Today in the MHSAA: 6/8/16

June 8, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Michigan’s top girls soccer teams took the next step in the MHSAA Tournament with the start of Regionals on Tuesday, and a number of close finishes ensued.

Girls Soccer

Three-time reigning Division 2 champion and No. 2-ranked Richland Gull Lake needed overtime to survive Marshall 2-1 – Battle Creek Enquirer

Canton edged Ann Arbor Pioneer 1-0 with a 3-2 advantage in a shootout in Division 1 – Ann Arbor News

After winning its first District title since 2008 on Saturday, Brighton downed No. 15 Rochester Adams 1-0 for its first Regional win since 2005 – Livingston Daily

Grand Rapids Christian in Division 2 also got past Spring Lake, 1-0, with a shootout – Grand Rapids Press

No. 4 Novi came back from a 2-0 deficit to beat No. 5 Grand Blanc in overtime 3-2 in Division 1 – Oakland Press

Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern in Division 2 came back from a goal deficit to beat Mount Pleasant 2-1 – Grand Rapids Press

Baseball

Top-ranked Coldwater, making up a regular-season came, got coach Randy Spangler his 600th career win during a sweep of Jackson Lumen Christi – Coldwater Daily Reporter

Today in the MHSAA: 9/17/15

September 17, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Today’s know-your-sports checklist includes catching up on impressive feats by some of the state’s top-ranked girls golf teams and enjoying a pair of inspirational stories about leading soccer scorers.

Girls Golf

Lower Peninsula Division 1 No. 4 Lake Orion won the Oakland County Division 1 Tournament for the second straight season, edging No. 6 Novi by one shot and No. 1 Rochester by two – Oakland Press

Three Spring Lake golfers carded three birdies apiece to lead the LP Division 3 No. 1 Lakers to a 53-stroke win in the Lakes 8 jamboree on their home course – Muskegon Chronicle

Boys Soccer

Freeland improved to 11-1 with its first win over Saginaw Swan Valley in three seasons, also handing the Vikings their first loss this fall – Saginaw News

Boys Tennis

Midland Dow, No. 1 in Lower Peninsula Division 2, fell to No. 3 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central at the Midweek Classic, but still won the tournament thanks to No. 6 Detroit U-D Jesuit’s win over FHC – Midland Daily News and Saginaw News

Volleyball

Ionia swept reigning Capital Area Activities Conference White champion Williamston, beating the Hornets for the first time under sixth-year coach Jeanna Kraatz – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

Niles emerged as the biggest winner from the SMAC 6-Pack Tournament on its home floor with victories over Battle Creek Lakeview, Battle Creek Central and Richland Gull Lake, all in two games – Niles Daily Star

Bay City John Glenn improved to 9-1 with a win over Tawas, opening North East Michigan Conference play as the reigning champion and with nearly the same lineup as in 2014 – Bay City Times

Good Reads

We’re big fans of athletes who play multiple sports, and Port Huron’s Jon Miller is one of the latest – he’s the soccer team’s leading scorer and the top field goal kicker in school history, plus one of the football team’s leading receivers. A great line from the story: “But if there’s one kid that can take this on, it’s the kid that’s loading his senior year with as many memories as possible.” – Port Huron Times-Herald

Andrew Shippell is Marshall’s leading scorer this season, and after three years of fighting is preparing to celebrate a milestone – the end of his chemotherapy in February – Battle Creek Enquirer