Today in the MHSAA: 2/12/16

February 12, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Wrestling Districts again dominated the action Thursday, and many of the headline grabbers are linked up below – as well as a basketball game filled with impressive numbers and a video feature showing one of Michigan’s all-time high school greats.

Boys Basketball

Jamal Cain had 42 points and 20 rebounds to lead Cornerstone Health/Technology to a 101-93 win over Detroit Pershing – Detroit News

Wrestling

Matt Mills won the final match of the night to give Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central its fourth straight District title with a 32-31 win over Rockford – Grand Rapids Press

Macomb Dakota also trailed going into the final match of its Division I District Final, but Dustin Solomon won to give the No. 9 Cougars a final 29-28 victory over No. 8 New Baltimore Anchor Bay – Macomb Daily

Portage Central beat rival Portage Northern for the first time in three years, claiming a Division 1 District title with a 42-41 victory – Kalamazoo Gazette

No. 6 Caro won its 23rd straight District championship, downing Essexville Garber in a Division 3 championship match – Saginaw News

From Wednesday, Tecumseh won its 14th straight District championship, claiming a Division 2 title – Adrian Daily Telegram

Also from Wednesday, Manistique won the first wrestling District title in school history, downing Newberry 31-24 in a Division 3 Final – Escanaba Daily Press

Worth the Watch

This came out during the fall, but is a worthwhile 23 minutes on a frigid day as well; Dearborn Heights Robichaud’s Tyrone Wheatley is considered one of the most incredible athletes in Michigan high school history and then came back to successfully coach his alma mater before moving on to the football staff at University of Michigan. This is his story, complete with clips from his high school days – State Champs!

Today in the MHSAA: 8/31/15

August 31, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The final weekend of August was a giant weekend for MHSAA volleyball contenders, with some of the top regular-season events this fall providing opportunities for the best to see how they might match up when playoffs begin in two months.

Below are headlines for some of the key high school reports from across the state; the weekend’s football round-up will publish later this afternoon.  

Cross Country

Muskegon Reeths-Puffer’s Maryssa Depies set a course record of 18:11.3 to win the Big Red Invitational at McGraft Park – Muskegon Chronicle

Flint Powers Catholic’s top individual finisher came in ninth, but the Chargers girls as a team were first at the Lansing Catholic Invitational – Flint Journal

The reigning Lower Peninsula Division 2 champion Grand Rapids Christian boys repeated as winner of the prestigious Benzie Central Invitational, finishing ahead of Traverse City West and Central, while Central senior Anthony Berry won individually in 15:24 – Grand Rapids Press

Boys Soccer

Tawas, a Division 3 semifinalist last season, finished first from an Elk Rapids Invitational field that included Berkley and Saginaw Nouvel – Bay City Times

Volleyball

Lake Odessa Lakewood, last season’s Class B runner-up and the second-ranked team in that class this week, eliminated Class A No. 6 Grand Rapids Christian to win the West Michigan Volleyball Officials Association tournament for the first time in a decade – Grand Rapids Press

Class A No. 4 Grand Haven continued its perfect run at its outdoor Battle of the Boardwalk tournament, sweeping three opponents to remain undefeated through the event's third year – Grand Haven Tribune

Battle Creek Harper Creek, No. 9 in Class B, improved to 17-0 by winning the Cereal City Tournament at Pennfield with a 2-1 championship match win over Temperance Bedford, an MHSAA semifinalist last season in Class A – Battle Creek Enquirer

Good Reads

The Holland Sentinel introduced its top female athletes in that area’s history Sunday, and highlighted nationally-known softball star Kathy Arendsen and her successes during one of the MHSAA’s first Softball Finals – Holland Sentinel

Anyone who follows high school football history will enjoy going through the Muskegon Chronicle’s sampling of top-20 moments from that area’s football past – Muskegon Chronicle

More than 60 former Shepherd High School players from the last 25 seasons returned for an alumni doubleheader Sunday to honor coach Jack Nartker, who will retire after this spring – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun