Today In The MHSAA: 3/24/21

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

March 24, 2021

The final week of hockey and first week of boys basketball playoffs began Tuesday, as the first four ice rink contenders earned trips to USA Hockey Area in Division 2 Quarterfinals – with a matchup of the top two ranked teams one of the highlights of the season so far.

1. Hockey: Top-ranked Byron Center downed No. 2 Hartland 2-1 to advance to the Division 2 Semifinals – FOX 17

2. Hockey: No. 10 Trenton earned its fourth-straight trip to the Semifinals with a 3-1 win over No. 5 Novi in Division 2 – Southgate News-Herald

3. Hockey: For the second-straight season No. 6 Marquette downed No. 9 Traverse City Central in a Division 2 Quarterfinal, this time 1-0 – Up North Live

4. Hockey: No. 3 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice advanced in Division 2 with a 6-0 win over No. 8 Port Huron Northern – Oakland Press

5. Boys Basketball: Tugg Nichols’ last-second 3-pointer gave Montague another close win over Muskegon Oakridge, this time 66-63 in a Division 3 District opener – Local Sports Journal

6. Boys Basketball: After two losses to Battle Creek Lakeview over the last week, Battle Creek Central won a third matchup 44-39 in a Division 1 District opener – Battle Creek Enquirer

7. Boys Basketball: Brennan Parachek’s 3-pointer at the buzzer took Dexter past Brighton 52-49 in Division 1 – Chelsea Sun Times News

8. Boys Basketball: Bronson got past White Pigeon 57-54 in overtime in Division 3 – Coldwater Daily Reporter

9. Boys Basketball: Cass City also won in overtime in Division 3, 48-43 over Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker – Huron Daily Tribune

10. Boys Basketball: Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central scored during the final seconds to get past Rockford 52-51 in Division 1 – FOX 17

Today In The MHSAA: 4/20/21

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

April 20, 2021

Soccer, softball and baseball provided the stars as teams across the state braved cooler temperatures of an April spring sports Monday.

1. Girls Soccer: Boyne City ran its shutout streak to three with a 3-0 win over Traverse City St. Francis – Petoskey News-Review

2. Softball: Bailey Belinger hit a home run and threw a five-inning no-hitter during a sweep of Mason County Central – Local Sports Journal

3. Baseball: Division 1 No. 17 Grand Blanc swept Bay City Western in a matchup of Saginaw Valley League contenders – WJRT

4. Softball: Rapid River improved to 14-2 with a sweep of Bark River-Harris – Escanaba Daily Press

5. Baseball: Division 4 No. 4 Beal City improved to 7-0 with a sweep of Fowler – MI Sports Now

6. Baseball: Reed City launched three home runs in an 8-2 win over Cadillac – Big Rapids News

7. Girls Soccer: Utica’s first goal came 19 seconds into an eventual 5-1 win over Clinton Township Chippewa Valley – Macomb Daily

8. Baseball: Bear Lake pitchers dominated in a win and tie against Mesick – Manistee News Advocate

9. Softball: Bloomfield Hills earned its first wins of the spring with a sweep of Birmingham Seaholm – Oakland Press

10. Track & Field: Ludington swept Muskegon Orchard View in girls and boys duals – Ludington Daily News

Also of note …

Baseball: Flat Rock was scheduled to close its schools today in honor of teacher and coach Chris Elliott, who died Monday and in 2001 led the baseball team to the Division 3 title – Southgate News-Herald