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: 11/5/19

November 5, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

District play began across the state Monday for many of more than 700 volleyball teams, and we gathered some of the most notable headlines from vast coverage on both peninsulas.

1. Volleyball: Honorable mention Lake Orion upset No. 6 Clarkston in four sets to open Division 1 District play – Oakland Press

2. Volleyball: Howell swept Lakes Valley Conference champion South Lyon East to kick off Division 1 District play – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

3. Volleyball: Midland Dow came back after losing the first set to win the next three against Bay City Western in Division 1 – Midland Daily News

4. Volleyball: Hillsdale Academy came back after losing the first set to win the next three against Pittsford, avenging District losses to the Wildcats the last two years in Division 4 – Hillsdale Daily News

5. Volleyball: Division 1 top-ranked Farmington Hills Mercy opened the postseason with a sweep of Livonia Stevenson – Observer & Eccentric

6. Volleyball: No. 4 Hamilton began Division 2 District play with a sweep of Hudsonville Unity Christian – Holland Sentinel

7. Volleyball: No. 6 Kingsley opened Division 2 District play with a sweep of Boyne City – Up North Live

8. Volleyball: Honorable mention Carney-Nadeau opened Division 4 District play with a sweep of Powers North Central – Escanaba Daily Press

9. Volleyball: Johannesburg-Lewiston swept Harbor Springs to open its Division 3 District – Petoskey News-Review

10. Volleyball: Mt. Morris downed Division 2 honorable mention Corunna in five sets in a District opener – Owosso Argus-Press

Also of note …

Football: Oxford coach Bud Rowley retired with 264 wins over 43 seasons – State Champs Sports Network