Today in the MHSAA: 6/9/16

June 9, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The Girls and Boys Lacrosse Semifinals gave us our championship contenders for Saturday's games, and they were joined as well Wednesday by key soccer wins and a pair of baseball milestones.

Boys Lacrosse

Birmingham Brother Rice will play for its 12th straight Division 1 championship after downing Detroit U-D Jesuit 17-4 in a Semifinal – Oakland Press

Detroit Catholic Central held Detroit County Day scoreless during the second half to advance in Division 1 with a 13-5 Semifinal win – Oakland Press

East Grand Rapids downed Okemos 16-15 in double overtime to get back to the Division 2 Final – Grand Rapids Press

After falling to Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood in the postseason the last three years, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central earned a championship game berth with a 17-7 win over the Cranes – Grand Rapids Press

Girls Lacrosse

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood started on a 7-0 run in downing Farmington Hills Mercy 22-4 in a Division 2 Semifinal – Oakland Press

Four-time reigning Division 2 champion East Grand Rapids will play for a fifth straight title after downing Okemos 14-7 in a Semifinal – Grand Rapids Press

Three-time reigning Division 1 champion Rockford earned another trip to the Finals with a 23-7 win over Hartland – Livingston Daily

Birmingham United advanced to its first MHSAA lacrosse championship game since 2012 with a 16-4 win over Ann Arbor Pioneer in Division 1.

Girls soccer

The closest of four Regional games across the state came in Division 4, where Montrose got past Harbor Springs 2-0 – Petoskey News

Baseball

Shepherd baseball coach Jack Nartker retired after 27 seasons and a final 5-4 win over Beal City; his record is 647-288-7 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Grand Ledge avenged a District loss to Holt with a comeback win to claim the Capital Area Diamond Classic championship 7-3 and finish 31-4 – Lansing State Journal

Today in the MHSAA: 11/17/15

November 17, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The MHSAA Volleyball Tournament continues with Quarterfinals tonight, so here’s a look at a team in each class – to go with today’s Second Half story on Cadillac – plus a report on this season’s Miss Volleyball, Gia Milana of Romeo.

Volleyball

In one of the least surprising awards races in a while, Romeo’s Gia Milana was named Miss Volleyball on Monday in advance of leading the reigning Class A champion against Traverse City West tonight – Macomb Daily

While Class A top-ranked Novi knows this final week well, it doesn’t know much about unranked Grosse Pointe North, its opponent tonight and one of the surprises this month – Oakland Press

Battle Creek Harper Creek, led by a strong senior crew, has improved from 21-25-10 three seasons ago to the No. 4-ranked team in Class B this fall – Battle Creek Enquirer

Laingsburg has a school record 43 wins and will play in an MHSAA Quarterfinal for the first time tonight when it faces Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central in Class C – Lansing State Journal

Class D No. 8 Mendon has necessary confidence heading into its Quarterfinal against reigning champion Battle Creek St. Philip, which eliminated Mendon in this round last season – Three Rivers Commercial-News