Today in the MHSAA: 4/11/16

April 11, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Forget for a minute the snow of the last two days; spring has arrived for high school sports, and a number of teams got started over the weekend.

Baseball

Port Huron Northern pitcher Brett Manis picked up a memorable early highlight with 17 strikeouts in no-hitting Yale on Friday – Port Huron Times Herald

Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse improved to 3-1 with a 6-4 comeback win over Macomb Dakota at the Spring Break Tournament – Macomb Daily

Girls Tennis

Midland Dow opened with an impressive pair of wins over Division 3 powers Detroit Country Day and Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood – Midland Daily News

Track & Field

Some top Upper Peninsula athletes got off to quick starts as Ironwood competed at the Simpson Invitational in Superior, Wisconsin – Ironwood Daily Globe

Good Reads

The Detroit-area Observer & Eccentric newspapers have been reporting over the last two weeks a number of stories on officials as the MHSAA works to recruit more into the avocation. Below are links to just some from the series.  

Wrestling official Zaim Cunmulaj - KLAA assignor Bob Czech - Football and Basketball official Donta Favors - MHSAA always recruiting

Today in the MHSAA: 1/27/16

January 27, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Tuesday evening was arguably the most highlight-filled of any so far this basketball season, with plenty of important results and intriguing performances making headlines across the state.

Girls Basketball

Utica Eisenhower has gotten the attention this season with an 11-1 record heading into this week, but Utica is undefeated in the Macomb Area Conference White after downing Eisenhower 34-30 – Macomb Daily

Southfield-Lathrup remains the team to beat in the Oakland Activities Association Red and among contenders in Class A after defeating Clarkston 57-44 – Oakland Press

One-loss Frankenmuth dealt Ithaca its first this season in a Tri-Valley Conference crossover, 45-44 – Saginaw News

Saginaw Nouvel also dealt a first loss to an undefeated power, downing Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 46-41 – Saginaw News

Jackson Northwest’s Lexie Khon scored her 1,000th career point in the Mounties 72-32 win over Stockbridge – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Pewamo-Westphalia picked up a key Central Michigan Athletic Conference win by handing Bath just its second loss, 53-40 – Lansing State Journal

Mendon won a matchup of Class D contenders, carrying a one-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter to a 45-39 win – Sturgis Journal

Grosse Pointe South earned an upset over rival Grosse Pointe North, handing GPN its second loss, 60-55 – Detroit News

Muskegon’s Mardrekia Cook, this week’s Michigan National Guard “Performance of the Week” honoree (see story posted on Second Half today) led the Big Reds to a 63-19 win with a quadruple-double – 19 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and 10 steals – Muskegon Chronicle

Boys Basketball

Arthur Lyons helped keep Lake Linden-Hubbell undefeated with 39 points in a 76-73 double overtime win over Ewen-Trout Creek – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Holly coach Lance Baylis tied the school coaching record for wins with his 148th in a 72-42 victory over Flushing – Flint Journal

Alma had three buzzer-beating shots in moving to 10-1 with a 78-77 overtime win over Freeland – Saginaw News

Wyoming Godwin Heights broke free during the final quarter to hand Grandville Calvin Christian its first loss, 64-50 – Grand Rapids Press

Petoskey took sole possession of first place in the Big North Conference with a 62-57 win over former co-leader Traverse City Central – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Demetrius Lake, featured on Second Half last week after a buzzer-beating performance, finished another with 48 points and the winning shot in a 79-77 win over Hudsonville Unity Christian – Holland Sentinel

Negaunee won a battle of undefeated teams by a basket, edging Iron Mountain 51-49 to take over first place alone in the Mid-Peninsula Athletic Conference – Iron Mountain Daily News