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: 4/10/18

April 10, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

1. Girls Soccer: Kayla Gacioch had two goals and an assist to lead Livonia Stevenson past rival Livonia Churchill 4-0 – Observer & Eccentric

2. Baseball: Grosse Pointe South was outhit by Detroit U-D Jesuit but prevailed over the Cubs 7-4 – Detroit News

3. Girls Soccer: St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic downed rival St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran 2-1 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

4. Softball: Pinckney relief pitcher Hannah Fuhr had 15 strikeouts over a two-game sweep of Ypsilanti – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

5. Volleyball: Adrian Madison coach Dawn Opsal has stepped down with a 607-264-84 record since taking over the program two decades ago – Adrian Daily Telegram

6. Volleyball: Battle Creek Harper Creek coach Terra King was named a recipient of a Sports 40 Under 40 Award by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association and Coach & Athletic Director magazine – Battle Creek Enquirer

7. Girls Basketball: Longtime Grand Rapids-area coach Jimmy Carter retired from East Kentwood at the end of March, and former Ottawa Hills standout Eric Large has been hired to replace him – Grand Rapids Press