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: 12/8/16

December 8, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Wrestling season started Wednesday with matches all over the state, including the first of the 50th season for a highly-respected coach.

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

Oak Park freshman Malik Carr had 18 points and 16 rebounds off the bench in a 78-61 win over St. Clair Shores South Lake – Detroit News

From Tuesday, Munising’s Alec Blank sank two free throws with a second remaining to give his team a 59-57 win over Gwinn – Marquette Mining Journal

Girls Basketball

Bath downed Pewamo-Westphalia 48-36 in a key early-season Central Michigan Athletic Conference matchup – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

From Tuesday, Scottville Mason County Central earned an impressive 42-41 win over Fruitport Calvary Christian – Ludington Daily News

Also from Tuesday, Taylor Gauthier drilled two free throws with 20 seconds left to give Escanaba a 38-37 win over Negaunee – Escanaba Daily Press

Hockey

Mount Pleasant downed Midland for the first time in program history, 3-2 with three goals in the third period – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

With only nine skaters and one goalie available, Marysville got past Bloomfield Hills 3-0 – Clinton Township Voice

From Tuesday, Houghton scored five third-period goals to down Kingsford 9-3 – Iron Mountain Daily News

Boys Swimming & Diving

Okemos won the Waverly Relays, breaking a 15-year-old meet record in the 400-yard individual medley relay – Lansing State Journal

Wrestling

Whitehall, 26-2 last season, opened this winter with a 41-22 victory over Grand Haven – Muskegon Chronicle

Marysville kept the Blue Water Belt with wins over Algonac and Port Huron – Port Huron Times Herald

Midland celebrated its 50th season of wrestling with wins over Bay City Central and Saginaw Heritage – Midland Daily News

Good Reads

Battle Creek Harper Creek kicked off the season with a quad, but the story was the start of the 50th season for coach Dave Studer – Battle Creek Enquirer

The Macomb County basketball community is mourning the death of Tannisha Stevens, who scored more than 2,000 points starring for Mount Clemens from 1988-91 – Macomb Daily