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: 3/3/16

March 3, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

It’s impossible for a sports fan to not love this time of year. Why? See some of our most exciting headlines from Wednesday’s action.

Girls Basketball

Saugatuck’s Maddie Stewart scored off her own intentional free-throw miss with 1.9 seconds left in the first overtime, and her team came through again in the second to edge Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian 43-42 in Class C – Holland Sentinel

Fruitport Calvary Christian junior Allyson Richards crossed 1,500 career points in her team’s Class D win over Walker Academy of Environmental Sciences – Grand Haven Tribune

Flint Powers Catholic won an annual Class B battle of area powers, downing Goodrich 62-49 – Flint Journal

Saginaw Swan Valley won its first District game in a decade, upsetting Birch Run 54-47 – Saginaw News

Freshman Maizie Taylor scored the game-winner with fewer than 10 seconds to play to lead Midland Dow past rival Midland 49-48 in Class A – Saginaw News

Class A favorite Southfield-Lathrup put up one of its most impressive wins this season, 60-40 over Detroit Renaissance – Oakland Press

Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart is arguably the favorite in Class D and proved why again with a 54-34 victory over 19-win Big Rapids Crossroads Academy – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

In another upset that shook Class A, Lansing Waverly downed DeWitt 48-43 – Lansing State Journal

Another upset in Class A was only slight, as Ann Arbor Huron handed Dexter only its second loss, 40-27 – Ann Arbor News

Ice Hockey

Chelsea needed an overtime goal after giving up a pair of scores in the third period to get past Jackson Lumen Christi and advance in a Division 3 Regional – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Gibraltar Carlson scored with 17.7 seconds left to get past Temperance Bedford 3-2; Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central got six goals from Jake Willets, who went over 50 for the season in a win over New Boston Huron – Monroe Evening News