Today in the MHSAA: 3/8/16

March 8, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The upsets were few, but the late-game heroics aplenty Monday during the first night of the MHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament.

Boys Basketball

After falling twice to its rival during the regular season, Traverse City West opened a 13-1 lead and downed Traverse City Central 55-52 in Class A – Traverse City Record-Eagle

South Lyon’s 3-pointer with fewer than two seconds to play gave it a 40-37 win over Brighton in Class A – Livingston Daily

Also in Class A, Bloomfield Hills took over in double overtime to get past Auburn Hills Avondale 65-56 – Oakland Press

Warren Woods-Tower emerged from a close matchup with St. Clair Shores Lake shore, 46-42, dropping Lakeshore’s final record to 17-4 – Macomb Daily

Noah Ingram made 10-pointers and scored 44 points total as Mount Pleasant downed Midland Dow 81-70 in Class A – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

In arguably the biggest matchup of opening night, reigning Class B champion Wyoming Godwin Heights downed Wayland 65-62 in a matchup of teams with a combined record of 34-5 – Grand Rapids Press

Freeland won a crossover of top Class B teams in the Tri-Valley Conference, 45-42 over Bridgeport – Saginaw News

Also in Class B, Marshall survived a last-second basket that forced overtime to get past Battle Creek Pennfield – 89-81 – Battle Creek Enquirer

Trey Newsham made 4 of 4 free-throw attempts during the final 14 seconds and went over 1,000 points for his career in Essexville Garber’s 60-59 Class B win over Bay City John Glenn – Bay City Times

Flint Beecher eliminated rival Flint Hamady in Class C for the 10th straight season, 68-62, in a matchup of teams that were a combined 34-4 – Flint Journal

In a Class C matchup of teams with a combined 32-10 record, Traverse City St. Francis got past Johannesburg-Lewiston 79-65 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Also in Class C, Hartford’s 3-pointer with 11 seconds left pushed the team past Kalamazoo Christian 46-45 in an upset of the formerly 17-2 Comets – Kalamazoo Gazette

Good Read

Last summer, the Kronemeyer family of Holland was forced to mourn the death of 18-year-old daughter Marissa, who had died in a car crash. But community and eventually Holland Calvary basketball have assisted as the family continues to cope – Holland Sentinel

Today in the MHSAA: 3/9/16

March 9, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

It’s tough to remember a night of MHSAA playoff action with more close finishes, as Tuesday included three one-goal hockey Regional Finals – including two that went to overtime – and a number of one-basket deciders in girls basketball.

Girls Basketball

Freshman Alyza Winston scored off a steal during the final seconds to give Muskegon Mona Shores a 61-59 win over Grand Rapids Christian in Class A – Muskegon Chronicle

Farmington Hills Mercy earned a Class A Regional Final berth on Katie Coe’s basket at the buzzer in a 37-35 win over Howell – Oakland Press

Jackson Northwest continued its impressive Class A run with a 59-57 win over Kalamazoo Central – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Marshall ran its winning streak to 22 with a 62-44 win over Stevensville Lakeshore in Class B – Battle Creek Enquirer

Bay City John Glenn needed overtime in one of its few close wins this season, but edged Frankenmuth 49-46 in Class B – Saginaw News

Portland also needed overtime in Class B to get past Eaton Rapids 47-45 – Lansing State Journal

Flat Rock needed a 20-2 third-quarter run to get past Brooklyn Columbia Central in Class B, 49-48 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Reigning Class C champion Calumet kept its perfect run alive with a 46-45 overtime win over Negaunee – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Ithaca reached its first Regional Final and set a school record with 22 wins in a 53-41 victory over New Lothrop – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Gaylord St. Mary earned a slight upset in Class D, downing Frankfort 54-41 – Gaylord Herald Times

Ice Hockey

Hartland outlasted Birmingham Brother Rice 5-4 in overtime to reach the Division 2 Semifinals – Livingston Daily

Ada Forest Hills Eastern earned its Semifinal bid with a 2-1 triple-overtime win over Marquette – Grand Rapids Press

Livonia Stevenson got past rival Trenton for the second straight season, 2-1, to advance – Detroit News

Romeo earned its trip to the Semifinals thanks in part to six points from senior Logan Jenuwine in an 8-3 win over New Baltimore Anchor Bay – Macomb Daily