Today in the MHSAA: 2/8/16

February 8, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The weekend provided previews of MHSAA championship contenders in gymnastics, cheer and hockey, and also basketball with a matchup of two girls teams that could come away from this winter with titles and the reigning Class D boys champ shining again.

Girl Basketball

A last-second 3-pointer by Lauryn Carroll gave Ypsilanti Arbor Prep a 50-47 win over previously-undefeated Bay City John Glenn, considered arguably the top team in the state regardless of class – Bay City Times

Detroit Country Day edged Southfield-Lathrup 56-52 in a matchup of contenders in Class B and A, respectively – Oakland Press

Mona Shores locked down the usually-potent offense of rival Muskegon in defeating the Big Reds 55-34 – Muskegon Chronicle

Boys Basketball

Reigning Class D champion Powers North Central remained undefeated by handing a first loss to Crystal Falls Forest Park, 68-54 – Escanaba Daily Press

Southfield Christian just edged Belleville 70-69 for its 12th straight win – MLive-Detroit

Competitive Cheer

Reigning Division 1 champion Rochester finished ahead of a strong field to clinch the Oakland Activities Association Red championship – Oakland Press

Gymnastics

Rockford/Sparta, the reigning MHSAA champion, showed it’s the team to beat again this winter by claiming the championship at the prestigious Canton Invitational. Howell finished second and Farmington third – Canton Athletics

Hockey

The Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League Showcase pitted many of the state’s top teams with some of the key results a 3-0 win by Division 2 No. 3 Livonia Stevenson over Division 3 No. 1 Grand Rapids Catholic Central and 4-3 by unranked Houghton over Division 1 No. 3 Detroit U-D Jesuit – MIHL

Swimming & Diving

Warren DeLaSalle’s boys won their fourth straight Macomb County Invitational, finishing more than 300 points ahead of the field – Macomb Daily

Wrestling

Springport won its seventh straight Big 8 Conference championship, setting a league record in dominating its competition this time – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Allegan won its 12th straight Wolverine Conference title, finishing far ahead of the field and with three individual champions – Kalamazoo Gazette

Niles finished its championship run in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Good Read

Former opponents no doubt remember facing Marshall basketball standout Kari Searles on the court; many who supported her as a player supported her again Friday with a donation toward her care as she fights lung cancer – Battle Creek Enquirer

Today in the MHSAA: 11/4/16

November 4, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A number of District volleyball tournaments finished Thursday, with a number of champions winning for the second, third or fourth straight time. But there also was a 10-time champion crowned again – and three teams winning titles for the first time in at least 15 years.

Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.

Volleyball

Class A No. 9 Grand Haven swept Muskegon Mona Shores to claim a 10th straight District championship – Grand Haven Tribune

Class B No. 6 Battle Creek Harper Creek downed Marshall for a fourth straight District title – Battle Creek Enquirer

Calumet, an honorable mention in Class C, swept Ironwood for a fifth straight District title – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Centreville won its first District championship since 1995, downing Decatur in three sets in Class C – Sturgis Journal

Coleman edged Beal City 3-2 in Class C to win its first District title since 2001 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Also in Class C, Morley Stanwood won its fourth straight District title, downing Lakeview – Big Rapids News

In Class D, Portland St. Patrick won its first District title since 1991 with a four-set victory over Merrill – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

Good Reads

St. Joseph tennis player Ahmeir Kyle finished off an impressive run through the boys Lower Peninsula Division 2 Finals last month, winning the No. 2 singles title to become what's believed to be the first girl to win an individual flight in an MHSAA boys tennis championship tournament. Second Half covered the victory at the time, and both the St. Joseph Herald-Palladium and Kalamazoo Gazette featured the Bears standout this week – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium, Kalamazoo Gazette