Today in the MHSAA: 5/29/18
May 29, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
1. Track & Field: Clare’s girls and boys swept the Division 3 championships at the Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association Meet – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
2. Track & Field: Rockford also swept MITCA titles, winning the championships in Division 1 just ahead of East Kentwood for both boys and girls – MITCA
3. Track & Field: The Zeeland East girls and Zeeland West boys claimed MITCA team championships in Division 2 – Holland Sentinel Girls | Boys
4. Track & Field: The Addison boys and Pittsford girls claimed the Division 4 MITCA titles – Adrian Daily Telegram (Boys) | MITCA (Girls)
5. Track & Field: The Oak Park girls won their fifth straight Oakland County meet, and the boys won their fourth straight county title – Oakland Press
6. Girls Soccer: Spring Lake edged Division 3 No. 4 Grand Rapids Catholic Central 1-0 to claim the outright Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue championship – FOX 17
7. Baseball: Grosse Pointe South coach Dan Griesbaum won his 800 and 801st games during the Grosse Pointe Invitational, as his Division 1 No. 19 Blue Devils defeated Plymouth and Grosse Pointe North, respectively (and lost to No. 11 Northville) – Detroit News
8. Baseball: Coldwater edged Division 3 No. 6 Bronson 11-10 in the championship game of Bronson’s tournament – Coldwater Daily Reporter
9. Softball: Division 2 No. 10 Essexville Garber downed host and Division 4 top-ranked Coleman to also win a tournament championship – Midland Daily News
10. Softball: More of the state’s best got a final tune-up at the Sanford Meridian Invitational, with Division 1 No. 6 Howell downing honorable mention Bay City Western, Division 3 honorable mention Meridian and Midland – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Also of note …
Girls Lacrosse: Longtime official Nancy Lapekas was celebrated last week after the last game of her 52-year career refereeing a number of sports – Grand Haven Tribune
Girls Basketball: Colleen Nagel will return to coach Grand Rapids Catholic Central after leading the Cougars to the 2010 Class B title before moving on to Ferris State – Grand Rapids Press
Did You See That? (May 6-12)
May 13, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
It matters not which school you support: All of us cheer on those who emerge from sad or challenging circumstances to return to the field of play. Those are stories with which we all identify, no matter where they take place or the athletes involved.
Grass Lake's Julia Covill and the Grayling golf team are among those we cheered on last week. Read on for why.
Good Read of the Week
One more race: A little more than a year ago, Julia Covill suffered a broken pelvis, shattered femur and a smattering of other injuries after losing control of her vehicle on a patch of black ice. The volleyball and track and field standout hadn’t participated in sports since – but returned to the track for one more race Tuesday to earn a final victory, even in crossing the finishing line of the 200-meter dash last. (Jackson Citizen-Patriot)
Boys Golf
Grayling returns to the course: Long drives and birdie putts were less significant details as Grayling returned to competition Wednesday for the first time since a car crash that rocked the northern Lower Peninsula, resulting in three deaths and five more hospitalizations. (Petoskey News)
TC West record falls: Cam Murray shot a 67 on Tuesday as Traverse City West won its Big North Conference event with a team score of 306. (Traverse City Record-Eagle)
Track and Field
Back on track: The Lake Linden-Hubbell boys and girls swept their home invitationals Friday in what was for many one of the first times those athletes had competed on a track this season thanks to lingering snow. (Houghton Daily Mining Gazette)
Down to the finish: The Battle Creek Lakeview boys and girls teams swept their Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference championship meets Friday, with the Lakeview boys clinching in dramatic fashion by securing a one-point win with a 1.23-second victory in the final event of the day. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
Boys Lacrosse
Haslett/Williamston takes big step: The Vikings earned their first Capital Area Activities Conference tournament championship with a 13-3 win over Holt, the three-time reigning champ that had beaten Haslett/Williamston 14-3 on April 27. The win pushed H/W into the No. 10 spot in today’s Division 2 state computer ranking. (Lansing State Journal)
Novi hangs on: Novi survived to win the Kensington Lakes Activities Association tournament championship game 7-6 after a last-second Brighton shot crossed the line just after time expired. (MLive Detroit)
Girls Tennis
FHN No. 1 again: Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern continued to own its league Saturday, although this time in a new division. The Huskies won the first-ever O-K Bronze tournament championship by four points over Ada Forest Hills Eastern. FHN has won nine straight league titles. (Grand Rapids Press)
Wrestling
Meet Mr. Wrestler: Fowlerville’s Adam Coon added to his impressive list of accomplishments – including becoming the 17th MHSAA wrestler to win four Finals championships – when he was named Mr. Wrestler by the Michigan Wrestling Association. (Livingston County Daily Press & Argus)
Upper Peninsula Hall of Fame
High school stars inducted: High school standouts brought back plenty of memories as this year’s class was inducted Sunday into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame. (Marquette Mining Journal)
Boys Basketball
Root resigns after 30+ seasons: Longtime Flint Ainsworth and then Carman-Ainsworth basketball coach Bob Root resigned last week, potentially finishing a career that began at Flint Northern in 1978. (Flint Journal)