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: 1/11/19

January 11, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Thursday was dominated by major matchups in the pool in Lower Peninsula Divisions 1 and 3, plus a milestone coaching victory on the wrestling mat.

1. Boys Swimming & Diving: LPD3 No. 2 East Grand Rapids – last season’s MHSAA Finals runner-up – edged current No. 1 and reigning champion Holland Christian 105-80 – Holland Sentinel

2. Boys Swimming & Diving: In another matchup of two of the state’s best, LPD1 No. 5 Ann Arbor Pioneer downed No. 7 Saline 110-76 – We Love Ann Arbor

3. Wrestling: Division 1 No. 10 Macomb Dakota downed New Baltimore Anchor Bay in a matchup of Macomb Area Conference Red powers, after Anchor Bay coach Jim Morisette earned his 700th win earlier in the night against Clinton Township Chippewa Valley – Macomb Daily

4. Girls Basketball: Manchester improved to 6-1 by handing Hanover-Horton its first defeat, 53-37 – Jackson Citizen Patriot

5. Boys Swimming & Diving: Grand Haven ended a long losing streak to Rockford with a 74-point win in a matchup of LPD1 honorable mentions – Grand Haven Tribune

6. Hockey: Division 3 No. 8 Alpena downed Division 2 No. 15 Grand Rapids Christian 5-2 to highlight first-day action at the North/South Showcase in Traverse City – WPBN

7. Boys Basketball: Montague handed Muskegon Western Michigan Christian its first defeat, 47-42 – Local Sports Journal

8. Skiing: Harbor Springs’ girls opened the season with a sweep of both events at the Lake Michigan Conference race – Petoskey News-Review

9. Girls Basketball: Comstock downed Olivet 66-42 with Daisy Ansel scoring 37 points – JoeInsider.com

10. Girls Basketball: Iron River West Iron County followed up Tuesday’s big win over Negaunee with a 49-48 nail-biter over Menominee – The Upbeat