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: 10/3/19

October 3, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

In addition to the crowning of our first MHSAA Finals champions of 2019-20 (see girls tennis coverage under "Latest Posts"), Wednesday was filled with conference championship celebrations, mostly on the soccer pitch – where a number of ranked boys teams matched up – but also for an undefeated girls golf power.

1. Boys Soccer: Division 3 top-ranked Holland Christian drew with No. 2 Hudsonville Unity Christian 1-1 to clinch the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green championship – Holland Sentinel

2. Boys Soccer: Grand Blanc scored a 4-1 win over Division 1 No. 4 Midland Dow to clinch the overall Saginaw Valley League title – WJRT

3. Girls Golf: Ann Arbor Pioneer – No. 7 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – finished its regular season undefeated and with the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship after outpacing runner-up Skyline by 12 strokes – We Love Ann Arbor

4. Boys Soccer: Alcona tied Oscoda 1-1 to secure the North Star League championship – Alpena News

5. Boys Soccer: McBain Northern Michigan Christian shut out Big Rapids Crossroads 3-0 to win a share of the Northern Michigan Soccer League South championship – Cadillac News

6. Boys Soccer: Gladwin clinched the other half of the NMSL South title with a big win over Clare – Midland Daily News

7. Boys Soccer: Division 4 top-ranked Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett edged No. 10 Royal Oak Shrine 3-2 in the Detroit Catholic League C-D Tournament final – C&G Newspapers

0. Boys Soccer: Division 1 No. 15 Detroit U-D Jesuit got past Division 2 No. 6 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood 3-0 to win the Catholic League A-B Tournament title – Oakland Press

9. Boys Soccer: Walled Lake Western netted the game-winner during the final minutes of overtime to get past South Lyon 3-2 in the Lakes Valley Conference Tournament title game – Oakland Press

10. Volleyball: Bridgman downed Niles Brandywine in four sets to gain an important edge in the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference Red title race – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium