Today in the MHSAA: 2/19/16

February 19, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A couple of streaks are worth noting in today’s report – one for winning an incredible number of consecutive league games, and the other for success reaching more than a decade.

Girls Basketball

In a matchup of two of the best in the Upper Peninsula, Marquette held on to down Houghton 42-37 – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Muskegon Oakridge won its 50th straight game in the West Michigan Conference for finish undefeated champion of the league for the third season in a row – Muskegon Chronicle

Newberry won a matchup of 16-1 teams, defeating St. Ignace 54-50 to win the Straits Area Conference in what also was its first win over the Saints since 1992 – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

Boys Basketball

Wyoming Potter’s House Christian celebrated a 30-point win over Kalamazoo Heritage Christian, but Heritage Christian’s Bryant Cross did score the 1,000th point of his career – Grand Rapids Press

Utica Ford earned arguably the night’s biggest upset statewide, handing a second loss this season to New Haven, 73-71 – Macomb Daily

Saginaw remains in first place in the Saginaw Valley League North, but Midland continued to enjoy its best league run in decades with a 58-51 win over the Trojans – Midland Daily News

Wrestling

From Thursday, Hartland won its 15th straight Regional title, dominating in Division 1 against Walled Lake Central and Warren Mott – Livingston Daily

Today in the MHSAA: 1/15/16

January 15, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Thursday provided a substantial appetizer for another big weekend with key basketball games, noteworthy swimming and diving finishes and a milestone wrestling victory.

Boys Basketball

Clarkston earned a key Oakland Activities Association Red edge with a win over similarly state-ranked North Farmington, 60-47 – Oakland Press

Frankfort earned a similarly important win in Northwest Conference play, winning a matchup of Class D ranked teams 65-55 over Buckley – Traverse City Record-Eagle

For the second straight day, a basketball team made an incredible comeback; this time, it was East Jackson building off a 21-2 deficit at the end of the first quarter to beat Napoleon 42-39 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Olivet junior Delbert Redfield made nine of 11 3-point tries and scored 33 points total to lead the Eagles to a 73-55 win over Lansing Christian – MLive Lansing

Girls Basketball

Warren Cousino handed Grosse Pointe North the latter’s first loss this season, 64-58, to move to 9-1 overall – Macomb Daily

Boys Swimming & Diving

Lower Peninsula Division 3 honorable mention Spring Lake downed No. 4 Hamilton, No. 5 Grand Rapids Christian and Division 2 honorable mention Holland in its best meet of a strong run so far – Grand Haven Tribune

Wrestling

Leslie defeated Olivet (and also lost to Lake Odessa Lakewood) on Thursday, giving Blackhawks coach Todd Stern his 400th career win since taking over as head coach in 1987 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Good Reads

Battle of the Fans V kicks off tonight with our first visit to Yale, a finalist as well in 2015 – Port Huron Times-Herald

Grand Haven’s basketball teams will return to their former gym now part of Lakeshore Middle School – Pirates Pit – on Feb. 6 and for the first time since 2007 as the high school gym will be used for the league wrestling meet – Grand Haven Tribune

Vanderbilt’s boys basketball team has one win this season, but it was the first in nearly two years and a testament to the rebuilding of the program under first-year coach Darren Conn and assistant Amie Byelich – Petoskey News