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: 2/11/21

February 11, 2021

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

More contenders earned trips Wednesday to this month’s Ski Finals, while some of hockey’s best started their seasons as teams took to the ice across both peninsulas.

1. Skiing: The Traverse City Central girls and Traverse City West boys won Division 1 Regional championships – MI Sports Now

2. Boys Basketball: Grand Rapids Catholic Central banked a last-second 3-pointer to get past South Christian 58-56 – Grand Rapids Press

3. Hockey: Flint Powers Catholic avenged last season’s playoff loss with a 2-1 season-opening win over Midland Dow – Mid-Michigan Now

4. Girls Basketball: Plainwell earned a 35-32 overtime win over Three Rivers, which finished 21-3 last season – JoeInsider.com

5. Hockey: Livonia Stevenson opened with a 4-0 win over Brighton – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

6. Boys Basketball: Kalamazoo Christian won the 130th meeting with rival Hackett 51-45 – Kalamazoo Gazette

7. Hockey: South Lyon Unified scored first, but Saline pulled away with a 5-2 win – Saline Post

8. Boys Basketball: Otsego ran its Wolverine Conference winning streak to 43 with a 63-45 victory over Sturgis – Kalamazoo Gazette

9. Hockey: Kaleb Miller scored the game’s lone goal in overtime as Traverse Bay Reps got past Big Rapids 1-0 – Up North Live

10. Hockey: Murphy Kehoe had a hat trick as Traverse City West downed Petoskey – MI Sports Now

Also of note …

Wrestling: Comstock Park is mourning the death of longtime coach Jim Olson – Grand Rapids Press