Today in the MHSAA: 12/3/15

December 3, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The start of every season is filled with high hopes, which then receive a boost when teams that had rough finishes the year before open with an impressive win – like a few did Wednesday night.

Girls Basketball

Macomb Dakota won five games only a season ago, but got off to a great start with a 54-45 win over Rochester Adams, which finished 16-7 in 2014-15 – Macomb Daily

Madison Heights Bishop Foley saw its third-quarter lead dissolve during the fourth, but held on to down Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest 46-39 in overtime – Oakland Press

Flint Kearsley won only one game last season but is halfway to equaling that total after earning a 44-39 victory over Flint Northwestern – Flint Journal

Ice Hockey

Midland came back from an early two-goal deficit to beat Bay Area 4-2 in the Chemics’ opener – Midland Daily News

From Tuesday, Escanaba edged rival Marquette 3-2 in an early-season meeting – Escanaba Daily Press

Also from Tuesday, Houghton crossed over to face rival Hancock and came home with a 6-2 victory – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

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