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: 1/10/19

January 10, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

We kick off today’s list of Wednesday’s headliners with a pair of impressive girls basketball wins and a perfect game on the bowling lanes, and check out as well "The Official Report" featuring MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl.

1. Girls Basketball: Detroit Martin Luther King moved to 8-0 by edging rival Cass Tech 56-53 in overtime – Detroit News

2. Girls Basketball: Saginaw Heritage won its eighth straight over Flint Carman-Ainsworth, but it was hardly a cinch as the Hawks held on for a 46-41 win – Saginaw News

3. Bowling: Dallas Casey rolled the first perfect game in Saline history to lead his team to a 29-1 win over Pinckney – Saline Post

4. Boys Basketball: Maple City Glen Lake downed Northwest Conference co-leader Frankfort 66-41 to take an upper hand in the standings – Traverse City Record-Eagle

5. Wrestling: Stevensville Lakeshore won the final six matches to break away from St. Joseph 42-19 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

6. Girls Basketball: Manton downed first-place McBain 52-39 in Highland Conference play to take over the league’s top spot – MI Sports Now

7. Hockey: Division 1 No. 6 Farmington United improved to 10-2-1 with a 7-2 win over Bloomfield Hills – Observer & Eccentric

8. Boys Basketball: Gwinn needed just about every second of double overtime but downed Houghton 77-76 – The Upbeat

9. Wrestling: Division 2 No. 9 Tecumseh downed Adrian and Ypsilanti Community in Southeastern Conference White matches – Adrian Daily Telegram

10. Wrestling: Division 4 No. 1 Hudson shut out Brooklyn Columbia Central and nearly did the same to Hillsdale in the Lenawee County Athletic Association – Adrian Daily Telegram

Also of note ...

Officiating: The MHSAA's Mark Uyl, formerly the coordinator of officials before taking over as executive director, discusses officiating. He also has served as one of the most highly-regarded college baseball umpires in the nation –  The Official Report