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: 4/10/18

April 10, 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: Kayla Gacioch had two goals and an assist to lead Livonia Stevenson past rival Livonia Churchill 4-0 – Observer & Eccentric

2. Baseball: Grosse Pointe South was outhit by Detroit U-D Jesuit but prevailed over the Cubs 7-4 – Detroit News

3. Girls Soccer: St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic downed rival St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran 2-1 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

4. Softball: Pinckney relief pitcher Hannah Fuhr had 15 strikeouts over a two-game sweep of Ypsilanti – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

5. Volleyball: Adrian Madison coach Dawn Opsal has stepped down with a 607-264-84 record since taking over the program two decades ago – Adrian Daily Telegram

6. Volleyball: Battle Creek Harper Creek coach Terra King was named a recipient of a Sports 40 Under 40 Award by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association and Coach & Athletic Director magazine – Battle Creek Enquirer

7. Girls Basketball: Longtime Grand Rapids-area coach Jimmy Carter retired from East Kentwood at the end of March, and former Ottawa Hills standout Eric Large has been hired to replace him – Grand Rapids Press