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: 4/18/18
April 18, 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. Girls Soccer: After opening this season 0-2, No. 4 Saline has won the first three games of league play including Tuesday’s over Ann Arbor Pioneer, 3-0 – Saline Post
2. Boys Lacrosse: Lake Orion continued its league dominance with a 15-10 win over Troy – Oakland Press
3. Girls Soccer: Lake Orion remained undefeated in league play on the soccer field as well with a 3-0 win over Royal Oak – Oakland Press
4. Baseball: Chelsea will name its field after former longtime coach and athletic director Wayne Welton – Ann Arbor News
5. Volleyball: Traverse City Central has hired former Benzie Central coach Jen Wright to take over the program; Wright most recently has been coaching the Trojans’ junior varsity – Traverse City Record-Eagle
6. Football: Junior varsity coach Jesse Fenstermaker has been promoted to take over Rogers City’s program as varsity leader – Alpena News
7. Football: Hillman promoted defensive coordinator Cody Allen to head coach as it heads into 8-player football for the first time this fall – Alpena News
8. Officials: Longtime sportswriter Al Wright gives his perspective on why it's gotten tougher to recruit officials for high school athletics – Midwest Sports Network
9. MHSAA: As part of its Black History Month features in February, State Champs! Network included a tribute to MHSAA assistant director Nate Hampton, who coordinates football, girls and boys basketball and girls and boys track & field – State Champs!