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: 2/25/16

February 25, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

There’s a group of athletes in Michigan welcoming the snow storm sweeping the Lower Peninsula over the last 24 hours – skiers competing for league championships who have been some of the few in action over the last two days.

Boys Basketball

Ludington earned one of its most impressive victories this season, pushing through overtime to get past Muskegon Heights Academy 61-57 – Muskegon Chronicle

Warren DeLaSalle came back from three points down with 34 seconds to play to edge Detroit Loyola 53-52 in a Detroit Catholic League A-B semifinal – Detroit News

Skiing

The Elk Rapids/Traverse City St. Francis boys and Harbor Springs girls won Lake Michigan Conference championships at Boyne Highlands – Traverse City Record-Eagle

From Tuesday, The Bloomfield Hills Marian girls and Rochester Adams boys got a final tune up for Monday’s Finals by winning the Southeast Michigan Ski League meets at Mt. Holly – Oakland Press

Football

One of the winningest football coaches in MHSAA history will be back this fall – former Utica Eisenhower leader Bob Lantzy is taking over at Rochester Hills Stoney Creek – Oakland Press

Good Reads

A group of seniors who have gone to school together since kindergarten are in position to lead Gobles to its third straight perfect basketball regular season – Kalamazoo Gazette

When losing basketball became the ultimatum for Grand Rapids Wellspring’s DonKiece George, he became the student now putting up a 3.4 grade-point average and staying out of the principal’s office – Grand Rapids Press