Today in the MHSAA: 2/20/20

February 20, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Special for Second Half

Four teams celebrated their first MHSAA Team Wrestling Regional championships Wednesday as the field of 32 was determined across the state. We were able to gather coverage of two of those title celebrations, plus a number of other championship runs on the mat, ice and bowling lanes.

1. Wrestling: No. 7 Muskegon Reeths-Puffer won its first Team Regional title in this sport, downing Greenville and Allendale in Division 2 – Local Sports Journal

2. Wrestling: Division 3 No. 7 Fremont also won its first Regional title on the mat, with wins over Muskegon Orchard View and Comstock Park – Muskegon Chronicle

3. Wrestling: After falling to No. 9 Westland John Glenn in the postseason three straight seasons, No. 5 Temperance Bedford won the latest meeting to claim a Division 1 Regional title – Monroe News

4. Wrestling: No. 2 Gaylord edged No. 3 DeWitt 33-30 to lock up a Division 2 Regional championship – Gaylord Herald-Times

5. Wrestling: Mason upset No. 4 Eaton Rapids 33-27 on the way to claiming a Division 2 Regional title – Lansing State Journal

6. Wrestling: No. 3 Brighton got past No. 6 Holt 55-8 to clinch a Division 1 Regional title – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

7. Wrestling: No. 5 Hart downed Whittemore-Prescott to clinch a Division 4 Regional title, its first Regional championship since 1990 – Muskegon Chronicle

8. Hockey: Division 1 No. 2 Saginaw Heritage downed Division 3 No. 9 Midland Dow 2-0 to lock up the Saginaw Valley League championship – Midland Daily News

9. Wrestling: A last-second pin gave No. 10 New Boston Huron a 38-37 win over Gibraltar Carlson and a Division 2 Regional championship, its first Regional title since 2003 – Monroe News

10. Bowling: The Ravenna girls and Fruitport boys won Greater Muskegon Athletic Association championships – Local Sports Journal

NOTE: Croswell-Lexington and Kingsley also won their first Wrestling Team Regional championships Wednesday.

Also of note …

Football: Flint Beecher coach and athletic director Courtney Hawkins will be leaving the Bucs to join the Michigan State football staff – WJRT

Today in the MHSAA: 1/30/19

January 30, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Teams outran the oncoming cold spell Tuesday with a highlight-filled night of basketball across Michigan despite a weather-caused shortened schedule.

1. Boys Basketball: Flint Beecher got past Grand Blanc 81-69 in a matchup of top teams in the Flint area and statewide – WJRT

2. Boys Basketball: Westland John Glenn edged Wayne Memorial 67-63 to create a three-way tie for first in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East while Joe Moon IV set Glenn’s career scoring record – Observer & Eccentric

3. Boys Basketball: Milford handed Walled Lake Northern its first loss this season, 37-34 – State Champs!

4. Girls Basketball: Gladstone took the final lead with 16 seconds to play in a 43-39 upset of Negaunee – Escanaba Daily Press

5. Hockey: Brighton got past Division 2 No. 9 Howell 1-0 with an overtime goal – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

6. Boys Basketball: Johannesburg-Lewiston avenged an early loss to Pellston by handing the Hornets their second defeat of the season, 81-65 – MI Sports Now

7. Girls Basketball: Mackinaw City maintained its lead in the Northern Lakes Conference with a 58-24 win over reigning league champion Harbor Springs Harbor Light Christian – Petoskey News-Review

8. Girls Basketball: Chelsea improved to 13-0 with a 52-43 win over Jackson – Ann Arbor News

9. Boys Basketball: Marquette downed Ishpeming Westwood 47-39 in a matchup of contenders in their respective leagues – The Upbeat

10. Boys Basketball: Rogers City won its seventh of the last eight games, 59-39 over Posen – WBKB

Also of note …

Battle Creek: The community is mourning the death of Al Leibert, who served as a teacher, principal and/or coach in multiple sports for more than 65 years at Battle Creek Central, Lakeview and St. Philip – Battle Creek Enquirer