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: 3/8/19

March 8, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The Division 2 hockey championship game will be a rematch from 2018 after Thursday’s Semifinals, and the night’s Boys Basketball Regional Finals saw the end of this year’s run for a reigning champion.

1. Hockey: Reigning Division 2 champion and top-ranked Hartland upended No. 4 Birmingham Brother Rice 6-2 to earn an opportunity to repeat – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

2. Boys Basketball: Hudsonville Unity Christian held off reigning Class B champion Benton Harbor to win a Division 2 Regional Final 63-54 – WOOD TV

3. Boys Basketball: Freshman Emoni Bates made his second game-winning shot of this week, sending Ypsilanti Lincoln to the Division 1 Quarterfinals with an 81-79 win over Detroit Catholic Central – Detroit News

4. Hockey: No. 2 Trenton shut out No. 9 Marquette 4-0 to return to the Division 2 championship game – Southgate News-Herald

5. Boys Basketball: Flint Beecher avenged its tournament loss to Unionville-Sebewaing from last season, handing USA its only defeat, 65-42, in a Division 3 Regional Final – WJRT

6. Boys Basketball: Sanford Meridian handed Oscoda its only defeat of the season, 65-44, to win a second straight Division 3 Regional title – Midland Daily News

7. Boys Basketball: East Kentwood continued its week of upsets, following up Tuesday’s win over Muskegon with a Division 1 Regional title-clinching 61-60 victory over Hudsonville – FOX 17

8. Boys Basketball: Grand Rapids South Christian edged Grand Rapids Catholic Central 64-62 in a Division 2 Regional Final – WZZM

9. Boys Basketball: Cassopolis won its first Regional title in 30 years, downing Schoolcraft 62-51 in Division 3 – South Bend Tribune

10. Boys Basketball: Joe Liedel scored 16 fourth-quarter points as Erie Mason came back to defeat Detroit Loyola 59-53 in Division 3 – Monroe News

Also of note …

Unified Sports: WDIV went in-depth with the nationally-recognized Brighton Unified Sports program and the environment of inclusion it’s created at the school – WDIV