Today in the MHSAA: 2/15/17

February 15, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Girls basketball action was full of highlights Tuesday as teams won league titles, advanced with big wins in conference tournaments and celebrated individual milestones.

Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state. 

Girls Basketball

Grand Rapids Catholic Central senior Sophia Karasinski went over 1,000 career points in her team’s 64-23 win over Grand Rapids West Catholic – Grand Rapids Press

Brighton came back from 11 down to defeat Walled Lake Western in a first-round Kensington Lakes Activities Association tournament game – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Bath downed Class C No. 4 Laingsburg 53-34 after falling by two in the teams’ first meeting – Lansing State Journal

Port Huron Northern snapped Utica Ford’s 16-game winning streak with a 67-51 victory in Macomb Area Conference tournament play – Macomb Daily

Brethren moved into a first-place tie in the West Michigan D League with a 39-35 win over Bear Lake – Manistee News Advocate

Bloomfield Hills won its 15th straight game, downing Clarkston 52-51 – Oakland Press

Gaylord St. Mary claimed the Ski Valley Conference championship with a big win over Pellston – Gaylord Herald Times

Fruitport Calvary Christian won its fifth straight Alliance League title with a win over Byron Center Zion Christian – Grand Haven Tribune

Boys Basketball

Kalamazoo Central downed Battle Creek Central 57-48 to clinch the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East title – Kalamazoo Gazette

Marcus Gibbs hit four 3-pointers including the game-winning shot to lead Detroit Cass Tech past East English 73-71 in the Detroit Public School League semifinals – MLive-Detroit

Hockey

In their third meeting this winter, Division 3 No. 3 Calumet earned a 2-1 season advantage on No. 7 Houghton by scoring the final three goals in a 3-2 win over the Gremlins – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

From High School to Olympic Swimming

July 11, 2012

Fans of U.S. Swimming already have plenty of reasons to cheer for Missy Franklin later this month at the Summer Olympics -- she's only 17, but qualified to compete in a U.S. women's all-time best seven events.

But fans of high school sports and what they provide athletes at all levels of ability can also support her for how she's chosen to compete when she's not racing against the best in the world.

Franklin, who lives in Colorado, has continued to swim for her high school team despite the financial rewards she could've earned by taking the elite swimmer's usual path of going pro.

A ton has been written about Franklin lately, for obvious reasons. Below is a link to a New York Times story from February that focused on her continued dedication to her high school team.

Before the Olympic Trials, There’s This Big High School Meet (New York Times)