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: 11/9/15
November 9, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Cross Country and Boys Soccer Finals, plus a few remaining Volleyball District championship games and girls swimming and diving league meets made this the most eventful weekend of the school year to date.
Cross Country
Rockford’s boys repeated in Lower Peninsula Division 1, while Birmingham Seaholm’s girls won their third title in four seasons – Second Half Girls | Boys
The Otsego girls and Hamilton’s Erika Freyhof both were first-time champions in LP Division 2, while Algonac senior Morgan Beadlescomb repeated as individual boys champion and Fremont dominated to claim that team title – Second Half Girls | Boys
Lansing Catholic’s boys and Grandville Calvin Christian’s Abe Visser claimed the first team and individual titles in their programs’ respective histories, while Traverse City St. Francis’ Holly Bullough repeated as LP Division 3 champion in helping the Gladiators win the team title as well – Second Half Girls | Boys
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart turned in arguably the most dominating Finals performance in Division 4 history, while Saugatuck’s boys moved up from runners-up in 2014 to champions – Second Half Girls | Boys
Boys Soccer
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central capped an undefeated season with a Division 1 championship win over reigning champion Canton – Second Half
Mason won its first MHSAA title since 1997 with a comeback win over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern – Second Half
Grand Rapids South Christian is Division 3 champion once again thanks to a shootout victory over Williamston – Second Half
Burton Genesee Christian completed a perfect season by winning the Division 4 title – Second Half
Girls Swimming and Diving
LP Division 3 No. 4 St. Clair broke four school records in winning the Macomb Area Conference White championship meet – Port Huron Times-Herald
LP Division 3 honorable mention Spring Lake set six school records in winning the Coastal Conference meet with 67 personal-best times – Grand Haven Tribune
Midland Dow won its 10th straight Saginaw Valley League championship, edging Saginaw Heritage by 18 points – Midland Daily News
LP Division 1 No. 6 Brighton won its second straight Kensington Lakes Activities Association Lakes championship meet with three meet records – Livingston Daily
Volleyball
Class B honorable mention Tecumseh swept Brooklyn Columbia Central to win their District and improve to 45-4-1 – Adrian Daily Telegram
Class B No. 5 Cadillac swept Kingsley to win its 10th straight District championship – Cadillac News
Also in Class B, Sault Ste. Marie needed five sets to get past Kalkaska and win the District title – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News
From Thursday, Fulton beat Fowler to win its first District title since 2001 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Crystal Falls Forest Park, honorable mention in Class D, won its District for an incredible 16th straight season – Iron Mountain Daily News
Good Read
The Benton Harbor football program got plenty of excellent coverage heading into the weekend’s District Final against Zeeland West – but here’s a story about what's next now that the Tigers’ season is done – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium