Today in the MHSAA: 3/14/16

March 14, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The MHSAA Gymnastics, Hockey and Boys Swimming and Diving seasons closed this weekend with seven team and multiple individual champions honored, and the boys basketball postseason finished its first week with a number of communities celebrating for the first time in a long time.

Boys Basketball

Battle Creek Central claimed its first District title since 2008, downing Kalamazoo Loy Norrix in a Class A Final – Battle Creek Enquirer

Lowell claimed its first District title since 1984 with a Class A win – Grand Rapids Press

Dylan Carl went over 1,000 points for his career as Alma downed Ovid-Elsie in a Class B Final – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Kingsford upset Great Northern Conference champion Menominee to claim a Class B title – Iron Mountain Daily News

In Class C, Hanover-Horton won its 15th straight District championship – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Ishpeming Westwood pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the week, downing rival Ishpeming in a Class C Final – Marquette Mining Journal

Niles Brandywine earned its first District title since 2001 with a Class C win – Niles Daily Star

Rock Mid-Peninsula claimed its first District title in two decades with a Class D victory – Escanaba Daily Press

Pickford also picked up a first District title in decades, beating Brimley to win for the first time since 1992 – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

Gymnastics

Despite losing senior standout Madi Myers to an injury midway through the meet, Rockford/Sparta repeated as MHSAA champion after finishing with a strong rotation on beam – Second Half

Grand Ledge’s Rachel Hogan followed three top-10 finishes to end her high school career as the Division 1 individual champion Saturday – Second Half

Ice Hockey

Detroit Catholic Central extended its Division 1 title streak to three under a third coach – Second Half

Romeo added a hockey championship to its fall football title, winning Division 2 for the first time – Second Half

Hancock won its first MHSAA title since 1999 finishing an impressive run with a Division 3 clincher over Grand Rapids Catholic Central – Second Half

Boys Swimming & Diving

Birmingham Brother Rice claimed its third straight Lower Peninsula Division 1 championship, outracing the field by 77 points – Second Half

Dexter built an early lead and won LP Division 2 for the second time in five seasons – Second Half

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood also won a third straight title, claiming LP Division 3 ahead of East Grand Rapids – Second Half

Today in the MHSAA: 12/10/19

December 10, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Boys basketball season opened Monday across the state and produced a number of highlights – topped by a meeting between teams that finished last season at the Breslin Center.

1. Boys Basketball: In the night’s most power-packed opener, returning Division 2 runner-up River Rouge downed reigning Division 1 champion Ypsilanti Lincoln 63-53 – Detroit News

2. Boys Basketball: Joseph Kimmerer broke Hale’s school scoring record that had stood since 1992 in leading his team to a 67-57 win over Rogers City – Alpena News

3. Boys Basketball: Brady Hunter scored his 1,000th career point as Gaylord St. Mary got past Lake Leelanau St. Mary 78-71 – Gaylord Herald Times

4. Girls Basketball: Howell went on the road and handed Midland Dow its first loss, 57-46 – Midland Daily News

5. Hockey: Portage Central won a high-scoring rematch for the “Canoe” downing Portage Northern 9-5 – WWMT

6. Girls Basketball: Bay City John Glenn won a matchup of annually-strong area programs, 50-39 over Bay City Western – Bay City Times

7. Girls Basketball: Gwinn took Bark River-Harris to a second overtime before emerging with a 61-58 win – The Upbeat

8. Boys Basketball: Pellston’s Blake Cassidy had one of the highest-scoring opening nights with 37 points in his team’s 74-46 win over Mackinaw City – Petoskey News-Review

9. Girls Basketball: Morrice edged Lansing Christian 45-44 in overtime thanks in part to five Olivia Riley 3-pointers – Owosso Argus-Press

10. Boys Basketball: Midland Bullock Creek had 20 steals to lock down Gladwin in a season opener 56-26 – Midland Daily News

Also of note …

Boys Swimming & Diving: From Saturday, Ann Arbor Pioneer – No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – was first and LPD2 honorable mention Battle Creek Lakeview second at the 74th Cereal Bowl Relays – We Love Ann Arbor