanford Meridian its first loss, 60-51 – Saginaw News

7. Hockey: Division 2 top-ranked Hartland downed No. 9 Howell 7-1 after being outshot during the first period – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

8. Boys Swimming & Diving: LPD3 No. 3 Spring Lake earned a key 98-88 league win over LPD2 honorable mention Jenison – Grand Haven Tribune

9. Girls Basketball: Michigan Center remained undefeated with a 52-38 win over rival Hanover-Horton – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

10. Boys Basketball: Hudsonville made a strong move in the O-K Red with a big win over East Kentwood – FOX 17

Also of note …

Basketball: Coopersville will be celebrating its 100th season of basketball Friday, and this collection includes many highlights both girls and boys from all over that first century – Grand Rapids Press