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: 11/7/18

November 7, 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.

Volleyball Regionals kicked off Tuesday, with a matchup of ranked teams in Division 3 topping today’s list of achievers – and be sure to check out as well a major announcement in boys soccer.

1. Volleyball: No. 2 Bronson swept No. 9 Centreville in a Division 3 Regional Semifinal – Coldwater Daily Reporter

2. Volleyball: No. 8 Northville downed honorable mention Temperance Bedford in four sets to move on in Division 1 – Observer & Eccentric

3. Volleyball: No. 7 North Muskegon continued a 25-1 run over the second half of the season with a four-set win over Pewamo-Westphalia in Division 3 – Local Sports Journal

4. Volleyball: Division 3 No. 10 Brighton Charyl Stockwell swept honorable mention Adrian Madison by the closest possible margins to move on – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

5. Volleyball: No. 3 Camden-Frontier moved on in Division 4 with a sweep of honorable mention Fowler – Hillsdale Daily News

6. Volleyball: Fraser came back from losing the first set to outlast Grosse Pointe South in five in Division 1 – Macomb Daily

7. Volleyball: Division 4 No. 10 Rudyard swept Pellston to move on to a Regional Final – Petoskey News-Review

8. Volleyball: Division 4 No. 8 Merrill split the first two sets before prevailing over Dryden – Saginaw News

9. Volleyball: Division 2 honorable mention Cadillac came back after losing the first set to defeat Gladwin in four – MI Sports Now

10. Volleyball: No. 2 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep advanced with a sweep of Marysville – Oakland Press

Also of note …

Boys Soccer: Kalamazoo Hackett’s Brennan Creek became the first Division 4 player to be selected Mr. Soccer by the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association – WWMT