Today in the MHSAA: 1/6/20

January 6, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The clashing of statewide wrestling powers and a nearly unbelievable performance on the ice highlighted a power-packed first weekend of 2020.

1. Wrestling: Division 1 top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central, No. 2 Davison, No. 3 Brighton and Division 2 top-ranked Lowell took the top four team places, respectively, at the 56th DCC Invitational – Oakland Press

2. Hockey: Division 2 No. 2 Livonia Stevenson downed Hartland 5-2, with Seth Lause scoring an incredible three short-handed goals – Observer & Eccentric

3. Boys Basketball: Flint Beecher downed Benton Harbor 76-62 in a matchup of teams expected to make runs at Finals championships in March – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

4. Hockey: Division 1 No. 5 Brighton handed the first loss of the season to the last team without one, 3-2 to Division 3 top-ranked Calumet – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

5. Hockey: Division 1 top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central earned a significant league win 6-0 over No. 4 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s – Oakland Press

6. Girls Basketball: Kelsey Richards went over 30 points for the fifth straight game as Fruitport Calvary Christian earned a 50-46 statement win over Central Montcalm – Muskegon Chronicle

7. Wrestling: Division 4 top-ranked Clinton followed a pair of individual champions to the team title at the 45th Dave Elliott Memorial Tournament – Adrian Daily Telegram

8. Boys Basketball: In another matchup of championship hopefuls, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s downed Grand Blanc 69-66 – Flint Journal

9. Girls Basketball: Hart continued its surge with a 51-35 win over Calvary Christian the day after the latter’s big win noted above – Muskegon Chronicle

10. Hockey: Ann Arbor Pioneer improved to 8-2 with a 2-1 win over rival Skyline in the final of the Jilek Cup – We Love Ann Arbor

Also of note …

Football: The football community is mourning the death of Zeeland West assistant Gasper Giarmo, who coached more than 30 years combined at seven schools including a decade at Byron Center – Grand Rapids Press

Today in the MHSAA: 12/19/19

December 19, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Early-season meetings in wrestling and girls basketball Wednesday may have foreshadowed significant rematches to come, and a multi-sport star from White Pigeon became her school’s all-time leading hoops scorer.

1. Wrestling: In a rematch of last season’s Division 1 Semifinal, No. 2 Davison avenged with a 38-29 win over No. 3 Brighton – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

2. Girls Basketball: Grass Lake got past Michigan Center 51-46 in a matchup of Cascades Conference and statewide Division 3 powers – Jackson Citizen Patriot

3. Girls Basketball: Claycee West broke her coach Brooke McClure’s school record for career points in White Pigeon’s 48-30 win over Bangor – Sturgis Journal

4. Hockey: Division 1 No. 3 Saginaw Heritage scored the final three goals to get past Davison 4-1 – WJRT

5. Hockey: Division 2 No. 7 Plymouth came back during the third period to get past No. 8 Howell 7-6 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

6. Girls Basketball: Menominee staked its claim among the Upper Peninsula’s best teams with a 52-47 win over Ishpeming Westwood – The Upbeat

7. Hockey: Traverse City Central remained undefeated with a 6-3 win over rival TC West – Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. Hockey: Mattawan came back from two goals down to get past Kalamazoo Eagles 4-3 in overtime and remain unbeaten – JoeInsider.com

9. Hockey: Allen Park came back from two goals down to get past Wyandotte Roosevelt 4-2 – Southgate News-Herald

10. Hockey: Gaylord earned an important 2-0 win over Traverse Bay Reps – Gaylord Herald Times

Also of note …

Unified Sports: Newly-created basketball teams from rivals Midland and Dow will face off this evening between girls and boys varsity games at Midland High – Midland Daily News