Today in the MHSAA: 4/14/16

April 14, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A set of milestone coaching wins and the passing of a legendary basketball coach received the biggest headlines Thursday.

Baseball

Hudsonville coach Dave VanNoord added his 500th career win with his team’s 6-1 victory over Zeeland East – Grand Rapids Press

Pinch-hitter Connor Margosian drove in two runs to give Richmond an 8-7 walk-off win over Marysville – Port Huron Times Herald

From Tuesday, St. Louis won the 300th game of coach Rollie Carman’s career, 9-1 over Harrison – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Girls Lacrosse

Spring Lake opened a 7-3 lead, Grand Haven caught up at 10-10 to force overtime, and Spring Lake then prevailed with one more goal – Grand Haven Tribune

Girls Soccer

Frankenmuth scored with six seconds to play to edge Midland Bullock Creek 2-1 – Midland Daily News

Softball

Jenison gave coach Kari Kossen the 399th and 400th wins of her 17-season career leading the program with a sweep of Grand Rapids Northview – Grand Rapids Press

Dowagiac swept Decatur 10-0 and 10-8 with pitcher Taylor Hulett tossing a no-hitter in the opener – Niles Daily Star

Good Read

The Lansing and statewide basketball communities are mourning one of the winningest coaches in Michigan high school history, Paul Cook, who died Tuesday evening and coached the first two Mr. Basketball winners and also won an MHSAA title with the Lansing Catholic girls – Lansing State Journal

Today in the MHSAA: 6/9/16

June 9, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The Girls and Boys Lacrosse Semifinals gave us our championship contenders for Saturday's games, and they were joined as well Wednesday by key soccer wins and a pair of baseball milestones.

Boys Lacrosse

Birmingham Brother Rice will play for its 12th straight Division 1 championship after downing Detroit U-D Jesuit 17-4 in a Semifinal – Oakland Press

Detroit Catholic Central held Detroit County Day scoreless during the second half to advance in Division 1 with a 13-5 Semifinal win – Oakland Press

East Grand Rapids downed Okemos 16-15 in double overtime to get back to the Division 2 Final – Grand Rapids Press

After falling to Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood in the postseason the last three years, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central earned a championship game berth with a 17-7 win over the Cranes – Grand Rapids Press

Girls Lacrosse

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood started on a 7-0 run in downing Farmington Hills Mercy 22-4 in a Division 2 Semifinal – Oakland Press

Four-time reigning Division 2 champion East Grand Rapids will play for a fifth straight title after downing Okemos 14-7 in a Semifinal – Grand Rapids Press

Three-time reigning Division 1 champion Rockford earned another trip to the Finals with a 23-7 win over Hartland – Livingston Daily

Birmingham United advanced to its first MHSAA lacrosse championship game since 2012 with a 16-4 win over Ann Arbor Pioneer in Division 1.

Girls soccer

The closest of four Regional games across the state came in Division 4, where Montrose got past Harbor Springs 2-0 – Petoskey News

Baseball

Shepherd baseball coach Jack Nartker retired after 27 seasons and a final 5-4 win over Beal City; his record is 647-288-7 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Grand Ledge avenged a District loss to Holt with a comeback win to claim the Capital Area Diamond Classic championship 7-3 and finish 31-4 – Lansing State Journal