Today in the MHSAA: 3/20/19

March 20, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

This weekend’s Girls Basketball Semifinals will welcome back three reigning champions and a host of contenders new and old. We’ve linked to coverage of all 16 Tuesday Quarterfinals below and will preview all four divisions later today on Second Half.  

Division 1: Saginaw Heritage locked down Hartland with a 44-24 win – Saginaw News

Division 1: Muskegon sank the go-ahead basket with four seconds to play to get past DeWitt 53-51 – FOX 17

Division 1: Southfield Arts & Technology earned its second Semifinal trip in three seasons with a 62-36 win over St. Clair Shores Lakeview – Detroit News

Division 1: Wayne Memorial booked its Semifinal return with a 50-28 win over Temperance Bedford – Observer & Eccentric

Division 2: Unbeaten Hamilton earned its first Semifinal berth with a 63-34 win over Grand Rapids South Christian – Holland Sentinel

Division 2: Haslett continued its postseason surge edging one-loss Chelsea 46-44 – Lansing State Journal

Division 2: Freeland came back from a halftime deficit to down Cadillac 48-38 – Midland Daily News

Division 2: Reigning Class C champion Detroit Edison moved closer to playing for the Division 2 title with a 63-23 win over Goodrich – Flint Journal

Division 3: Lake City edged Ishpeming Westwood, coming back from nine down to win 50-46 – Cadillac News

Division 3: Pewamo-Westphalia will return to the Semifinals thanks to a 43-19 win over Niles Brandywine – Lansing State Journal

Division 3: Flint Hamady downed Royal Oak Shrine 56-34 to return to the Semifinals – Flint Journal

Division 3: Ypsilanti Arbor Prep is headed to the Semifinals for the fifth straight season after a 59-31 win over Adrian Madison – Ann Arbor News

Division 4: Reigning Class D champion Adrian Lenawee Christian earned a return trip to the Semifinals with a 59-32 win over Fruitport Calvary Christian – Adrian Daily Telegram

Division 4: Undefeated St. Ignace got past Baraga 76-45 to return to the Semifinals – MI Sports Now

Division 4: Fowler continued its playoff rise with a 48-34 win over Gaylord St. Mary – WPBN

Division 4: Kingston moved on to the Semifinals with a 40-27 win over Clarkston Everest Collegiate – WJRT

Also of note …

Girls Basketball: Detroit Edison’s Rickea Jackson was named this season’s Miss Basketball Award winner – MLive-Detroit

Football: Scott Barnhart stepped down as coach at Algonac after leading a major turnaround the last few seasons – Port Huron Times Herald

Today in the MHSAA: 1/20/16

January 20, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Buzzer beaters and milestone basketball victories made headlines all over Michigan today, and check out as well a moving video that tells of the importance of our national anthem.

Girls Basketball

Reigning Class C champion Calumet added another accomplishment to the long list with its first win over Houghton since 1999, 44-31 – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Three Rivers’ sophomore Arionne Fowlkes went baseline to baseline for a last-second layup to give her team a 43-41 win over Niles – Niles Daily Star

Class A favorite Saginaw Heritage remained undefeated with a 53-38 win over rival Midland Dow, also ranked in Class A – Saginaw News

One-loss St. Ignace handed Newberry its first defeat of the season, 64-57 – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

Cedar Springs also knocked a team from the unbeaten ranks, with Sam Taylor’s 3-pointer in the closing seconds ending Kent City’s perfect run, 50-47 – Grand Rapids Press

Muskegon edged East Kentwood 50-47 after trailing by 10 and on the strength of 26 points and 22 rebounds by senior Mardrekia Cook – Muskegon Chronicle

Boys Basketball

Despite being outscored 30-22 in the fourth quarter, Southfield Christian held on for an 82-79 win over Southfield – MLive-Detroit

Merrill earned its first win since 2013 by downing Coleman 49-36 – Midland Daily News

One-loss Alma handed previously-undefeated Ithaca its first, 56-53, as Dylan Carl hit 3-pointers to send the game to overtime and then win it – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Muskegon Oakridge’s Brady Luttrull drilled a 3-pointer during the final seconds to push his team past Scottville Mason County Central 67-66 – Muskegon Chronicle

Cassopolis followed a strong third quarter by Deoin Gatson to hand Niles Brandywine its first loss, 61-47 – Niles Daily Leader

One-loss Clarkston also handed out a first loss Tuesday, to Rochester Adams, in a matchup of top Class A teams – Oakland Press

Caleb Brown’s only basket for Northport was the game winner during the final seconds of a 51-49 victory over Central Lake – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Nate Dugener’s sixth 3-pointer of the game gave Muskegon Western Michigan Christian a 52-49 win over Holland Christian – Grand Haven Tribune

Boys Swimming & Diving

In a matchup of top teams on the west side of the Lower Peninsula, Division 1 No. 6 Zeeland got past Division 2 honorable mention Holland 104-73 – Holland Sentinel

Worth Watching

We ran across and were moved by Virginia Tech’s honoring of veterans at the start of this men’s basketball season. Check out this meaningful presentation and how it relates to providing proper respect during The Star-Spangled Banner.