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: 10/16/19

October 16, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

League cross country meets dominated action across the Lower Peninsula on Tuesday, and at least a pair of volleyball teams also clinched conference titles. But a major upset in boys soccer earned the most notable headline of the day, and of that sport’s postseason so far.

1. Boys Soccer: Unranked Coldwater earned the most notable win of District play to this point, upsetting No. 1 Richland Gull Lake 4-3 in Division 2 – Coldwater Daily Reporter

2. Cross Country: The Lower Peninsula Division 2 top-ranked Petoskey girls and LPD1 No. 14 Traverse City Central boys finished championship runs in the Big North Conference, Petoskey ahead of the LPD1 No. 3 Trojans – Petoskey News-Review

3. Boys soccer: No. 2 Troy Athens edged No. 9 Troy 1-0 in a Division 1 District game – Oakland Press

4. Cross Country: Hillsdale Academy swept wins at the Southern Central Athletic Association championship meet, the LPD4 honorable mention boys clinching the overall league title while the No. 4-ranked girls ended up second overall to No. 5 Adrian Lenawee Christian – Hillsdale Daily News

5. Volleyball: Unranked Montague clinched the West Michigan Conference regular-season championship with a sweep of Division 2 honorable mention Whitehall – Local Sports Journal

6. Boys Soccer: Unranked Birmingham Seaholm upset No. 14 Livonia Stevenson 1-0 in Division 1 District play – Observer & Eccentric

7. Volleyball: Division 3 honorable mention Harbor Beach claimed a share of the Greater Thumb Conference East title with a sweep of Sandusky – Huron Daily Tribune

8. Cross Country: The Bronson girls and LPD4 No. 7 Concord boys finished championship runs through the Big 8 Conference – Coldwater Daily Reporter

9. Cross Country: Reed City’s girls and Fremont’s LPD2 top-ranked boys completed championship runs in the Central State Activities Association Gold – Big Rapids News

10. Cross Country: The LPD3 No. 12 Reese and Sandusky girls and Capac and LPD4 No. 3 Unionville-Sebewaing boys won their races at the Greater Thumb Conference championship meet – Athletic.net

Also of note …

Cross Country: Clinton swept league championships in the Tri-County Conference – Adrian Daily Telegram

Cross County: Beal City completed a championship sweep in the Highland Conference – Cadillac News

Cross Country: Ludington’s girls and boys teams swept Lakes 8 Conference championship meet titles – Ludington Daily News