Today in the MHSAA: 3/7/19

March 7, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The final eight semifinalists in boys hockey booked their trips to USA Hockey Arena with Quarterfinal wins Wednesday, while Girls Basketball Districts roared on with the first champion of the week crowned.

1. Hockey: No. 11 Traverse City Bay Reps earned its first trip to the Semifinals with a 4-3 overtime win over No. 7 Byron Center in a Division 1 Quarterfinal – WPBN

2. Hockey: No. 5 Rochester United also will play in its first Division 1 Semifinal after a 4-3 win over No. 3 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s – Oakland Press

3. Hockey: No. 6 Detroit Country Day downed top-ranked Detroit U-D Jesuit 6-1 to return to the Division 3 Semifinals – MI Hockey Hub

4. Hockey: No. 1 Detroit Catholic Central edged No. 6 Salem 1-0 to earn a return trip to the Division 1 Semifinals – Observer & Eccentric

5. Girls Basketball: Frankfort locked up a Division 4 District title with a 50-36 win over Bear Lake – MI Sports Now

6. Hockey: Riverview Gabriel Richard earned a trip to the Division 3 Semifinals with a 4-3 overtime win over Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard/Greenhills – Southgate News-Herald

7. Hockey: No. 2 Saginaw Heritage got past No. 14 Capital City 5-2 to book its return to the Division 1 Semifinals – WJRT

8. Girls Basketball: Elk Rapids’ 3-pointer with six seconds to play pushed it past Manton 46-45 in Division 3 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

9. Hockey: No. 5 Houghton scored three third-period goals to down No. 9 Alpena 4-1 in Division 3 – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

10. Hockey: No. 11 East Grand Rapids downed Big Rapids 6-0 to advance in Division 3 – WOOD TV

Also of note …

Girls Basketball: Rachel Allen scored her 1,000th career point as Mason County Central moved on in Division 3 with a 51-36 win over Shelby – Ludington Daily News

From High School to Olympic Swimming

July 11, 2012

Fans of U.S. Swimming already have plenty of reasons to cheer for Missy Franklin later this month at the Summer Olympics -- she's only 17, but qualified to compete in a U.S. women's all-time best seven events.

But fans of high school sports and what they provide athletes at all levels of ability can also support her for how she's chosen to compete when she's not racing against the best in the world.

Franklin, who lives in Colorado, has continued to swim for her high school team despite the financial rewards she could've earned by taking the elite swimmer's usual path of going pro.

A ton has been written about Franklin lately, for obvious reasons. Below is a link to a New York Times story from February that focused on her continued dedication to her high school team.

Before the Olympic Trials, There’s This Big High School Meet (New York Times)