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: 12/20/17
December 20, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
Today's Top 10
1. Boys Basketball: Grand Haven broke a 10-game losing streak to Muskegon going back to 2012, drilling 10 3-pointers in a 59-51 win – Grand Haven Tribune
2. Girls Basketball: Led by senior Maddie Barrie, Midland broke a seven-game losing streak to rival Dow in handing the Chargers their first loss this season 49-37 – Midland Daily News
3. Boys Basketball: Undefeated McBain went ahead to stay with 2.3 seconds to play in handing reigning Class D runner-up Buckley a 41-40 defeat – Cadillac News
4. Boys Basketball: Reigning champion Flint Beecher got past rival Hamady 49-48 in a matchup of likely two of the state's best again in Class C – Flint Journal
5. Hockey: Some of the state’s best hockey is played at the northern tip of the Upper Peninsula, and No. 7 Houghton won a matchup of two of the best programs in Division 3, 3-2 over No. 3 Calumet – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
6. Boys Basketball: Standout Brandon Johns poured in 51 points as East Lansing downed Lansing Sexton 114-82 – Lansing State Journal
7. Girls Basketball: Dana Schmanske drilled a 3-pointer during the final minute to push Brighton past Northville 37-35 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
8. Girls Basketball: Ella McKinney’s basket with 34 seconds to play lifted Haslett past Fowlerville 51-49 – Lansing State Journal
9. Boys Basketball: Midland Dow came back from 11 down in the fourth quarter to get past Midland 58-52 in overtime – Midland Daily News
10. Boys Basketball: A last-second 3-pointer sent Gibraltar Carlson and Trenton to overtime, and Carlson prevailed after two extra periods 86-79 – Monroe Evening News