Today in the MHSAA: 1/30/18
January 30, 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.
Today's Top 10
1. Girls Basketball: Monica Williams’ steal and layup during the final minute gave Detroit Mumford a 52-50 win over Cass Tech and a second straight Detroit Public School League West Division 1 championship – Detroit News
2. Skiing: Petoskey’s boys and Traverse City West’s girls won the second Big North Conference race this season – Petoskey News-Review
3. Girls Basketball: Flat Rock came back from a seven-point halftime deficit to upset Carleton Airport 57-53 – Monroe Evening News
4. Girls Basketball: Jenelle Carpenter’s lone basket with 2.2 seconds to play gave Lincoln Alcona a 43-42 win over Posen – Alpena News
5. Girls Basketball: Ski Valley Conference leader Gaylord St. Mary downed Highland Conference second-place Lake City 60-35 – Gaylord Herald Times
6. Boys Basketball: Iron Mountain improved to 11-0 with a 56-46 win over Negaunee – Marquette Mining Journal
7. Boys Basketball: Escanaba came back from a halftime deficit to down Sault Ste. Marie 60-48 and improve to 10-1 – Escanaba Daily Press
8. Health & Safety: Greenville’s Jeff “Doc” Day, said to be one of the first fulltime, school-sponsored trainers in the state, retired after 41 years caring for the school’s athletes – Greenville Daily News
9. Football: Previously successful Holt, Dansville and Eaton Rapids coach Mike Smith will take over at Lansing Everett, where he’s also serving as athletic director – Lansing State Journal
10. Multi-Sport Participation: The MHSAA and school administrators are working to combat specialization and promote multi-sport participation; this report explains some of that effort – State Champs Sports Network
Also of note …
Football: Looking for a Michigan player to follow during the Super Bowl? Check out former Detroit Crockett star Brandon Graham, who plays defensive end and serves as a captain for the Eagles but during high school played offense, defense, kicked and punted (note: Crockett did not win an MHSAA football title, as reported) – Sports Talk Philly
Today in the MHSAA: 8/31/15
August 31, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The final weekend of August was a giant weekend for MHSAA volleyball contenders, with some of the top regular-season events this fall providing opportunities for the best to see how they might match up when playoffs begin in two months.
Below are headlines for some of the key high school reports from across the state; the weekend’s football round-up will publish later this afternoon.
Cross Country
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer’s Maryssa Depies set a course record of 18:11.3 to win the Big Red Invitational at McGraft Park – Muskegon Chronicle
Flint Powers Catholic’s top individual finisher came in ninth, but the Chargers girls as a team were first at the Lansing Catholic Invitational – Flint Journal
The reigning Lower Peninsula Division 2 champion Grand Rapids Christian boys repeated as winner of the prestigious Benzie Central Invitational, finishing ahead of Traverse City West and Central, while Central senior Anthony Berry won individually in 15:24 – Grand Rapids Press
Boys Soccer
Tawas, a Division 3 semifinalist last season, finished first from an Elk Rapids Invitational field that included Berkley and Saginaw Nouvel – Bay City Times
Volleyball
Lake Odessa Lakewood, last season’s Class B runner-up and the second-ranked team in that class this week, eliminated Class A No. 6 Grand Rapids Christian to win the West Michigan Volleyball Officials Association tournament for the first time in a decade – Grand Rapids Press
Class A No. 4 Grand Haven continued its perfect run at its outdoor Battle of the Boardwalk tournament, sweeping three opponents to remain undefeated through the event's third year – Grand Haven Tribune
Battle Creek Harper Creek, No. 9 in Class B, improved to 17-0 by winning the Cereal City Tournament at Pennfield with a 2-1 championship match win over Temperance Bedford, an MHSAA semifinalist last season in Class A – Battle Creek Enquirer
Good Reads
The Holland Sentinel introduced its top female athletes in that area’s history Sunday, and highlighted nationally-known softball star Kathy Arendsen and her successes during one of the MHSAA’s first Softball Finals – Holland Sentinel
Anyone who follows high school football history will enjoy going through the Muskegon Chronicle’s sampling of top-20 moments from that area’s football past – Muskegon Chronicle
More than 60 former Shepherd High School players from the last 25 seasons returned for an alumni doubleheader Sunday to honor coach Jack Nartker, who will retire after this spring – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun