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: 8/31/15

August 31, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The final weekend of August was a giant weekend for MHSAA volleyball contenders, with some of the top regular-season events this fall providing opportunities for the best to see how they might match up when playoffs begin in two months.

Below are headlines for some of the key high school reports from across the state; the weekend’s football round-up will publish later this afternoon.  

Cross Country

Muskegon Reeths-Puffer’s Maryssa Depies set a course record of 18:11.3 to win the Big Red Invitational at McGraft Park – Muskegon Chronicle

Flint Powers Catholic’s top individual finisher came in ninth, but the Chargers girls as a team were first at the Lansing Catholic Invitational – Flint Journal

The reigning Lower Peninsula Division 2 champion Grand Rapids Christian boys repeated as winner of the prestigious Benzie Central Invitational, finishing ahead of Traverse City West and Central, while Central senior Anthony Berry won individually in 15:24 – Grand Rapids Press

Boys Soccer

Tawas, a Division 3 semifinalist last season, finished first from an Elk Rapids Invitational field that included Berkley and Saginaw Nouvel – Bay City Times

Volleyball

Lake Odessa Lakewood, last season’s Class B runner-up and the second-ranked team in that class this week, eliminated Class A No. 6 Grand Rapids Christian to win the West Michigan Volleyball Officials Association tournament for the first time in a decade – Grand Rapids Press

Class A No. 4 Grand Haven continued its perfect run at its outdoor Battle of the Boardwalk tournament, sweeping three opponents to remain undefeated through the event's third year – Grand Haven Tribune

Battle Creek Harper Creek, No. 9 in Class B, improved to 17-0 by winning the Cereal City Tournament at Pennfield with a 2-1 championship match win over Temperance Bedford, an MHSAA semifinalist last season in Class A – Battle Creek Enquirer

Good Reads

The Holland Sentinel introduced its top female athletes in that area’s history Sunday, and highlighted nationally-known softball star Kathy Arendsen and her successes during one of the MHSAA’s first Softball Finals – Holland Sentinel

Anyone who follows high school football history will enjoy going through the Muskegon Chronicle’s sampling of top-20 moments from that area’s football past – Muskegon Chronicle

More than 60 former Shepherd High School players from the last 25 seasons returned for an alumni doubleheader Sunday to honor coach Jack Nartker, who will retire after this spring – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun