Today in the MHSAA: 2/4/16

February 4, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

As is annually the case, the first Wednesday in February was dominated by coverage of national collegiate signing day. But after the hoopla passed, there were championships to be won.

Competitive Cheer

Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills won its second Ottawa-Kent Conference Black championship in three seasons, edging Muskegon Mona Shores by fewer than four points at the league meet – Grand Rapids Press

Ice Hockey

With a 2-2 tie against Allen Park Cabrini, much-improved Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard won its sectional of the Detroit Catholic League – MLive-Detroit

Wrestling

Division 1 No. 2 Hartland won arguably the toughest league in Michigan on Wednesday, downing No. 6 Westland John Glenn in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship quad; the league also includes No. 4 Brighton – Livingston Daily

Niles solidified itself as first in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West again by downing undermanned rival Stevensville Lakeshore 37-16 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Today in the MHSAA: 9/17/15

September 17, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Today’s know-your-sports checklist includes catching up on impressive feats by some of the state’s top-ranked girls golf teams and enjoying a pair of inspirational stories about leading soccer scorers.

Girls Golf

Lower Peninsula Division 1 No. 4 Lake Orion won the Oakland County Division 1 Tournament for the second straight season, edging No. 6 Novi by one shot and No. 1 Rochester by two – Oakland Press

Three Spring Lake golfers carded three birdies apiece to lead the LP Division 3 No. 1 Lakers to a 53-stroke win in the Lakes 8 jamboree on their home course – Muskegon Chronicle

Boys Soccer

Freeland improved to 11-1 with its first win over Saginaw Swan Valley in three seasons, also handing the Vikings their first loss this fall – Saginaw News

Boys Tennis

Midland Dow, No. 1 in Lower Peninsula Division 2, fell to No. 3 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central at the Midweek Classic, but still won the tournament thanks to No. 6 Detroit U-D Jesuit’s win over FHC – Midland Daily News and Saginaw News

Volleyball

Ionia swept reigning Capital Area Activities Conference White champion Williamston, beating the Hornets for the first time under sixth-year coach Jeanna Kraatz – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

Niles emerged as the biggest winner from the SMAC 6-Pack Tournament on its home floor with victories over Battle Creek Lakeview, Battle Creek Central and Richland Gull Lake, all in two games – Niles Daily Star

Bay City John Glenn improved to 9-1 with a win over Tawas, opening North East Michigan Conference play as the reigning champion and with nearly the same lineup as in 2014 – Bay City Times

Good Reads

We’re big fans of athletes who play multiple sports, and Port Huron’s Jon Miller is one of the latest – he’s the soccer team’s leading scorer and the top field goal kicker in school history, plus one of the football team’s leading receivers. A great line from the story: “But if there’s one kid that can take this on, it’s the kid that’s loading his senior year with as many memories as possible.” – Port Huron Times-Herald

Andrew Shippell is Marshall’s leading scorer this season, and after three years of fighting is preparing to celebrate a milestone – the end of his chemotherapy in February – Battle Creek Enquirer