Today in the MHSAA: 2/6/19

February 6, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

We can sense tournament time is coming on quickly after a Tuesday night filled with championship-caliber matchups, upsets and last-second game-winners.

1. Girls Basketball: Southfield Arts & Technology took over first place alone in the Oakland Activities Association Red with a 60-47 win over previously-undefeated Royal Oak – State Champs!

2. Girls Basketball: Rachel Elms connected on a 3-pointer during the final seconds to lead Holland West Ottawa past previously-undefeated Grand Haven 41-39 – Holland Sentinel

3. Boys Basketball: Clarkston clinched a share of the OAA Red title with a 47-31 win over North Farmington – Oakland Press

4. Boys Basketball: Beal City downed Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart in overtime, but the Irish’s Colten Nelson set his school’s career scoring record now at 1,204 points – Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart

5. Boys Basketball: Mattawan won a matchup of division leaders 48-47 in overtime over Kalamazoo Central – WWMT

6. Hockey: In a matchup of first-place teams in the Northern Michigan Hockey League, Division 1 No. 11 Traverse City Bay Reps moved to the top of the standings with a 3-2 win over Petoskey – MI Sports Now

7. Boys Basketball: Connor Murphy’s halfcourt buzzer beater carried McBain past Manton 45-42, putting McBain in first alone in the Highland Conference – Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. Hockey: South Lyon downed Division 2 No. 11 White Lake Lakeland 4-3 in a key Lakes Valley Conference matchup – Oakland Press

9. Boys Basketball: Brock Mullins’ last-second basket pushed second-place Flat Rock past Huron League leader Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 50-48 – Monroe News

10. Boys Swimming & Diving: Ann Arbor Pioneer, No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 1, had the winner in every event on the way to downing LPD2 No. 10 Temperance Bedford – We Love Ann Arbor

Also of note …

Boys Swimming & Diving: East Kentwood coach Jock Ambrose announced his retirement after nearly four decades – WOOD TV

Wrestling: In its first season in the league, Caro locked up the Greater Thumb Conference tournament title – Huron Daily Tribune

Today in the MHSAA: 4/18/18

April 18, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

1. Girls Soccer: After opening this season 0-2, No. 4 Saline has won the first three games of league play including Tuesday’s over Ann Arbor Pioneer, 3-0 – Saline Post

2. Boys Lacrosse: Lake Orion continued its league dominance with a 15-10 win over Troy – Oakland Press

3. Girls Soccer: Lake Orion remained undefeated in league play on the soccer field as well with a 3-0 win over Royal Oak – Oakland Press

4. Baseball: Chelsea will name its field after former longtime coach and athletic director Wayne Welton – Ann Arbor News

5. Volleyball: Traverse City Central has hired former Benzie Central coach Jen Wright to take over the program; Wright most recently has been coaching the Trojans’ junior varsity – Traverse City Record-Eagle

6. Football: Junior varsity coach Jesse Fenstermaker has been promoted to take over Rogers City’s program as varsity leader – Alpena News

7. Football: Hillman promoted defensive coordinator Cody Allen to head coach as it heads into 8-player football for the first time this fall – Alpena News

8. Officials: Longtime sportswriter Al Wright gives his perspective on why it's gotten tougher to recruit officials for high school athletics – Midwest Sports Network

9. MHSAA: As part of its Black History Month features in February, State Champs! Network included a tribute to MHSAA assistant director Nate Hampton, who coordinates football, girls and boys basketball and girls and boys track & field – State Champs!