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: 2/5/20

February 5, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Every basketball game is carrying more importance this season with the addition of limited seeding at the District level, and Tuesday saw a bunch that impacted rankings, standings or featured significant individual milestones.

1. Girls Basketball: Michigan Center avenged a December loss with a 65-55 win over Division 3 title contender Grass Lake – Jackson Citizen Patriot

2. Girls Basketball: Grosse Pointe South reshuffled the Macomb Area Conference Red standings, moving into first place with a 50-47 win over previous leader Macomb Dakota – Macomb Daily

3. Boys Basketball: Kalamazoo Central delivered Portage Central’s first loss this winter, 66-44 – FOX 17

4. Boys Swimming & Diving: Zeeland – an honorable mention in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – swam past LPD3 No. 6 Hamilton 103-83 – Holland Sentinel

5. Girls Basketball: Saginaw Heritage earned a 40-36 road win at Freeland – Midland Daily News

6. Boys Basketball: Ke’ontae Barnes’ buzzer beater helped Muskegon Orchard View deliver a second defeat to Fremont, 63-60 – Local Sports Journal

7. Boys Basketball: Undefeated Bridgeport ended Flint Southwestern’s 10-game winning streak, 60-56 – Flint Journal

8. Girls Basketball: Coldwater came back from a 14-point second-half deficit to get past Three Rivers 62-58 in overtime – Coldwater Daily Reporter

9. Hockey: Chelsea moved into a first-place tie in the Southeastern Conference White thanks to a 4-3 win over Saline – Chelsea Sun Times News

10. Boys Basketball: Carney-Nadeau earned an important 53-52 overtime win over Powers North Central – Escanaba Daily Press

Also of note …

Girls Basketball: Makenna Bryant qualified for the MHSAA record book with nine 3-pointers as Cadillac won big over Manistee – Cadillac News

Boys Basketball: Ishpeming held on for an 88-83 win over Houghton despite 63 points by Brad Simonsen – The Upbeat

Girls Basketball: Faith Guritz reached 1,000 career points in Martin’s 58-33 win over Delton Kellogg – Kalamazoo Gazette

Boys Basketball: Menalito McGee went over 1,000 career points in Wyoming’s 61-56 win over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central – FOX 17

Boys Basketball: Gavin Fisher scored a school-record 39 points in Fruitport’s 67-56 win over Holton – Grand Haven Tribune