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: 5/29/19

May 29, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

District competition began in baseball and softball Tuesday and continued in girls soccer, while Regional titles were awarded in lacrosse as the MHSAA postseason rolled on.

1. Girls Soccer: No. 15 Utica Eisenhower moved on in a big way in Division 1 with a 3-0 District Semifinal win over No. 3 Rochester Hills Stoney Creek – Macomb Daily

2. Baseball: Adrian scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to upset No. 5 Chelsea 7-6 in a Division 2 District opener – Adrian Daily Telegram

3. Boys Lacrosse: East Grand Rapids scored the game’s final 11 goals in an 11-1 Division 2 Regional Final win over Spring Lake; the teams were ranked Nos. 2 and 4, respectively, entering the postseason – FOX 17

4. Boys Lacrosse: No. 2 Detroit Catholic Central finished its Division 1 Regional run with a 23-10 win over No. 7 South Lyon – State Champs Sports Network

5. Baseball: No. 6 Sterling Heights Stevenson opened Division 1 District play with a 7-0 win over Clinton Township Chippewa Valley on a no-hitter by Nick Rutkowski – Detroit News

6. Softball: Jenison opened the Division 1 District with a 10-1 win over Byron Center in a matchup of honorable mention teams – FOX 17

7. Boys Lacrosse: Hartland got past Midland 17-11 to clinch a Division 1 Regional title – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

8. Softball: Bark River-Harris clinched its second straight Skyline Central Conference title with a 5-3 win over Norway – Escanaba Daily Press

9. Softball: Hillman downed Posen 7-6 in a Division 4 opener with a walk-off single – WBKB

10. Girls Soccer: Ann Arbor Huron avenged a loss (and a tie) to Saline from the regular season with a 2-0 Division 1 District Semifinal win – We Love Ann Arbor

Also of note …

College decisions: The Petoskey News-Review and Gaylord Herald-Times put together a three-part series on high school athletes deciding to continue athletics after their time at the prep level is complete, and the challenges and rewards of competing at the collegiate level – Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Girls Basketball: Assistant Tim Webb will take over the Detroit Country Day program from retired Frank Orlando – State Champs Sports Network