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: 4/9/19

April 9, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Many in Michigan returned from Spring Break on Monday, and teams jumped straight into competition with five sports making our first daily achievers list of this season.

1. Girls Tennis: Petoskey won five flight championships en route to earning the Up North Invite team title – Petoskey News-Review

2. Softball: Kalkaska coach Rik Ponstein earned his 700th career win during his team’s sweep of Roscommon – Traverse City Record-Eagle

3. Boys Lacrosse: Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard edged rival Greenhills 7-6 in overtime – We Love Ann Arbor

4. Baseball: Division 1 No. 6 Lake Orion downed Division 3 No. 16 Madison Heights Bishop Foley for its first win – Oakland Press

5. Baseball: Division 3 No. 12 Michigan Center swept Jonesville in a rematch of last season’s Regional Final – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

6. Baseball: Division 2 No. 6 Saginaw Swan Valley took a pair of impressive wins over Mount Pleasant – Saginaw News

7. Softball: Gladwin earned a pair of one-run wins over Midland Dow – Midland Daily News

8. Baseball: Division 1 No. 16 Plymouth won big over Northville in a matchup of Kensington Lakes Activities Association contenders – Observer & Eccentric

9. Softball: Division 1 No. 8 Canton improved to 2-0 with a 6-1 win over Novi – State Champs Sports Network

10. Girls Soccer: Taylor Noble had a first-half hat trick as Boyne City downed Kalkaska – MI Sports Now

Also of note …

Baseball: From Friday, Fowlerville downed Division 2 top-ranked Detroit Country Day 2-1 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Softball: From Friday, No. 4 Howell avenged a Wednesday loss with a big win over No. 2 Hartland to finish their first rematch from last season’s Division 1 Semifinal – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Baseball: From Friday, Division 1 No. 3 Grandville made a trip east and left with a 13-6 win over Division 2 No. 2 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s – State Champs Sports Network

Baseball: From April 3, Division 1 No. 8 Detroit Catholic Central swept top-ranked Birmingham Brother Rice – Observer & Eccentric