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: 11/4/15

November 4, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Girls Volleyball Districts continued Tuesday with 55 games across the state, but one of the biggest headlines told of a softball coaching hire in Monroe County.

Volleyball

Saginaw Heritage advanced in Class A with a five-set win over Mount Pleasant; the teams split during the regular season – Saginaw News

Class A No. 8 Rockford opened with a sweep of Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern – Grand Rapids Press

Class A No. 10 DeWitt swept East Lansing in their first-round match – Lansing State Journal

Reigning Class D champion Battle Creek St. Philip opened with a sweep of Marshall Academy coming off Saturday’s 1,000th win by coach Vicky Groat – Battle Creek Enquirer

From Monday, Carney-Nadeau fell in the first two sets before winning the final three of its Class D opener against Felch North Dickinson – Escanaba Daily Press

Softball

Former standout catcher Caitlin Blanchard, who led Petersburg-Summerfield to an MHSAA title in 2010 and then starred at University of Michigan, will return to her high school as coach – Monroe Evening News