Today in the MHSAA: 4/25/16

April 25, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

An intriguing tournament format, track and field dominance by a statewide power and the return to baseball by one of our Upper Peninsula schools were among events gaining notable headlines over the weekend.

Baseball

L’Anse played its first high school baseball games in more than 50 years, splitting with Hancock – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Boyne City ace Derek Willis no-hit Bath in helping his team to an East Jackson Dome Classic championship for the second straight season – Petoskey News

Unranked Clinton took a doubleheader from Division 3 No. 6 and reigning champion Jackson Lumen Christi, 11-9 and 8-5 – Adrian Daily Telegram

Division 3 top-ranked Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett split with Detroit Country Day on Saturday, winning the opener 3-0 before suffering its first loss, 6-0 – Detroit News

Jake Dabkowski followed teammate Sergio Diaz with Grand Rapids Union’s second straight no-hitter, this one in a 5-0 win over Comstock Park – Grand Rapids Press

Baseball/Softball

Leroy Pine River won the first Osceola County Royal Rumble, which combined results of the baseball and softball teams. The Bucks finished 4-0 – Cadillac News

Track & Field

Midland’s girls won the annual Swayze Relays, this time at Northwood University, by 14 points over Traverse City West, while West’s boys broke Midland’s winning streak in the accompanying Graves Relays – Midland Daily News

The two-time reigning Lower Peninsula Division 1 champion Oak Park girls just edged Lake Orion 94-90 to win the Oxford Invitational, while Oak Park’s boys dominated by more this time finishing 26 points ahead of Walled Lake Central – Oakland Press

Today in the MHSAA: 1/6/20

January 6, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The clashing of statewide wrestling powers and a nearly unbelievable performance on the ice highlighted a power-packed first weekend of 2020.

1. Wrestling: Division 1 top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central, No. 2 Davison, No. 3 Brighton and Division 2 top-ranked Lowell took the top four team places, respectively, at the 56th DCC Invitational – Oakland Press

2. Hockey: Division 2 No. 2 Livonia Stevenson downed Hartland 5-2, with Seth Lause scoring an incredible three short-handed goals – Observer & Eccentric

3. Boys Basketball: Flint Beecher downed Benton Harbor 76-62 in a matchup of teams expected to make runs at Finals championships in March – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

4. Hockey: Division 1 No. 5 Brighton handed the first loss of the season to the last team without one, 3-2 to Division 3 top-ranked Calumet – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

5. Hockey: Division 1 top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central earned a significant league win 6-0 over No. 4 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s – Oakland Press

6. Girls Basketball: Kelsey Richards went over 30 points for the fifth straight game as Fruitport Calvary Christian earned a 50-46 statement win over Central Montcalm – Muskegon Chronicle

7. Wrestling: Division 4 top-ranked Clinton followed a pair of individual champions to the team title at the 45th Dave Elliott Memorial Tournament – Adrian Daily Telegram

8. Boys Basketball: In another matchup of championship hopefuls, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s downed Grand Blanc 69-66 – Flint Journal

9. Girls Basketball: Hart continued its surge with a 51-35 win over Calvary Christian the day after the latter’s big win noted above – Muskegon Chronicle

10. Hockey: Ann Arbor Pioneer improved to 8-2 with a 2-1 win over rival Skyline in the final of the Jilek Cup – We Love Ann Arbor

Also of note …

Football: The football community is mourning the death of Zeeland West assistant Gasper Giarmo, who coached more than 30 years combined at seven schools including a decade at Byron Center – Grand Rapids Press