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: 3/11/20

March 11, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Girls Basketball Regional Semifinals dominated Tuesday across Michigan, with some titanic matchups among favorites and major upsets in multiple divisions.

1. Girls Basketball: For the second-straight season reigning Division 3 champion Pewamo-Westphalia survived a challenge from Kent City, this time 40-37 – State Champs Sports Network

2. Girls Basketball: Detroit Renaissance surged in a Division 1 rematch of its recent Operation Friendship game against Farmington Hills Mercy, winning this time 56-33 as Kailee Davis went over 1,000 career points – MLive-Detroit

3. Girls Basketball: Newaygo earned its first Regional Final berth since 1993 with a stunning 47-46 win over Grand Rapids Christian – Grand Rapids Press

4. Girls Basketball: Davison also posted one of the night’s biggest stunners, getting past Flint Carman-Ainsworth 54-49 in Division 1 – Davison Index

5. Girls Basketball: Ubly scored a major 45-33 Division 4 win over Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart on the Irish’s home court – Huron Daily Tribune

6. Girls Basketball: Walled Lake Western avenged an opening-night loss to Clarkston with a 57-47 win in Division 1 – Spinal Column

7. Girls Basketball: Kalamazoo Hackett upset Niles Brandywine 49-43 and Schoolcraft edged Gobles 42-41 to set up a Division 3 Regional Final – WWMT

8. Girls Basketball: Saline set a program record with 22 wins by defeating Wayne Memorial 51-40 in Division 1 – Ann Arbor News

9. Girls Basketball: St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran won another touted Division 4 matchup, downing Fruitport Calvary Christian 54-20 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

10. Girls Basketball: Charlevoix continued a storied tournament run with a 65-29 win over Oscoda in Division 3 – Petoskey News-Review