Today in the MHSAA: 1/26/17
January 26, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Arguably the most exciting night of wrestling duals statewide this season saw top-ranked teams face off and some of the best in Division 1 do battle on the mat, while another team celebrated its first league title in 25 years.
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.
Boys Basketball
Sault Ste. Marie moved to 9-0 as a go-ahead basket by Matt Knowles with three seconds to play gave the Blue Devils a 49-48 win over Alpena – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News
Buckley junior Denver Cade went over 1,000 points for his career in an 85-47 win over Kingsley – Cadillac News
Beaverton trailed Harrison by a bucket at halftime but came back to win 49-33 and stay perfect in the Jack Pine Conference – Midland Daily News
From Tuesday, Powers North Central tied Chassell’s 65-game winning streak record with a 76-24 win over Rock Mid-Peninsula – Escanaba Daily Press
Girls Basketball
Also from Tuesday, Munising remained undefeated at 11-0 as Frankie Mattson became the school’s all-time leading scorer – Marquette Mining Journal
Erie-Mason's Mary Liedel also set her school's scoring record in a loss to Ida – Monroe Evening News
Hockey
Scott Klavon’s overtime goal gave Traverse City Central a 3-2 win over rival Traverse City West – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Wrestling
Alma won its first league wrestling championship in 25 years, downing Saginaw Swan Valley to clinch the Tri-Valley Conference Central – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
The top-ranked teams in Divisions 3 and 4 faced off in Lenawee County Athletic Association action, with Division 3 Dundee coming away with a 41-24 win over Hudson – Adrian Daily Telegram
Division 1 top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central cleared another ranked hurdle, downing No. 5 Oxford 45-13 – Oakland Press
Hartland, No. 3 in Division 1, topped No. 7 Brighton 34-27, thanks in part to an unexpected contributor – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Oscoda claimed the North Star League championship outright with wins over Rogers City and Whittemore-Prescott – Bay City Times
Good Read
Two weeks ago, Clinton Township Chippewa Valley volleyball coach Nichole Wouters was diagnosed with lung and brain cancer. Now she’s into her fight, with her community backing her at every step – Macomb Daily
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