Today in the MHSAA: 12/20/19

December 20, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Basketball teams got an early start on the weekend and holiday break with a number of Thursday night games, topped by a girls rivalry between high-powered neighbors.

“Today in the MHSAA” will take a break as well over the next two weeks and return Jan. 6.

1. Girls Basketball: Midland improved to 5-0 with its first win over rival Dow in two seasons, 38-31 – Midland Daily News

2. Girls Basketball: Muskegon put up an impressive defensive performance on the road at Kalamazoo Central to earn a 52-34 win – Muskegon Chronicle

3. Girls Basketball: Bay City John Glenn edged Freeland 42-40 in a matchup of annual contenders – Bay City Times

4. Boys Basketball: Camden-Frontier won a matchup of unbeaten teams, 67-46 – Hillsdale Daily News

5. Boys Basketball: Clare handed Beaverton its first defeat of the season, 54-48 – MI Sports Now

6. Boys Basketball: Montabella came back from a double-digit deficit, but Merrill held on for a 52-50 overtime win – Saginaw News

7. Hockey: Division 2 No. 9 Lake Orion got past Rochester Hills Stoney Creek 5-2 – Oakland Press

8. Girls Basketball: Unbeaten Macomb Dakota got past Grosse Pointe North 44-30 – Macomb Daily

9. Boys Basketball: Powers North Central moved to 2-0 with a 46-41 win over Carney-Nadeau – The Upbeat

10. Boys Basketball: South Lyon East won its first game and handed Salem its first loss, 45-36 – Observer & Eccentric

Today in the MHSAA: 2/19/20

February 19, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A pair of championship celebrations long in the making top one of our fullest lists of headliners this season as league titles were clinched in three sports and star performances shined on the court, ice and hill – not to mention the winningest baseball coach in state history announced his retirement.

1. Boys Basketball: Ravenna downed Muskegon Oakridge 70-36 to earn a share of its first West Michigan Conference title since 1980 – Local Sports Journal

2. Girls Basketball: Lake City clinched a share of the Highland Conference title, its first league championship since 2001, with a 36-26 win over second-place Manton – Cadillac News

3. Boys Basketball: Howell claimed the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West title with a 75-71 triple-overtime win over Canton – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

4. Girls Basketball: Hartland avenged its lone loss and moved into first alone in the KLAA West with a 36-33 win over Brighton – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

5. Hockey: Division 3 No. 6 Houghton downed top-ranked Calumet for the first time this season, 3-2 – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

6. Skiing: Petoskey’s boys and Traverse City Central’s girls clinched Big North Conference championships – Petoskey News-Review

7. Girls Basketball: Ubly earned a share of the Greater Thumb Conference East title with a 42-31 win over Sandusky – Huron Daily Tribune

8. Girls Basketball: Adrian Madison locked up a share of the Tri-County Conference title with a 49-23 win over Clinton – Adrian Daily Telegram

9. Girls Basketball: Kingsley moved into a tie for first in the Northwest Conference with a 50-38 win over co-leader Maple City Glen Lake – MI Sports Now

10. Boys Basketball: East Lansing downed Okemos 45-43 on a last-second shot, putting the teams in a tie for first in the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue – Lansing State Journal

Also of note …

Baseball: Grand Ledge coach Pat O’Keefe, the state’s winningest all-time in the sport with 1,315 victories, retired – Lansing State Journal

Girls Basketball: East Grand Rapids finished a repeat run in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold with a 63-59 win over Grand Rapids Christian – FOX 17

Boys Basketball: Ann Arbor Huron earned the Southeastern Conference Red title with a 57-48 win over Saline – Ann Arbor News

Boys Basketball: Muskegon earned a share of a seventh-straight league title, downing Jenison 86-47 in the O-K Black – Muskegon Chronicle

Boys Basketball: Emoni Bates had 63 points and 21 rebounds to lead Ypsilanti Lincoln past Chelsea 108-102 in double overtime – Ann Arbor News

Boys Basketball: Shamar Howard went over 1,000 career points in Lansing Everett’s 57-55 win over Grand Ledge – Lansing State Journal

Boys Basketball: Brett LaFord went over 1,000 career points in Carney-Nadeau’s 62-56 win over Bark River-Harris – Escanaba Daily Press