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: 1/28/16

January 28, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The number 300 has been significant for at least two competitors this week, and Wednesday’s action also included some of the state's best wrestling matchups this season and a league champion crowned for the first time in more than 30 years.

Boys Basketball

Standish-Sterling handed Beaverton its first regular-season loss since 2013-14, 53-51 – Saginaw News

Suttons Bay got past Benzonia Benzie Central on Thomas Hursey’s 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds to play – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Girls Basketball

From Tuesday, Norway gave Stephenson the latter’s first loss this season, 71-57 – Iron Mountain Daily News

Bowling

Also from Tuesday, Ada Forest Hills Eastern 14-year-old freshman Nick Slagter rolled his first 300 game – Grand Rapids Press

Competitive Cheer

Sterling Heights Stevenson scored 780.44 points to best Warren Cousino by more than 10 to win the Macomb Area Conference Red meet – Macomb Daily

Perennial Division 3 power Richmond is back among the elite and won its Blue Water Area Conference jamboree by nearly 30 points with a total of 768.28 – Port Huron Times Herald

Ice Hockey

Traverse City Central shut out rival Traverse City West for the second time this season, this time 3-0 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s scored twice over the final three minutes to earn a comeback 2-1 win over rival Birmingham Brother Rice – Oakland Press

Wrestling

Three Rivers earned coach Pete Bachinski his 300th win, a 60-18 victory over Vicksburg; Bachinski began his coaching career in 1995 – Kalamazoo Gazette

Hartland won the rematch of last season’s Division 1 Final, this time defeating reigning champion Brighton 46-16 – Livingston Daily

Top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central also dominated a match of Division 1 powers, taking down Oxford 46-17 – Oakland Press

Chesaning won its first league wrestling championship since 1982, claiming the Tri-Valley Conference Central title with a 60-15 win over Midland Bullock Creek – Saginaw News

Goodrich senior Nathan Ellis won his 150th career match during his team’s wins over Durand and Mount Morris – Flint Journal