Today in the MHSAA: 5/26/16

May 26, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Track & field league meets, golf Districts and lacrosse Regionals – and the wild ending to the Saginaw Valley League baseball title race – led a highlight-filled night of statewide high school action as the holiday weekend approaches.

Baseball

The Saginaw Valley League title hung on the continuation of a tie game between Division 1 top-10 teams Mount Pleasant and Bay City Western; the game started back up in the seventh inning, and three innings later Western had its fifth straight league title – Bay City Times

Boys Golf

Three Clarkston players broke 80 as the Wolves shot a 315 to win their Division 1 District at Twin Pines in Oakland Hills – Oakland Press

All four scorers broke 80 as Jackson Lumen Christi shot its season low, 305, to dominate its Division 3 District at Calderone Golf Club – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Girls Lacrosse

Reigning champion East Grand Rapids handed Grand Rapids Christian only its second loss in advancing in their Division 2 Regional – Grand Rapids Press

Girls Soccer

Paw Paw remained undefeated at 16-0-1 with a 2-1 edging of Mattawan – Kalamazoo Gazette

Utica Eisenhower finished its regular season a perfect 18-0 with a 2-0 win over New Baltimore Anchor Bay – Macomb Daily

Track & Field

Four girls surpassed the former record in the 1,600 to highlight the most impressive performances at the 38th West Michigan Invitational – Muskegon Chronicle

Traverse City Central’s boys won their eighth straight Big North Conference championship, clearing rival West by 20 points – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Livonia Ladywood won its first league title since 1996, nearly doubling runner-up Wixom St. Catherine in the Detroit Catholic League C-D – Detroit News

Three-sport standout Clayborn Allen was among champions for Detroit Loyola, which won the boys Catholic League C-D title despite having only 11 on its team – Detroit News

Flint Carman-Ainsworth’s boys continued their dominant run with a fourth straight Saginaw Valley League title, winning by 55 points – Flint Journal

Today in the MHSAA: 12/10/15

December 10, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Wednesday was the first day of winter in full swing with significant matchups coming in six sports as four got into the heart of their first week of the season. Be sure to check out as well a story on MHSAA officials recruiting efforts.

Girls Basketball

Traverse City St. Francis won an early battle between two of the north’s top small-school teams, downing Frankfort (featured today on Second Half) 76-72 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

A pair of Concord players filled the stat sheet in a 62-56 win over Michigan Center; senior Lindsey Lehmen led with 24 points, five assists, four rebounds and four steals, and sophomore Camryn Ward grabbed 19 rebounds – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Boys Basketball

From Tuesday, Sanford Meridian freshman Lucas Lueder will be among first-year players to watch, if his 18 points in a 65-61 win over Saginaw Nouvel are an indication – Midland Daily News

Boys Bowling

Vandercook Lake could be in line for an exciting season or four after watching freshmen Korey Reichard (278) and Conner Lackey (267) lead the way in a 29-1 win over Grass Lake – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Ice Hockey

Division 3 No. 10 Farmington’s two first-period goals were enough as the Falcons scored a key early-season win over Division 2 No. 4 Berkley – Oakland Press

After finishing regulation tied, Division 2 No. 9 Traverse City Central needed only 14 seconds of overtime to get past Cadillac 4-3 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Boys Swimming & Diving

Chelsea coach Dave Jolly was the mid-Michigan link to Wednesday’s Waverly Relays, the annual event for Lansing-area teams to kick off the season; his Lower Peninsula Division 3 No. 3-ranked team broke Okemos’ five-year hold on the meet championship – Lansing State Journal

Wrestling

No. 3 Davison earned one of the most significant early wins so far this season, 45-27 over No. 4 Brighton, which beat Davison in the Division 1 Semifinals last season – Livingston Daily

Saginaw Swan Valley, No. 8 in Division 3, just escaped Essexville Garber for a 32-30 win – Saginaw News

Good Read

After more than five decades as an official, Dick Kalahar is watching from the stands this season. He is among a growing number of retiring officials the MHSAA is charged with replacing over the next few years, and this piece looks at some of the challenges and opportunities, in part through Kalahar’s eyes – Jackson Citizen-Patriot