Today in the MHSAA: 3/17/16
March 17, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The final week of this boys basketball season will feature some of the unexpected and unfamiliar as favorites fell and teams earned Regional titles for the first time in decades Wednesday.
Boys Basketball
In a rematch of last season’s Class A Semifinal, Detroit U-D Jesuit came away the winner this time with a 47-39 win over reigning champion Detroit Western International – Detroit News
In Class C, Kalamazoo Hackett won its first Regional since 1969, downing Homer 66-48 – Kalamazoo Gazette
Ithaca had an even longer wait in Class C, claiming its first Regional on Wednesday since 1956 with a win over Reese – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
North Farmington ended another long wait, claiming its first Regional title with a win over Walled Lake Central in Class A – Oakland Press
Flint Beecher is one of the regulars that will be back next week after a big 78-65 win over Southfield Christian – Flint Journal
Hudsonville is in and Muskegon is out after a 44-40 win by the Eagles in Class A – Grand Rapids Press
Lansing Everett handed East Lansing its first and only loss of the season, upsetting the Trojans in Class A – Lansing State Journal
Sterling Heights Stevenson has its first Regional title since 1983 after downing Roseville 60-44 in Class A – Macomb Daily
Midland won its first Regional since 1979 by edging Saginaw in Class A, 60-56 – Midland Daily News
River Rouge handed Onsted its first and only loss to win a Regional for the first time since 1999 in Class B – MLive-Detroit
Today in the MHSAA: 1/11/16
January 11, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The first full sports weekend of 2016 included notable performances in a number of sports, highlighted by one of the top swimming and diving meets of the regular season.
Girls Basketball
Ithaca girls basketball coach Bob Anderson earned his 700th win as his team beat Carrollton 66-40; he’s coached both girls and boys teams to success over 27 seasons – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Durand handed Goodrich its first league loss in seven years while staying undefeated this season in the Genesee Area Conference Red – Flint Journal
DeWitt remained undefeated at 8-0 after handing Lansing Waverly its first loss this season in a matchup of two of the Lansing area’s top teams – Lansing State Journal
St. Joseph moved to 6-1 with a 72-35 win over Benton Harbor, a semifinalist in Class B last season – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
Saranac was missing its leading scorer, but still managed to get past annual Class D power Portland St. Patrick 41-33 – Ionia Sentinel-Standard
Boys Basketball
Okemos handed Holt its first loss this season and won its first game on the Rams’ home court since 2010 – Lansing State Journal
Ice Hockey
Portage Central earned a win that could boost it into the state rankings, downing Division 1 No. 10 East Kentwood 2-1 on Saturday in Muskegon – Kalamazoo Gazette
Boys Swimming & Diving
Division 2 No. 1 Dexter scored 409 points to beat No. 4 Warren DeLaSalle by 33 at the annual Spartan Invitational at Battle Creek Lakeview, with the field also including reigning champion Birmingham Seaholm and Division 1 contender Ann Arbor Skyline – Battle Creek Enquirer
Lower Peninsula Division 1 honorable mention Grand Rapids Forest Hills defeated a field that included LPD2 No. 6 Midland Dow at the Forest Hills Invitational – Midland Daily News
Wrestling
Unranked Westland John Glenn got past Division 1 No. 9 New Baltimore Anchor Bay to win the Michigan Duals at Bay City Western over a field that also included No. 8 Western and Division 3 No. 5 Remus Chippewa Hills – Mlive-Detroit
Division 2 No. 9 Sparta won the Dave Dunneback Tournament with 247 points, ahead of Lake Odessa Lakewood, Belding and Division 3 No. 6 Grand Rapids Catholic Central – Grand Rapids Press
Football
Mike McDowell returned four seasons ago for his second stint coaching Morenci and led the program to its best finishes in nearly two decades. He recently resigned – Adrian Daily Telegram
Good Reads
Longtime coach Keith Haske remains cancer-free after fighting Stage 4 throat cancer only a year ago – and he’s added significantly to his day, becoming the girls basketball coach in addition to leading the boys program at Traverse City St. Francis. The Record-Eagle’s Brett Sommers documented a typical Haske day – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Carleton Airport senior Jessica Book is her school’s Homecoming Queen this year – and a cheerleader – and a wrestler – and plans to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps and defuse bombs – Monroe Evening News