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: 10/25/19

October 25, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Half of next week’s MHSAA Boys Soccer Semifinals field was set Thursday, and it was a great night to be ranked No. 4, as two of those teams eliminated favorites in Regional Finals.

1. Boys Soccer: No. 4 Grand Rapids South Christian handed top-ranked Holland Christian its only loss this fall, 2-1 in a Division 2 Regional Final – FOX 17

2. Boys Soccer: No. 4 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian eliminated top-ranked Grandville Calvin Christian 2-1 in a Division 4 Regional Final – Local Sports Journal

3. Boys Soccer: No. 2 Troy Athens scored the go-ahead goal during the final seconds of overtime to finish a Division 1 Regional championship run with a 3-2 win over Clinton Township Chippewa Valley – C&G Newspapers

4. Boys Soccer: Fenton downed No. 9 Detroit Country Day 2-1 to claim a Division 2 Regional title -- WJRT

5. Volleyball: Adrian Madison locked up its fourth straight Tri-County Conference championship with a pair of sweeps of Britton Deerfield – Adrian Daily Telegram

6. Boys Soccer: Clarkston Everest Collegiate won its first Regional title in this sport, defeating Bax Axe 2-1 in the championship game – Oakland Press

7. Volleyball: Division 3 honorable mention Manistique swept Gladstone to clinch its second straight Mid-Peninsula Conference championship – Escanaba Daily Press

8. Boys Soccer: No. 8 Macomb Lutheran North clinched a Division 3 Regional title with a 3-0 win over Flint Powers Catholic – Macomb Daily

9. Boys Soccer: No. 4 Mattawan locked up a Division 2 Regional title with a 6-0 win over Middleville Thornapple Kellogg – WWMT

10. Volleyball: Vicksburg swept Otsego to clinch a shared Wolverine Conference title with Division 2 honorable mention Edwardsburg – JoeInsider.com

Also of note …

Girls Swimming & Diving: Top-ranked Ann Arbor Pioneer defeated No. 8 Ann Arbor Skyline 119-67 in a matchup of rivals and ranked teams in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – We Love Ann Arbor