Today in the MHSAA: 6/7/16

June 7, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Action was light as the second-to-last week of 2015-16 began Monday. But that allowed us the opportunity to catch up on some of the incredible District title streaks extended or ended over the weekend, including one stretching three decades.

Baseball

Holt continued to ride its wave after beating rival Grand Ledge in their Division 1 District by beating Mason in a Capital Area Diamond Classic semifinal to earn a championship game matchup with the Comets on Wednesday – Lansing State Journal

From Saturday, Rudyard clinched its seventh straight District title with a 7-1 win over St. Ignace in Division 4 – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

Girls Soccer

From Saturday, Pinconning won its first District title, downing Roscommon 2-1 in Division 3 – Bay City Times

From Saturday, Montrose, in Division 4, won its first District title since 2001 and in doing so ended Saginaw Nouvel’s 18-year run of District championships – Saginaw News

Softball

From Friday, Custer Mason County Eastern nearly saw a 30-season District streak end while trailing Brethren in the seventh inning of the championship game, but won 5-4 in eight innings to extend the streak to 31 – Ludington Daily News

Gladstone extended its streak of District titles to 14 with a win over Ishpeming Westwood in their championship game – Escanaba Daily Press

Good Read

It’s hard to tell what’s most intriguing about Monroe baseball standout Naruki Okamoto; that’s he’s moved back and forth between Japan and the U.S. three times, that he’ll graduate this week as a junior because he has that many credits, or that he almost didn’t make the team but has hit .343 as the starting second baseman – Monroe Evening News

Today in the MHSAA: 5/2/16

May 2, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Included as always is a sampling of coverage of this weekend’s most notable statewide events, but make sure to check out the “Good Reads” section at the bottom of this report for stories definitely worth your time today.

Boys Golf

Reigning Division 1 champion Detroit Catholic Central won the Traverse City Central Tee-Off with a two-day 288 – Traverse City Record-Eagle 

Softball

Division 1 No. 2 Farmington Hills Mercy, a semifinalist last season, swept reigning champion Warren Regina in the Detroit Catholic League – Oakland Press

Petoskey won the Traverse City St. Francis Invitational, including handing a first loss this season to Kalkaska – Petoskey News 

Track & Field

Sturgis’ boys won the Don Lukens Invitational, with Johnathon Sholl setting a school record in the 100 meters – Sturgis Journal

Marquette’s boys and girls dominated the Manistique Invitational – Escanaba Daily News 

Football

Dan Rohn, who coached Grand Rapids West Catholic to four Division 5 championships over the last nine seasons, resigned – Grand Rapids Press 

Good Reads

Muskegon Mona Shores’ freshman Raegan Cox is one of the Midwest’s top soccer players her age – and she’s contributing not only to her school’s soccer team this spring, but also its track & field team – Muskegon Chronicle

A number of sources nationwide, including MHSAA Executive Director Jack Roberts, weighed in on why we must counteract sports specialization in this story that was published by the New York Times among papers all over the country – The Associated Press

Incredibly, Mason Evans is playing golf – and playing well – for Battle Creek Lakeview using one arm after breaking the other during wrestling season – Battle Creek Enquirer

As Birmingham Seaholm’s Jordan Michalak finishes her term as a member of the MHSAA Student Advisory Council, she tells of her experiences as a contributor and how her tenure has affected her perspective on athletics – Birmingham Observer & Eccentric