Today in the MHSAA: 12/6/17
December 6, 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. Girls Basketball: East Lansing’s Aazh Nye hit the game-winning shot against DeWitt in last year’s Class A District Final, and did so again Tuesday as the Trojans sank the Panthers 52-51 in a matchup of highly-touted squads – Lansing State Journal
2. Boys Basketball: Following up a major football matchup just a month ago, Canton upset Belleville on the basketball court 65-61 – Observer & Eccentric
3. Girls Basketball: Bay City Western won another matchup of two of the state’s most highly-regarded with a steal and free throws at the end to down Freeland 59-57 – Bay City Times
4. Boys Basketball: Mancelona broke a 43-game losing streak stretching back to the end of 2014-15 with a 50-43 win over East Jordan – Traverse City Record-Eagle
5. Boys Basketball: After a winless 2016-17, Fruitport also opened with a victory, 54-28 over Holton – Grand Haven Tribune
6. Girls Basketball: Sandusky downed Unionville-Sebewaing 53-26, delivering coach Al DeMott his 700th career victory – Huron Daily Tribune
7. Boys Basketball: Reigning Class A champion Clarkston opened with a 65-55 win over Wayne Memorial, another anticipated contender this winter – Detroit News
8. Boys Basketball: Benton Harbor opened the season on an 18-0 run on the way to defeating Dowagiac 77-43 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
9. Boys Basketball: Battling a lingering foot injury, Johnny Shields gave Howell a necessary boost in its 74-68 overtime win over Linden – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
10. Girls Basketball: Pittsford down Hillsdale Academy, but the real story was how the two communities worked together to support someone who surely will remain a friend of both programs – Hillsdale Daily News
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