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: 8/31/17

August 31, 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 A No. 4 Lake Orion continues to shine this fall, going 6-0 to win the Rochester Hills Stoney Creek Invitational and downing Adams in the final – Oakland Press

2. Boys Cross Country: Rudyard emerged with a Northwoods Invitational title by a point over runner-up Brimley, but Brimley’s reigning Upper Peninsula Division 3 champion Austin Plotkin took the individual title – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

3. Girls Golf: Walled Lake Central and Birmingham Groves took the top two places at the Oakland County Division 2 championship, advancing them to the overall county final – Oakland Press

4. Boys Soccer: Undefeated Ann Arbor Skyline edged rival Pioneer 1-0 on a second-half goal – Detroit News

5. Cross Country: The Corunna boys and Byron girls teams were among winners at the annual Corunna Early Bird Invitational, which drew more than 700 runners – Owosso Argus & Press Athletic.net

6. Girls Golf: Harbor Springs continues to impress as well, lowering its score to a season-best 353 in winning a match at Traverse City St. Francis – Petoskey News-Review

7. Boys Soccer: East Kentwood dealt Grand Haven its first loss of this season, 3-2 – Grand Haven Tribune

8. Volleyball: Class B No. 6 Fruitport earned a pair of key league victories against Muskegon Mona Shores and Muskegon Reeths-Puffer – Grand Haven Tribune

9. Football: After both losing beloved assistant coaches in May, Battle Creek Central and Battle Creek St. Philip are making sure to keep their memories alive – Battle Creek Enquirer

10. Football: As writer Lenny Padilla states, East Kentwood 6-foot-6, 245-pound football player Bryce Mostella “might be the most imposing xylophone player in the United State” – Grand Rapids Press