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: 2/21/19

February 21, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A championship capper to an incredible turnaround season and a bowling title sweep topped a highlight-filled Wednesday across the state.

1. Boys Basketball: Carleton Airport downed Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 69-59 to claim a share of the Huron League title, its first since 2001 and after going 2-19 overall last season – Monroe News

2. Bowling: Muskegon Oakridge’s girls and boys teams both claimed outright league championships at the Coastal Conference finale – Local Sports Journal

3. Boys Basketball: Harbor Beach, with an assist from Marlette, closed out the Greater Thumb Conference East championship with a win over Capac – Huron Daily Tribune

4. Boys Basketball: Petoskey got past Alpena 64-52 to clinch a share of the Big North Conference championship – Petoskey News-Review

5. Boys Basketball: Muskegon Heights downed Muskegon Western Michigan Christian 71-46 to clinch the Lakes 8 Conference title – Local Sports Journal

6. Competitive Cheer: Muskegon Mona Shores won its 10th straight Greater Muskegon Athletic Association championship – Muskegon Chronicle

7. Girls Basketball: Dearborn Divine Child avenged two losses this season by taking the third meeting with Farmington Hills Mercy 54-43 in the Detroit Catholic League A-B semifinals – State Champs!

8. Bowling: The Division 2 No. 4 Coldwater boys finished with a share of the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference title after falling to Jackson Northwest – Coldwater Daily Reporter

9. Girls Basketball: Natalie Dunn became the third Holland West Ottawa player to go over 1,000 career points with 20 in a win over Grandville – Holland Sentinel

10. Boys Basketball: Romeo Weems led New Haven to a 74-58 win over Detroit Edison with a quadruple-double – 34 points, 12 rebounds, 10 steals and 10 blocks – Detroit News

Also of note …

Basketball: From Tuesday, Otsego’s Mattison Rayman and Climax-Scotts’ Cole Eshuis both eclipsed 1,000 career points in wins – Kalamazoo Gazette