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: 5/29/18
May 29, 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.
1. Track & Field: Clare’s girls and boys swept the Division 3 championships at the Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association Meet – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
2. Track & Field: Rockford also swept MITCA titles, winning the championships in Division 1 just ahead of East Kentwood for both boys and girls – MITCA
3. Track & Field: The Zeeland East girls and Zeeland West boys claimed MITCA team championships in Division 2 – Holland Sentinel Girls | Boys
4. Track & Field: The Addison boys and Pittsford girls claimed the Division 4 MITCA titles – Adrian Daily Telegram (Boys) | MITCA (Girls)
5. Track & Field: The Oak Park girls won their fifth straight Oakland County meet, and the boys won their fourth straight county title – Oakland Press
6. Girls Soccer: Spring Lake edged Division 3 No. 4 Grand Rapids Catholic Central 1-0 to claim the outright Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue championship – FOX 17
7. Baseball: Grosse Pointe South coach Dan Griesbaum won his 800 and 801st games during the Grosse Pointe Invitational, as his Division 1 No. 19 Blue Devils defeated Plymouth and Grosse Pointe North, respectively (and lost to No. 11 Northville) – Detroit News
8. Baseball: Coldwater edged Division 3 No. 6 Bronson 11-10 in the championship game of Bronson’s tournament – Coldwater Daily Reporter
9. Softball: Division 2 No. 10 Essexville Garber downed host and Division 4 top-ranked Coleman to also win a tournament championship – Midland Daily News
10. Softball: More of the state’s best got a final tune-up at the Sanford Meridian Invitational, with Division 1 No. 6 Howell downing honorable mention Bay City Western, Division 3 honorable mention Meridian and Midland – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Also of note …
Girls Lacrosse: Longtime official Nancy Lapekas was celebrated last week after the last game of her 52-year career refereeing a number of sports – Grand Haven Tribune
Girls Basketball: Colleen Nagel will return to coach Grand Rapids Catholic Central after leading the Cougars to the 2010 Class B title before moving on to Ferris State – Grand Rapids Press