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: 11/14/18

November 14, 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.

We’ve linked up coverage of all 16 Girls Volleyball Quarterfinals from Tuesday plus a special announcement celebrating this fall’s top player.

1. Volleyball: Top-ranked Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central came back from a 2-1 deficit to down No. 5 Manchester in a Division 3 Quarterfinal – Monroe Evening News

2. Volleyball: No. 3 Lake Odessa Lakewood fell in the first set but won the next three over No. 5 Wixom St. Catherine in Division 2 – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

3. Volleyball: Top-ranked Grand Rapids Christian swept No. 6 Hamilton a Division 2 Quarterfinal – WZZM

4. Volleyball: No. 4 Southfield Christian made its first Semifinals in this sport with a Division 4 sweep of Kingston – Oakland Press

5. Volleyball: No. 9 Carney-Nadeau moved on to its first Semifinal with a five-set win over honorable mention Onaway in Division 4 – Escanaba Daily Press

6. Volleyball: After falling in the first set, No. 8 Traverse City St. Francis came back to win the next three over honorable mention Beal City in Division 3 – MI Sports Now

7. Volleyball: No. 2 Mendon swept No. 7 Adrian Lenawee Christian to advance to the Division 4 Semifinals – WWMT

8. Volleyball: No. 1 Farmington Hills Mercy added to an impressive two-month streak with a sweep of Sterling Heights Stevenson in Division 1 – C&G Newspapers

9. Volleyball: No. 8 Northville swept Livonia Churchill to move on in Division 1 despite the absence of a top player – Observer & Eccentric

10. Volleyball: No. 2 Lake Orion swept honorable mention Flushing to move on in Division 1 – Oakland Press

Also of note …

Volleyball: No. 7 Rockford swept Richland Gull Lake to advance to the Division 1 Semifinals – WOOD TV

Volleyball: Corunna swept Kingsley in a matchup of honorable mentions to advance to the Division 2 Semifinals – Owosso Argus-Press

Volleyball: No. 2 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep swept Detroit Communication Media Arts to advance in Division 2 – Oakland Press

Volleyball: No. 6 Unionville-Sebewaing came back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Brown City in five in Division 3 – Huron Daily Tribune

Volleyball: No. 2 Bronson swept honorable mention Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian to move on in Division 3 – FOX 17

Volleyball: Top-ranked Leland swept Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart to win its Division 4 Quarterfinal – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Volleyball: Notre Dame Prep senior Maddy Chinn was named this season’s Miss Volleyball Award winner by the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association – Oakland Press