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: 1/5/16

January 5, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Winter sports return in force with a full slate of events statewide tonight, but here are a few headlines of note as we get rolling – plus two great reads from the wrestling world.

Boys Basketball

Ishpeming in recent seasons has scheduled its first basketball games later than other teams to offset the football team’s four straight runs to the MHSAA Finals at Ford Field – but the Hematites were one of the first to play in 2016 and came away with a 74-72 win over Gladstone to move to 2-0 – Marquette Mining Journal

Girls Bowling

From Sunday, two-time reigning Division 2 champion Flint Kearsley got past 2015 Division 1 finalist Jackson to win the Lila Jean Furnish Classic in Owosso, which included a number of the state’s top teams – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Good Reads

When Clinton wrestler Nick Rolland was 3, his parents were told to say their good-byes after he was pulled from under a running lawn mower. But doctors were able to save his life, and then his leg, and this weekend he’ll wrestle for his 100th career win – Adrian Daily Telegram

Hastings wrestling coach Mike Goggins started out as an athlete for the Saxons, later coached at the middle school and now also is the high school athletic director – and owner of more than 400 varsity coaching wins after reaching that milestone during the Montrose Invitational on Dec. 29 – Grand Rapids Press