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: 6/14/17

June 14, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

After one of the most momentous days of the 2016-17 school year, we tracked down coverage of nearly all 32 baseball and softball Quarterfinals and four soccer Semifinals – and be sure to check out as well the announcement that a longtime coach and official will receive the Medal of Honor.

Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.

Baseball

Division 1: Northville earned its first Semifinal berth since 1972 with a 9-5 win over Rochester – Observer & Eccentric

Division 1: Reigning runner-up Saline edged Holt 3-2 to return to the Semifinals – Saline Post

Division 1: Grand Haven continued its longest run ever with a 2-0 win over Saginaw Heritage – Grand Haven Tribune

Division 1: Reigning Division 3 champ Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett continued its run through Division 1 with a 6-0 win over Sterling Heights Stevenson – Detroit News

Division 2: Dearborn Divine Child will return to McLane Stadium for the second straight season thanks to a 6-2 win over Macomb Lutheran North – C&G Newspapers

Division 2: Stevensville Lakeshore rode a Quarterfinal shutout into the final weekend of the season – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Division 2: Chelsea scored all of its runs in the first inning and hung on to down Corunna 5-4 – Ann Arbor News

Division 2: Bay City John Glenn advanced to its second Semifinal with an 11-1 win over Sault Ste. Marie – Bay City Times

Division 3: Madison Heights Bishop Foley will return to the Semifinals after an 8-0 win over Riverview Gabriel Richard – Oakland Press

Division 3: Two pitchers combined on a no-hitter to get Traverse City St. Francis past Grand Rapids West Catholic – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Division 3: After a Quarterfinal loss last year, Schoolcraft returned and downed Homer 6-1 – Kalamazoo Gazette

Division 3: Caro won a pitchers dual 2-0 over Hemlock – Midland Daily News

Division 4: Gaylord St. Mary will play at MSU for the second straight season thanks to a win over Rudyard – Gaylord Herald Times

Division 4: Unionville-Sebewaing returned to the Quarterfinals after losing last season, but this time downed Royal Oak Shrine 4-3 – Huron Daily Tribune

Division 4: Portland St. Patrick shut down annual power Muskegon Catholic Central to return to the Semifinals – Lansing State Journal

Division 4: Hudson edged St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic 3-2 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Girls Soccer

Division 2: Top-ranked Bloomfield Hills Marian moved on to the Final with a 2-0 win over Linden – Oakland Press

Division 2: Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern remained undefeated with a 4-1 win over Holland Christian – Grand Rapids Press

Division 3: Flint Powers Catholic fended off one of its few tests this season, downing Macomb Lutheran North 2-1 – Flint Journal

Division 3: Freeland stunned three-time reigning champion Hudsonville Unity Christian 3-2 – Saginaw News

Softball

Division 1: Reigning runner-up Macomb Dakota got past Garden City 6-5 – Macomb Daily

Division 1: Clarkston scored the lone run in the seventh inning to down Walled Lake Northern – Oakland Press

Division 1: Grandville will play in a Semifinal for the first time since 1982 thanks to a win over Midland – Grand Rapids Press

Division 1: Mattawan also will return to the Semifinals thanks to a 9-4 win over Monroe – 13ABC

Division 2: Stevensville Lakeshore will make the trip back to the Semifinals after shutting down Spring Lake – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Division 2: Reigning champion Richmond got one step closer to playing for a repeat with a win over Dearborn Divine Child – Port Huron Times Herald

Division 2: Escanaba shut down Saginaw Swan Valley in a Quarterfinal for the second straight season – Saginaw News

Division 2: Ida downed Flint Powers Catholic 8-0 to earn a Semifinal berth – Flint Journal

Division 3: Shepherd’s Haley Peska threw a perfect game in her team’s win over Millington – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Division 3: Gladstone came back to down Grandville Calvin Christian 2-1 – Grand Rapids Press

Division 3: Napoleon downed Coloma 9-7 to make the Semifinals for the first time – Jackson Citizen Patriot

Division 3: Reigning champion Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central advanced, downing University Liggett 5-0 – 13ABC

Division 4: For the third time in four seasons, Kalamazoo Christian earned a Semifinal berth – Kalamazoo Gazette

Division 4: Coleman reached its first Semifinals since 2005 with a win over Holton – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Division 4: Top-ranked Indian River Inland Lakes secured its return to the Semifinals with an 11-1 win over Rogers City – Alpena News

Division 4: Ottawa Lake Whiteford pulled a win closer to playing for its first championship since 1987 by downing Unionville-Sebewaing 1-0 – Bay City Times

Good Read

Longtime Michigan high school coach and wrestling official James C. McCloughan will receive the Medal of Honor for risking his life on nine occasions to rescue wounded comrades while serving in Vietnam – USA Today