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
Today in the MHSAA: 8/31/15
August 31, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The final weekend of August was a giant weekend for MHSAA volleyball contenders, with some of the top regular-season events this fall providing opportunities for the best to see how they might match up when playoffs begin in two months.
Below are headlines for some of the key high school reports from across the state; the weekend’s football round-up will publish later this afternoon.
Cross Country
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer’s Maryssa Depies set a course record of 18:11.3 to win the Big Red Invitational at McGraft Park – Muskegon Chronicle
Flint Powers Catholic’s top individual finisher came in ninth, but the Chargers girls as a team were first at the Lansing Catholic Invitational – Flint Journal
The reigning Lower Peninsula Division 2 champion Grand Rapids Christian boys repeated as winner of the prestigious Benzie Central Invitational, finishing ahead of Traverse City West and Central, while Central senior Anthony Berry won individually in 15:24 – Grand Rapids Press
Boys Soccer
Tawas, a Division 3 semifinalist last season, finished first from an Elk Rapids Invitational field that included Berkley and Saginaw Nouvel – Bay City Times
Volleyball
Lake Odessa Lakewood, last season’s Class B runner-up and the second-ranked team in that class this week, eliminated Class A No. 6 Grand Rapids Christian to win the West Michigan Volleyball Officials Association tournament for the first time in a decade – Grand Rapids Press
Class A No. 4 Grand Haven continued its perfect run at its outdoor Battle of the Boardwalk tournament, sweeping three opponents to remain undefeated through the event's third year – Grand Haven Tribune
Battle Creek Harper Creek, No. 9 in Class B, improved to 17-0 by winning the Cereal City Tournament at Pennfield with a 2-1 championship match win over Temperance Bedford, an MHSAA semifinalist last season in Class A – Battle Creek Enquirer
Good Reads
The Holland Sentinel introduced its top female athletes in that area’s history Sunday, and highlighted nationally-known softball star Kathy Arendsen and her successes during one of the MHSAA’s first Softball Finals – Holland Sentinel
Anyone who follows high school football history will enjoy going through the Muskegon Chronicle’s sampling of top-20 moments from that area’s football past – Muskegon Chronicle
More than 60 former Shepherd High School players from the last 25 seasons returned for an alumni doubleheader Sunday to honor coach Jack Nartker, who will retire after this spring – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun