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: 10/7/19

October 7, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Many of the state’s top cross country teams continued prepping for the postseason this weekend at the Portage Invitational and county championship runs in the Detroit area, while Lower Peninsula girls golf and boys tennis teams finished up regular-season play with MHSAA Tournaments beginning for both this week.

1. Cross Country: The Ann Arbor Pioneer (LPD1 No. 1), Petoskey (LPD2 No. 2), Hart (LPD3 No. 1) and Kalamazoo Christian (LPD4 No. 3) girls and Brighton (LPD1 No. 1), Fremont (LPD2 No. 2), Hanover-Horton (LPD3 No. 1) and Breckenridge (LPD4 No. 1) boys won championships at the prestigious Portage Invitational against fields loaded with many of the state’s best – Athletic.net

2. Boys Tennis: Traverse City West won five flights to claim the Big North Conference Tournament and first overall league title since 2006 – Traverse City Record-Eagle 

3. Girls Swimming & Diving: LPD2 No. 2 Farmington Hills Mercy finished 175 points ahead of the field to earn the Oakland County championship – Oakland Press

4. Cross Country: Troy’s LPD1 No. 11 girls and Clarkston’s LPD1 No. 5 boys won Oakland County championships – Oakland Press Girls | Boys 

5. Boys Tennis: LPD3 No. 1 Ann Arbor Greenhills claimed the Detroit Catholic League Tournament title – Oakland Press

6. Boys Tennis: Oxford won its first league title in this sport, claiming the Oakland Activities Association Blue Tournament – Oakland Press 

7. Boys Tennis/Girls Golf: Byron Center swept Ottawa-Kent Conference Green Tournament championships in these sports, the LPD2 No. 10 tennis team just ahead of Holland Christian and golf ahead of runner-up Zeeland West – Holland Sentinel 

8. Volleyball: Division 3 No. 6 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian swept No. 4 Bronson to win the annual Polish Classic championship – Coldwater Daily Reporter

9. Girls Swimming & Diving: Macomb Dakota claimed the Macomb County meet title – Macomb Daily

10. Cross Country: The LPD1 No. 9 Plymouth, Grosse Ile and Allen Park Cabrini girls and LPD1 No. 13 Plymouth, LPD2 No. 6 Dearborn Divine Child and Cabrini boys won Wayne County championships – Southgate News-Herald Girls | Boys

Also of note …

Boys Soccer: Big Rapids Crossroads went 1-0-1 to win the West Michigan D League Tournament – Big Rapids News