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: 4/28/16

April 28, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

An epic finish by a past MHSAA Finals star highlighted a day of records and rematches across Michigan on Wednesday.  

Baseball

Hartland’s John Baker drilled a walk-off home run to lead the reigning Division 1 champion past rival Brighton in 18 innings; he also threw the final 10 innings for the Eagles – Livingston Daily

In his second career pitching start, Walled Lake Central’s Pierson Hoy no-hit Waterford Mott 2-0 – Oakland Press

Girls Soccer

In just two seasons, Birch Run junior keeper Kalyn Breckenridge has tied her school’s career shutouts record of 36, which also will place her on the MHSAA career list – Saginaw News

Boys Tennis

In a rematch of last season’s Upper Peninsula Division 2 co-champions, Ishpeming Westwood downed Iron Mountain 5-3 – Iron Mountain Daily News

Track & Field

From last week, East Grand Rapids’ Niki Ezeh broke her school’s shot put record set in 1981 with a toss of 40 feet, 9 inches, and also won the 100 and 200 and anchored the 400 relay winner against Grand Rapids Christian – Grand Rapids Press

Good Read

Muskegon Orchard View baseball coach Ed Macheta was diagnosed last summer with Parkinson’s disease, but he’s hoping coaching will help him stay active and minimize the early effects – Muskegon Chronicle