Today in the MHSAA: 5/31/16

May 31, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Memorial Day weekend often is a quieter time in Michigan’s high school sports landscape. But this year’s final weekend in May included both league and area championships won and an MHSAA record set as well.

Baseball

Unranked Midland swept No. 8 Grand Ledge 6-3 and 10-4 in a late-season matchup of possible championship contenders – Midland Daily News

Unranked Sturgis got past Division 4 No. 1 Centreville 4-3 to win the St. Joseph County championship after jumping to a 4-0 lead – Sturgis Journal

Softball

Gladwin’s Dayna Fennell drilled an MHSAA record-setting 19th home run against Linden on Saturday at the Ogemaw Heights Invitational – Midland Daily News

Millington improved to 34-1 and won its first Tri-Valley Conference East championship with a 9-2 win over rival Frankenmuth – Saginaw News

Track & Field

Detroit Cass Tech’s boys won their sixth straight Detroit Public School League championship, by 34 points over Detroit East English. The Cass Tech girls won their third straight league title by a closer margin, 13 points over Detroit Renaissance – Detroit News Boys | Girls

The Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association hosted its team state championship meets Saturday, with Hillsdale’s boys winning their meet for the third straight season – Hillsdale Daily News

Oak Park's boys and girls swept the 56th Oakland County championship meet against loaded fields – Oakland Press

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