Today in the MHSAA: 4/22/19

April 22, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

From track to softball to soccer, big wins and big upsets dominated this weekend as we go back to Thursday night for today’s list of high achievers.

1. Track & Field: Zeeland East’s girls and boys teams are looking like contenders again after sweeping the Grand Rapids Elite Challenge titles – Holland Sentinel

2. Softball: Traverse City West split with Division 2 No. 5 Muskegon Oakridge, earning its win on a walk-off homer – Muskegon Chronicle

3. Softball: Division 4 honorable mention Three Oaks River Valley downed No. 6 Onaway 10-9 in 10 innings to clinch the Holton Invitational title – Alpena News

4. Girls Soccer: No. 11 Rochester Hills Stoney Creek should be moving up in Division 1 after a 2-0 win over No. 4 Troy – Oakland Press

5. Girls Soccer: Top-ranked Novi downed No. 6 Hartland 4-0 in a league matchup of top Division 1 teams statewide – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

6. Girls Tennis: Lower Peninsula Division 2 No. 9 Traverse City Central and No. 7 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central tied for the Twin Bay Quad title – Traverse City Record-Eagle

7. Boys Golf: LPD1 No. 8 Clarkston shot a 287 to win the Green/Black/Gold/Orange tournament 19 strokes ahead of runner-up and No. 5 Birmingham Brother Rice – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

8. Track & Field: Deckerville’s girls and boys swept their home invitational titles – Huron Daily Tribune

9. Track & Field: Midland’s girls edged Traverse City West and Traverse City Central’s boys edged Alpena to win Graves/Swayze Relays titles at Midland Community Stadium – Midland Daily News

10. Softball: Quincy downed Gobles and Niles Brandywine to win Brandywine’s invitational – Coldwater Daily Reporter

Also of note …

Boys Basketball: The Detroit Mumford community is mourning the death of former coach and athletic director Sam “Sonny” Taub – Detroit News

Today in the MHSAA: Soccer Semifinals

June 13, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The MHSAA Girls Soccer Finals will be played Friday and Saturday at Michigan State University’s DeMartin Stadium. Below is a sampling of coverage of how all eight finalists advanced.

Division 1: Top-ranked and reigning champion Novi will play for a repeat after getting past Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central in a shootout – Observer & Eccentric 

Division 1: No. 5 Plymouth also advanced with a shootout after a late comeback to take No. 13 Troy to overtime – Observer & Eccentric 

Division 2: No. 6 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern will play in its fourth straight Final thanks to a shootout win over No. 9 Marshall – FOX 17

Division 2: No. 2 Bloomfield Hills Marian is headed to the championship game for the third straight season after a 3-1 win over No. 11 Flint Powers Catholic – Observer & Eccentric

Division 3: No. 7 Essexville Garber will play in the championship game for the first time thanks to a 1-0 win over No. 2 Warren Regina – Bay City Times

Division 3: No. 5 Grand Rapids South Christian will play for its first title since 2013 after a 2-0 win over No. 8 Boyne City – Grand Rapids Press

Division 4: No. 2 Royal Oak Shrine continued its dominating run with a 6-0 win over No. 9 Saginaw Nouvel – State Champs Sports Network 

Division 4: No. 3 Kalamazoo Christian upended top-ranked North Muskegon 1-0 – WWMT

Also of note …

Girls Soccer: Richland Gull Lake coach Jeff Corstange has stepped down after eight seasons, having led the team to three Division 2 championships – WWMT