Today in the MHSAA: 2/16/16

February 16, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A relatively quiet night in statewide hoops still produced a handful of stunning highlights to go with the retirement of one of Michigan’s most respected football coaches.

Girls Basketball

Reigning Class C champion Calumet clinched its first West Peninsula Athletic Conference title with a 46-42 win over Houghton, last season’s league champion – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Boys Basketball

Sanford Meridian needed all of six overtimes to get past Unionville-Sebewaing, 76-74 – Midland Daily News

Football

Longtime Mendon coach John Schwartz announced his retirement after attaining a 274-48 record over 27 seasons and leading the Hornets to 25 playoff appearances and 10 MHSAA championships – Sturgis Journal

Good Read

Gibraltar Carlson senior Jacob Thomas didn’t want to miss out on anything his senior year – so this winter, he’s pulling off the rare double-up of playing basketball and hockey – Monroe Evening News

Today in the MHSAA: 2/2/16

February 2, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Statewide sports action Monday was light, so we’ll focus on a series of stories published today that should pull at your heart strings and put life’s little obstacles in proper perspective.

Good Reads

Mason’s Brendan Brown is fighting for his life, against a form of cancer that has led to the amputation of a leg and soon will mean the removal of parts of his lungs. The Bulldogs junior is fighting, and also continuing a high school bowling career that is inspiring opponents and those in his community – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Also at Mason, Storm Miller might be the strongest athlete at his high school and finished third in a national weight-lifting competition last summer. He’s relying on strength now to fight a rare form of cancer that also initially was found in a leg – Lansing State Journal

Molly Holmes hasn't joined her siblings on the Leroy Pine River wrestling team yet – wait until next year – but she plays junior varsity basketball and is one of 13 kids in a family that loves sports – a family that adopted her after five foster placements and a fight to survive no child should experience – Cadillac News