Today in the MHSAA: 12/7/18

December 7, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

The basketball weekend got its start Thursday with a number of games across the state, but make sure to also check out a video look back at a memorable event from the last day of the MHSAA fall season.

1. Girls Basketball: Alpena came back from a 14-point halftime deficit to down Gaylord 48-45 – Alpena News

2. Girls Basketball: Bay City Western earned new coach Brian Merritt his first win, 45-41 over Midland – Bay City Times

3. Boys Basketball: Sanford Meridian improved to 4-0 with a 58-27 win over league rival Beaverton – Saginaw News

4. Girls Basketball: Mackinaw City earned its 10th straight win over rival Pellston, 59-29 – Petoskey News-Review

5. Boys Basketball: McBain won a matchup of annual northern contenders 67-48 over Boyne City – Cadillac News

6. Girls Basketball: North Muskegon outlasted Shelby 46-40 in overtime – Local Sports Journal

7. Girls Basketball: Muskegon Oakridge ran its league winning streak to 79 with a 44-24 victory over Montague – Muskegon Chronicle

8. Girls Basketball: Harbor Beach earned a solid victory over Unionville-Sebewaing, 37-23 – Huron Daily Tribune

9. Girls Basketball: Maple City Glen Lake opened its season with a 47-29 win over Elk Rapids – WPBN

10. Girls Basketball: Walled Lake Northern earned a 47-30 win over North Farmington – Oakland Press

Also of note …

Football: This season’s 11-Player Finals weekend at Ford Field for the first time included an exhibition played by four Special Olympics Unified flag football teams – and Special Olympics Michigan produced a wonderful recap celebrating the day.

Today in the MHSAA: 12/20/18

December 20, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

Teams are getting in their final competitions before at least a brief holiday break, and we’re taking one too after today’s list – “Today” will return Jan. 7, although Second Half will continue publishing stories from all over the state during the final week of December and first of January.  

1. Boys Basketball: Gaylord St. Mary broke a 31-game, 14-year losing streak to Bellaire with a 29-26 win – Gaylord Herald Times

2. Boys Basketball: Camden-Frontier improved to 7-0 by handing a first loss to Reading, 57-46 – Hillsdale Daily News

3. Hockey: Evan MacDonald had a hat trick as Division 1 No. 5 Brighton downed reigning Division 3 runner-up Livonia Churchill 4-1 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

4. Boys Basketball: Mancelona gave Pellston its first loss of this season, 67-65 – Petoskey News-Review

5. Girls Basketball: Waterford Our Lady made a late run to get past Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 61-56 – Oakland Press

6. Wrestling: Grand Haven came back from a 24-0 deficit to defeat Caledonia 39-33 – Grand Haven Tribune

7. Gymnastics: Escanaba remained undefeated to start the season with wins over Marquette and Negaunee – Escanaba Daily Press

8. Boys Basketball: Portland St. Patrick closed on a 22-5 run to beat Fowler 52-42 – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

9. Hockey: Brendan Pellerito had 34 saves as Mattawan shut out Portage Northern 4-0 – JoeInsider.com

10. Wrestling: Division 4 top-ranked Hudson earned a pair of league wins over Blissfield and Onsted – Adrian Daily Telegram

Also of note …

Hockey: The status of high school hockey is on the rise with talent evaluators at the game’s next levels – Observer & Eccentric

Tennis: Longtime coach Paul Bandrowski retired after leading Traverse City St. Francis’ girls and boys teams to a number of strong MHSAA Finals finishes – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Girls Basketball: From Tuesday, Eaton Rapids came back to stun Jackson Northwest 44-41, but the Mounties’ Sydney Shafer went over 1,000 career points – Jackson Citizen Patriot

Boys Swimming & Diving: From Tuesday, Lower Peninsula Division 1 No. 2 Ann Arbor Skyline edged LPD2 top-ranked Dexter 95-90 – We Love Ann Arbor