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: 4/20/17

April 20, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A few track & field school records were broken across the middle of the Lower Peninsula over the last few days, but pay special attention to a pair of stories of courage in our “Good Reads” section at the bottom of this report.

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

From Monday, Portage Northern downed reigning Division 1 champion and top-ranked Warren DeLaSalle 12-2 – Kalamazoo Gazette

Track & Field

Midland Bullock Creek sophomore sprinter Samantha Chew broke a school record and tied another in her team’s double-dual sweep of Saginaw Swan Valley and Chesaning – Midland Daily News

From Tuesday, Shepherd’s girls swept Alma and Standish-Sterling as Amber Gall broke a school record held since 1980 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Good Reads

Noah Kole finished third in Gaylord St. Mary’s golf match Tuesday – two months after not being able to walk while fighting for his life – Gaylord Herald-Times

Ashley Danilowicz is a top hitter and outfielder for a Saginaw Swan Valley team considered one of the best in the state. And she’s playing this season motivated by the memories of her dad Jim, who died in November in a car crash – Saginaw News