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: 4/27/16

April 27, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A southwest Michigan pitcher threw a second straight no-hitter Tuesday, but balls were flying out of the park in that corner of the state’s softball diamonds.

Baseball

Morley Stanwood came back from six runs down to beat Holton and stay atop its division in the Central State Activities Association – Big Rapids News

Maple City Glen Lake improved to 11-1 with a sweep of Frankfort including a walk-off bunt in the second game – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Coldwater’s Nick Shaw threw his second straight no-hitter, this time against Parma Western – Coldwater Daily News

Zeeland East’s Ben Martin struck out nine in a five-inning no-hitter against Muskegon – Holland Sentinel

Softball

Utica Eisenhower handed Utica Ford its first loss this season in a bit of a surprise given last year's results – Macomb Daily

Three Rivers won the first game 15-5 and Sturgis the second 18-11, and together they hit nine home runs over the doubleheader – Sturgis Journal

Stevensville Lakeshore and St. Joseph combined for three grand slams during their doubleheader – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

From Saturday, Escanaba’s Katie Ross threw a no-hitter to beat Norway in the title game of the inaugural Yooper Tournament at Gladstone – Iron Mountain Daily News

Track & Field

The Cadillac girls picked up two more Big North Conference wins over Traverse City West and Gaylord after beating Traverse City Central last week for the first time in program history – Cadillac News

Grand Haven freshman Gabby Hentemann is quickly making a name for herself after adding her school’s freshman records in the 1,600 and 800 to her previous 3,200 record in a loss to Hudsonville; all three times are second-fastest in school history regardless of class – Grand Haven Tribune