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: 2/1/16

February 1, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Incredible numbers in girls basketball and boys swimming and a matchup of undefeated rivals led the weekend’s headlines across Michigan. 

Girls Basketball

Southfield-Lathrup doubled up Southfield in the final regular-season matchup between the rivals – the schools are scheduled to merge next year – Oakland Press

Grand Rapids South Christian made 11 3-pointers to stay undefeated and hand the first loss this season to Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 70-50 – Grand Rapids Press 

Benton Harbor’s Kysre Gondrezick continues to climb the MHSAA career scoring list and moved past St. Joseph’s Kim Knuth for seventh place with 39 against Niles to give her 2,460 points – St. Joseph Herald Palladium

Competitive Cheer

Portage Central, Plainwell, host Otsego and Delton Kellogg won division titles at the Bulldog Invitational with Plainwell putting up the top score overall – Kalamazoo Gazette 

Boys Swimming & Diving

Midland Dow won its 14th Tri-Cities Swim Invitational title, and Nehemiah Mork broke multiple meet records including one set in 1982 – Saginaw News 

Wrestling

Six of the 14 champions at the Lenawee County All-Star Tournament came from Hudson – Adrian Daily Telegram

Battle Creek Lakeview won the Bill Evans Memorial Invitational ahead of a field that included Division 4 No. 7 Bronson – Battle Creek Enquirer

Macomb teams dominated the Macomb-Oakland County Challenge, led by undefeated Richmond – Macomb Daily

Unranked Niles won its fourth straight Greater Berrien County Invitational ahead of a field that included Division 2 No. 10 Stevensville Lakeshore – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Good Reads

Fans of all schools will be rooting for Howell coach Ken Richards, who remains the school’s freshman boys basketball coach after being given a 50-50 chance of surviving cancer this past football season – Livingston Daily

Mount Pleasant is mourning the death of longtime coach Jim Powell, who guided more than 4,000 athletes during a 60-year career – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun