Today in the MHSAA: 1/27/16

January 27, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Tuesday evening was arguably the most highlight-filled of any so far this basketball season, with plenty of important results and intriguing performances making headlines across the state.

Girls Basketball

Utica Eisenhower has gotten the attention this season with an 11-1 record heading into this week, but Utica is undefeated in the Macomb Area Conference White after downing Eisenhower 34-30 – Macomb Daily

Southfield-Lathrup remains the team to beat in the Oakland Activities Association Red and among contenders in Class A after defeating Clarkston 57-44 – Oakland Press

One-loss Frankenmuth dealt Ithaca its first this season in a Tri-Valley Conference crossover, 45-44 – Saginaw News

Saginaw Nouvel also dealt a first loss to an undefeated power, downing Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 46-41 – Saginaw News

Jackson Northwest’s Lexie Khon scored her 1,000th career point in the Mounties 72-32 win over Stockbridge – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Pewamo-Westphalia picked up a key Central Michigan Athletic Conference win by handing Bath just its second loss, 53-40 – Lansing State Journal

Mendon won a matchup of Class D contenders, carrying a one-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter to a 45-39 win – Sturgis Journal

Grosse Pointe South earned an upset over rival Grosse Pointe North, handing GPN its second loss, 60-55 – Detroit News

Muskegon’s Mardrekia Cook, this week’s Michigan National Guard “Performance of the Week” honoree (see story posted on Second Half today) led the Big Reds to a 63-19 win with a quadruple-double – 19 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and 10 steals – Muskegon Chronicle

Boys Basketball

Arthur Lyons helped keep Lake Linden-Hubbell undefeated with 39 points in a 76-73 double overtime win over Ewen-Trout Creek – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Holly coach Lance Baylis tied the school coaching record for wins with his 148th in a 72-42 victory over Flushing – Flint Journal

Alma had three buzzer-beating shots in moving to 10-1 with a 78-77 overtime win over Freeland – Saginaw News

Wyoming Godwin Heights broke free during the final quarter to hand Grandville Calvin Christian its first loss, 64-50 – Grand Rapids Press

Petoskey took sole possession of first place in the Big North Conference with a 62-57 win over former co-leader Traverse City Central – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Demetrius Lake, featured on Second Half last week after a buzzer-beating performance, finished another with 48 points and the winning shot in a 79-77 win over Hudsonville Unity Christian – Holland Sentinel

Negaunee won a battle of undefeated teams by a basket, edging Iron Mountain 51-49 to take over first place alone in the Mid-Peninsula Athletic Conference – Iron Mountain Daily News

Today in the MHSAA: 1/14/16

January 14, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Gymnastics seasons gets rolling once the new year begins, and two teams that should be in the hunt for this season’s MHSAA championship met Wednesday with the result one of the closest finishes in recent memory.

Girls Basketball

Onsted got down 18-0 by the end of the first quarter – and somehow came back to beat Hudson 52-50 – Adrian Daily Telegram

Frankenmuth’s Kelsie Kujat sank a school-record eight 3-pointres to lead the one-loss Eagles past previously-undefeated Birch Run 69-46 – Saginaw News

Boys Basketball

Big Rapids’ Kenny Davis made 11 3-pointers on the way to 43 points in leading his team to a 71-35 win over Morley Stanwood – Big Rapids Pioneer

In a key matchup of top Upper Peninsula teams, undefeated Negaunee upended rival Ishpeming 66-44, handing the Hematites their first loss – Marqutte Mining Journal

Gymnastics

Arguably the top two teams in Michigan met for the second time in five days; after reigning MHSAA champion Rockford won its invitational Saturday with Forest Hills United second, Forest Hills came back to win a dual by the slimmest of margins, 143.05-142.9 – Grand Rapids Press

Ice Hockey

Farmington scored three unanswered second-period goals to down previously-ranked Berkley, 6-3 – Oakland Press

After trailing 1-0 early, Portage Northern came back to down rival Portage Central 4-2 – Kalamazoo Gazette

Wrestling

Midland scored a pair of memorable wins Wednesday, first over rival Dow 42-21 and then over No. 8 Bay City Western 39-27; the Chemics hadn’t beaten either in at least five seasons – Midland Daily News