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: 11/2/20

November 2, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The Finals fields for Lower Peninsula cross country and soccer were settled over the weekend, topped by a victory in each that especially jumped off the webpage.

1. Cross Country: The No. 2-ranked St. Johns boys won their first Regional title since 1979, and the No. 8 Mason girls also won in Division 2 at DeWitt – Lansing State Journal 

2. Boys Soccer: Top-ranked (MPR) Elk Rapids clinched a Division 3 Regional title with a shutout of No. 15 Shelby, finishing a month during which it didn’t give up a goal over seven games – Traverse City Record-Eagle

3. Cross Country: Romeo (No. 10 girls, No. 1 boys) swept Lower Peninsula Division 1 championships – Macomb Daily 

4. Cross Country: Pinckney (No. 10 girls, No. 3 boys) swept Division 2 Regional titles, adding to league and Pre-Regional championships this fall – Livingston Daily

5. Cross Country: Ann Arbor Pioneer (No. 3 girls, No. 4 boys) swept Division 1 Regionals, and Chelsea (No. 12 girls, No. 7 boys) swept races in Division 2 – Ann Arbor News

6. Cross Country: Hart continued its domination this fall with a sweep of Division 3 titles; both teams are ranked No. 1 statewide in their division  Ludington Daily News

7. Cross Country: Saugatuck built on its successful decade with a pair of Division 4 Regional championships; the girls are ranked No. 7, and the boys are No. 1  Holland Sentinel

8. Cross Country: The No. 6 Clarkston girls and No. 7 Milford boys won Division 1 Regionals – State Champs Sports Network

9. Cross Country: The No. 2 Petoskey girls and top-ranked Fremont boys were among Division 2 Regional winners – Petoskey News-Review

10. Cross Country: The No. 10 Hanover-Horton boys and No. 6 Jackson Lumen Christi girls won Division 3 titles – JTV