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: 12/9/19

December 9, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Matchups of a number of the state’s anticipated girls basketball best topped a weekend list full of high achievers with hockey, bowling and swimming & diving also contributing to the headliners.

1. Girls Basketball: Reigning Division 3 champion Pewamo-Westphalia downed last season’s Division 1 runner-up Southfield Arts & Technology 43-31 at the Arbor Prep Ice Breaker Challenge – State Champs Sports Network

2. Girls Basketball: Hart earned its first win since 2004 over eight-time reigning West Michigan Conference champion Muskegon Oakridge, 56-34 – Local Sports Journal

3. Girls Basketball: Hartland handed a 61-40 loss to two-time reigning Division 4/Class D champion Adrian Lenawee Christian at Arbor Prep – Adrian Daily Telegram

4. Hockey: Traverse City Central took wins of 4-3 over Division 3 No. 8 Houghton and 7-2 over No. 9 Hancock during a weekend trip – Traverse City Record-Eagle

5. Bowling: Cadillac’s boys and Traverse City West’s girls repeated as Big North Conference champions – Cadillac News

6. Boys Swimming & Diving: Grand Rapids Christian, No. 3 in Lower Peninsula Division 3, earned a 108-78 win over No. 6 Hamilton – Holland Sentinel

7. Hockey: Gaylord bounced back from a loss to Traverse City West with a 3-1 road win at Division 1 No. 7 Midland – Gaylord Herald Times

8. Girls Basketball: Midland Dow got past Maple City Glen Lake 45-43 in a game that was tied at the end of each of the first three quarters – Midland Daily News

9. Girls Basketball: East Grand Rapids got past host Kalamazoo Central 66-57 at the Lady Giant West Side Showcase – JoeInsider.com

10. Hockey: Grosse Pointe South scored five first-period goals in a 7-2 win over Traverse Bay Reps – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Also of note …

Girls Basketball: Jasmine Clerkley went over 1,000 career points as Okemos got past Haslett 58-51 – Lansing State Journal

Girls Basketball: Muskegon Reeths-Puffer’s Lauren Ross scored her 1,000th career point during a 49-40 win over Greenville – Muskegon Chronicle

Girls Tennis: Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central is mourning the death of retired coach Wayne Asher, who led the girls team to two Division 4 Finals runner-up finishes over 14 seasons – Monroe News

Softball: Longtime Spring Lake coach Bill Core has stepped down with a 642-473 record since taking over the program in 1990 – Grand Haven Tribune