Today in the MHSAA: 5/15/19

May 15, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The softball diamond was the scene Tuesday for a historic accomplishment up north and an inspiring performance in the Kalamazoo area as well.

1. Softball: Mackinaw City swept Ellsworth to claim its first Northern Lights Conference championship since 1999 – Petoskey News-Review

2. Softball: Alpena swept Traverse City Central to lock up a share of its ninth straight Big North Conference championship – Alpena News

3. Girls Soccer: Division 1 No. 2 Grandville locked up the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red title outright with a 1-0 win over Rockford – FOX 17

4. Softball: Division 3 No. 3 Sanford Meridian clinched a share of the Jack Pine Conference title with a 4-1 win over Beaverton, but fell in the second game 6-4 – Midland Daily News

5. Track & Field: Reese’s girls and Caro’s boys (No. 7 in Lower Peninsula Division 3) won the Greater Thumb Conference West league meet championships – Huron Daily Tribune

6. Boys Lacrosse: Dexter closed the regular season with a 15-7 win over Chelsea to clinch a share of the Southeastern Conference White title – Chelsea Sun Times News

7. Softball: Division 4 honorable mention Beal City clinched a share of the Highland Conference championship with a sweep of Evart – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

8. Softball: Division 2 top-ranked Escanaba and Division 3 No. 10 Gladstone split in a league matchup of state powers – Escanaba Daily Press

9. Baseball: Division 2 No. 3 Holland Christian and Chris Mokma got past Zeeland East and Adam Berghorst in a matchup of future Michigan State teammates – Holland Sentinel

10. Girls Soccer: Bloomfield Hills scored the game-winner late to upset Division 1 No. 7 Troy 2-1 – Oakland Press

Also of note …

Softball: We’re all rooting for Portage Central freshman Sophie Varney, who was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in December but continues to take the field as she fights the disease – Kalamazoo Gazette

Boys Golf: From Monday, Centreville claimed the final Southwest 10 Conference jamboree to lock up the league title – Three Rivers Commercial News

Girls Tennis: From Saturday, Niles Brandywine locked up its seventh straight league title, in the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference – Niles Daily Star

Today in the MHSAA: 1/11/19

January 11, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Thursday was dominated by major matchups in the pool in Lower Peninsula Divisions 1 and 3, plus a milestone coaching victory on the wrestling mat.

1. Boys Swimming & Diving: LPD3 No. 2 East Grand Rapids – last season’s MHSAA Finals runner-up – edged current No. 1 and reigning champion Holland Christian 105-80 – Holland Sentinel

2. Boys Swimming & Diving: In another matchup of two of the state’s best, LPD1 No. 5 Ann Arbor Pioneer downed No. 7 Saline 110-76 – We Love Ann Arbor

3. Wrestling: Division 1 No. 10 Macomb Dakota downed New Baltimore Anchor Bay in a matchup of Macomb Area Conference Red powers, after Anchor Bay coach Jim Morisette earned his 700th win earlier in the night against Clinton Township Chippewa Valley – Macomb Daily

4. Girls Basketball: Manchester improved to 6-1 by handing Hanover-Horton its first defeat, 53-37 – Jackson Citizen Patriot

5. Boys Swimming & Diving: Grand Haven ended a long losing streak to Rockford with a 74-point win in a matchup of LPD1 honorable mentions – Grand Haven Tribune

6. Hockey: Division 3 No. 8 Alpena downed Division 2 No. 15 Grand Rapids Christian 5-2 to highlight first-day action at the North/South Showcase in Traverse City – WPBN

7. Boys Basketball: Montague handed Muskegon Western Michigan Christian its first defeat, 47-42 – Local Sports Journal

8. Skiing: Harbor Springs’ girls opened the season with a sweep of both events at the Lake Michigan Conference race – Petoskey News-Review

9. Girls Basketball: Comstock downed Olivet 66-42 with Daisy Ansel scoring 37 points – JoeInsider.com

10. Girls Basketball: Iron River West Iron County followed up Tuesday’s big win over Negaunee with a 49-48 nail-biter over Menominee – The Upbeat