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: 1/13/17

January 13, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

For the second straight day, we’ve seen news of a resignation of a successful football coach. Scroll to the bottom of today’s report to find out two more who are leaving the sideline.

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. 

Boys Basketball

Hart came back from nine down in the first quarter to get past Shelby 49-43 in double overtime – Muskegon Chronicle

Brimley moved into a first-place tie in the Eastern U.P. Conference by handing previous lone leader Cedarville its first league loss, 60-57 in overtime – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

Big Rapids Crossroads handed Baldwin its first loss of the season, 53-51 – Big Rapids News

Buckley remained in a tie for first in the Northwest Conference, knocking Maple City Glen Lake into second with a 78-39 win – Cadillac News

Girls Basketball

Port Huron Northern continued a tough run through the Macomb Area Conference Red, this time with a 35-30 win over Grosse Pointe North – Clinton Township Voice

Boys Swimming & Diving

Lower Peninsula Division 1 No. 3 Holland West Ottawa continued to shine with a 186-121 win over honorable mention Grand Haven – Grand Haven Tribune

Football

Lake Orion’s Chris Bell, now the school’s athletic director, ended his coaching tenure at 19 seasons and promoted assistant John Blackstock to take his place – Oakland Press

Mason's Jerry VanHavel will join the staff at Division III Mount Union after 26 seasons and 169 wins with the Bulldogs –  Lansing State Journal