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: 11/16/17

November 16, 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. Volleyball: Class D No. 8 Rogers City is looking to add another win over a ranked opponent today, this time taking on reigning champion Plymouth Christian Academy in a Semifinal – Alpena News

2. Volleyball: In a separate TV report, Rogers City said the added pressure makes the team even better – MISportsNow

3. Volleyball: A special senior class will take two-time defending Class A champion Novi into the Semifinals for the fourth straight season – Detroit News

4. Girls Swimming & Diving: Honorable mention Spring Lake will send 10 athletes to the Lower Peninsula Division 3 Finals, including three divers – Grand Haven Tribune

5. Girls Swimming & Diving: Hamilton standout Paige Kuhn is banking on a strong finish in the final meet of her high school career – Holland Sentinel

6. Girls Swimming & Diving: Gaylord sophomore Grace Wambier is a school record holder and hopes to add to her accomplishments at the Division 3 Finals – Gaylord Herald Times

7. Girls Swimming & Diving: No. 7 Brighton is aiming to claim the Division 1 team championship with arguably its strongest assemblage of experienced contenders under coach Jason Black – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

8. Hockey: Allen Park Cabrini enjoyed a productive opener, downing Flat Rock/Airport 6-2 – Southgate News Herald

9. Boys Soccer: Longtime coach Thaier Mukhtar has resigned as Fraser’s boys coach with nearly 600 wins there and at Warren DeLaSalle – MLive-Detroit

10. Boys Basketball: We’ve posted a few girls basketball previews, and this look at Holland West Ottawa is the first boys hoops story we’ve seen this fall; practice began Monday – FOX17