Today in the MHSAA: 12/7/15

December 7, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The first week of girls basketball season and second full week of ice hockey season came to an end with key matchups between teams that should be among contenders over the next few months.

Girls Basketball

Bay City John Glenn turned a three-point halftime advantage into a 53-44 win over Southfield-Lathrup, a favorite in Class A this winter – Bay City Times

Haslett graduated most of the team that carried it to a Class B runner-up finish last season, but surged to 2-0 with a 64-27 win over Okemos – Lansing State Journal

Lansing Waverly got 37 points from a frontcourt featuring two players 6-foot or taller in a 50-27 win over East Lansing – Lansing State Journal

Freshman Kate McArthur made eight 3-pointers in her first varsity game to lead Warren Cousino past Sterling Heights 58-38 – Macomb Daily

Detroit Country Day trailed by as many as 16 during the second half against Midland Dow, but came back to win 68-64 – Oakland Press

Bark River-Harris made quick work of Upper Peninsula power Crystal Falls Forest Park, 51-25, in the former's season opener – Escanaba Daily Press

Ice Hockey

Painesdale-Jeffers improved to 5-1 on this young season with a 3-0 shutout of Kingsford – Iron Mountain Daily News

Rockford, ranked No. 8 in Division 1, scored the final four goals in a 5-1 win over No. 7 East Kentwood – Grand Rapids Press

Boys Swimming and Diving

Ann Arbor Pioneer won the annual Cereal Bowl Relays at Battle Creek Central, putting up 391 points to win the 69-year-old event – Battle Creek Enquirer

Good Read

Anyone who has watched the Flint Beecher boys basketball program return to elite under coach Mike Williams would have a hard time not rooting for the Bucs and their passionate leader  who, unbeknownst to most, also has battled against complications caused by multiple sclerosis – Flint Journal

Today in the MHSAA: 3/15/16

March 15, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Boys basketball teams across the state moved into Regionals on Monday, while the state’s leading girls basketball scorer this season finished her career with Michigan’s most prestigious individual award.

Boys Basketball

Macomb Dakota scored with six seconds left in double overtime to get past Clarkston 68-66 in Class A – Macomb Dakota

Lansing Everett trailed by 12 heading into the fourth quarter against Kalamazoo Central, but scored 30 points in the final period to win in Class A, 56-49 – Kalamazoo Gazette

Also in Class A, Muskegon won a matchup of arguably the two best teams from the state’s west side, getting past Grand Rapids Christian 64-53 – Muskegon Chronicle

Williamston eliminated reigning Class B champion Wyoming Godwin Heights, 57-55 in overtime – Lansing State Journal

Ithaca set a single-season record with its 22nd win in a 79-60 Class C victory over Millington – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Girls Basketball

Benton Harbor’s Kysre Gondrezick made headlines all season with incredible scoring totals, and capped her high school career by winning the Miss Basketball Award – Detroit Free Press