Today in the MHSAA: 12/5/16

December 5, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Girls basketball season cruised into its first weekend with some exciting previews of possible playoff matchups coming at the end of this winter, and the action was just as significant on the ice and at a swimming & diving meet celebrating its 70th year.

Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.

Girls Basketball

Bloomfield Hills Marian made an early statement with a 56-42 win over reigning Class A champion Warren Cousino – Macomb Daily

In a matchup of expected MHSAA title contenders, reigning Class C winner Ypsilanti Arbor Prep earned a significant 52-39 victory over Muskegon Mona Shores – Muskegon Chronicle

Midland Dow’s Ellie Taylor reached 1,000 career points in leading her team to a 41-37 win over Southfield Arts & Technology – Midland Daily News

Goodrich looks to be back in the Class B mix, and picked up a nice win over New Lothrop – Flint Journal

Dearborn Heights Robichaud also is expected to make some noise this winter, and picked up a 65-54 win over Ann Arbor Huron – Ann Arbor News

Okemos will be a team to watch in Class A over the next few seasons and earned a solid 35-34 win over Haslett – Lansing State Journal

Bowling

Adrian Madison freshman Isabell Young enjoyed a great start to her high school career, winning the Wildcat Blastoff Tournament – Adrian Daily Telegram

Hockey

Division 2 No. 3 Birmingham Brother Rice broke away for a 7-1 win over No. 5 Trenton – Oakland Press

Division 3 No. 5 Sault Ste. Marie remained undefeated with a stunning 8-1 win over Romeo, scoring the final eight goals – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

Division 1 No. 10 Northville downed Traverse City West 4-1 on Saturday, while No. 3 Detroit Catholic Central and No. 7 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s tied 2-2 – Observer & Eccentric

Boys Swimming & Diving

Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central edged reigning champion Ann Arbor Pioneer 356-334 to win the 70th Cereal Bowl Relays in Battle Creek – FHCRangers.com

Today in the MHSAA: 1/11/16

January 11, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The first full sports weekend of 2016 included notable performances in a number of sports, highlighted by one of the top swimming and diving meets of the regular season.

Girls Basketball

Ithaca girls basketball coach Bob Anderson earned his 700th win as his team beat Carrollton 66-40; he’s coached both girls and boys teams to success over 27 seasons – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Durand handed Goodrich its first league loss in seven years while staying undefeated this season in the Genesee Area Conference Red – Flint Journal

DeWitt remained undefeated at 8-0 after handing Lansing Waverly its first loss this season in a matchup of two of the Lansing area’s top teams – Lansing State Journal

St. Joseph moved to 6-1 with a 72-35 win over Benton Harbor, a semifinalist in Class B last season – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Saranac was missing its leading scorer, but still managed to get past annual Class D power Portland St. Patrick 41-33 – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

Boys Basketball

Okemos handed Holt its first loss this season and won its first game on the Rams’ home court since 2010 – Lansing State Journal

Ice Hockey

Portage Central earned a win that could boost it into the state rankings, downing Division 1 No. 10 East Kentwood 2-1 on Saturday in Muskegon – Kalamazoo Gazette

Boys Swimming & Diving

Division 2 No. 1 Dexter scored 409 points to beat No. 4 Warren DeLaSalle by 33 at the annual Spartan Invitational at Battle Creek Lakeview, with the field also including reigning champion Birmingham Seaholm and Division 1 contender Ann Arbor Skyline – Battle Creek Enquirer

Lower Peninsula Division 1 honorable mention Grand Rapids Forest Hills defeated a field that included LPD2 No. 6 Midland Dow at the Forest Hills Invitational – Midland Daily News

Wrestling

Unranked Westland John Glenn got past Division 1 No. 9 New Baltimore Anchor Bay to win the Michigan Duals at Bay City Western over a field that also included No. 8 Western and Division 3 No. 5 Remus Chippewa Hills – Mlive-Detroit

Division 2 No. 9 Sparta won the Dave Dunneback Tournament with 247 points, ahead of Lake Odessa Lakewood, Belding and Division 3 No. 6 Grand Rapids Catholic Central – Grand Rapids Press

Football

Mike McDowell returned four seasons ago for his second stint coaching Morenci and led the program to its best finishes in nearly two decades. He recently resigned – Adrian Daily Telegram

Good Reads

Longtime coach Keith Haske remains cancer-free after fighting Stage 4 throat cancer only a year ago – and he’s added significantly to his day, becoming the girls basketball coach in addition to leading the boys program at Traverse City St. Francis. The Record-Eagle’s Brett Sommers documented a typical Haske day – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Carleton Airport senior Jessica Book is her school’s Homecoming Queen this year – and a cheerleader – and a wrestler – and plans to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps and defuse bombs – Monroe Evening News