Today in the MHSAA: 6/9/17

June 9, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Half of this season’s MHSAA girls soccer semifinalists were determined in Regional Finals on Thursday, with a first-time title for one school and some last-second heroics for a few more champs.

Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.

Girls Soccer

Trailing by two early, No. 4 Grand Blanc came back with five goals to beat No. 13 Walled Lake Northern 5-2 in a Division 1 Regional Final – Flint Journal

Natalie Belsito scored her Division 2 Regional Final’s only goal with 23 seconds to play to push No. 2 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern past No. 15 Spring Lake 1-0 – Grand Rapids Press

No. 16 Muskegon Catholic Central won its first girls soccer Regional title, downing No. 7 Elk Rapids 2-1 in Division 4 – Muskegon Chronicle

Haley Balkema scored both goals as No. 8 Kalamazoo Christian downed Holland Black River 2-0 in Division 4 Regional Final – Kalamazoo Gazette

No. 10 Utica Ford will play in its second MHSAA Semifinal in four seasons thanks to a 2-1 Division 1 win over No. 19 New Baltimore Anchor Bay – C&G Newspapers

Holland Christian got past No. 13 Marshall 2-1 with a shootout to advance in Division 2 – Holland Sentinel

No. 2 Hudsonville Unity Christian will return to the season’s final week after a 3-0 win over No. 12 Grand Rapids Catholic Central in Division 2 – Grand Rapids Press

No. 11 Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett also advanced in Division 4, with a 5-0 win over Marlette. 

Today in the MHSAA: 6/14/17

June 14, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

After one of the most momentous days of the 2016-17 school year, we tracked down coverage of nearly all 32 baseball and softball Quarterfinals and four soccer Semifinals – and be sure to check out as well the announcement that a longtime coach and official will receive the Medal of Honor.

Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.

Baseball

Division 1: Northville earned its first Semifinal berth since 1972 with a 9-5 win over Rochester – Observer & Eccentric

Division 1: Reigning runner-up Saline edged Holt 3-2 to return to the Semifinals – Saline Post

Division 1: Grand Haven continued its longest run ever with a 2-0 win over Saginaw Heritage – Grand Haven Tribune

Division 1: Reigning Division 3 champ Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett continued its run through Division 1 with a 6-0 win over Sterling Heights Stevenson – Detroit News

Division 2: Dearborn Divine Child will return to McLane Stadium for the second straight season thanks to a 6-2 win over Macomb Lutheran North – C&G Newspapers

Division 2: Stevensville Lakeshore rode a Quarterfinal shutout into the final weekend of the season – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Division 2: Chelsea scored all of its runs in the first inning and hung on to down Corunna 5-4 – Ann Arbor News

Division 2: Bay City John Glenn advanced to its second Semifinal with an 11-1 win over Sault Ste. Marie – Bay City Times

Division 3: Madison Heights Bishop Foley will return to the Semifinals after an 8-0 win over Riverview Gabriel Richard – Oakland Press

Division 3: Two pitchers combined on a no-hitter to get Traverse City St. Francis past Grand Rapids West Catholic – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Division 3: After a Quarterfinal loss last year, Schoolcraft returned and downed Homer 6-1 – Kalamazoo Gazette

Division 3: Caro won a pitchers dual 2-0 over Hemlock – Midland Daily News

Division 4: Gaylord St. Mary will play at MSU for the second straight season thanks to a win over Rudyard – Gaylord Herald Times

Division 4: Unionville-Sebewaing returned to the Quarterfinals after losing last season, but this time downed Royal Oak Shrine 4-3 – Huron Daily Tribune

Division 4: Portland St. Patrick shut down annual power Muskegon Catholic Central to return to the Semifinals – Lansing State Journal

Division 4: Hudson edged St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic 3-2 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Girls Soccer

Division 2: Top-ranked Bloomfield Hills Marian moved on to the Final with a 2-0 win over Linden – Oakland Press

Division 2: Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern remained undefeated with a 4-1 win over Holland Christian – Grand Rapids Press

Division 3: Flint Powers Catholic fended off one of its few tests this season, downing Macomb Lutheran North 2-1 – Flint Journal

Division 3: Freeland stunned three-time reigning champion Hudsonville Unity Christian 3-2 – Saginaw News

Softball

Division 1: Reigning runner-up Macomb Dakota got past Garden City 6-5 – Macomb Daily

Division 1: Clarkston scored the lone run in the seventh inning to down Walled Lake Northern – Oakland Press

Division 1: Grandville will play in a Semifinal for the first time since 1982 thanks to a win over Midland – Grand Rapids Press

Division 1: Mattawan also will return to the Semifinals thanks to a 9-4 win over Monroe – 13ABC

Division 2: Stevensville Lakeshore will make the trip back to the Semifinals after shutting down Spring Lake – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Division 2: Reigning champion Richmond got one step closer to playing for a repeat with a win over Dearborn Divine Child – Port Huron Times Herald

Division 2: Escanaba shut down Saginaw Swan Valley in a Quarterfinal for the second straight season – Saginaw News

Division 2: Ida downed Flint Powers Catholic 8-0 to earn a Semifinal berth – Flint Journal

Division 3: Shepherd’s Haley Peska threw a perfect game in her team’s win over Millington – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Division 3: Gladstone came back to down Grandville Calvin Christian 2-1 – Grand Rapids Press

Division 3: Napoleon downed Coloma 9-7 to make the Semifinals for the first time – Jackson Citizen Patriot

Division 3: Reigning champion Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central advanced, downing University Liggett 5-0 – 13ABC

Division 4: For the third time in four seasons, Kalamazoo Christian earned a Semifinal berth – Kalamazoo Gazette

Division 4: Coleman reached its first Semifinals since 2005 with a win over Holton – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Division 4: Top-ranked Indian River Inland Lakes secured its return to the Semifinals with an 11-1 win over Rogers City – Alpena News

Division 4: Ottawa Lake Whiteford pulled a win closer to playing for its first championship since 1987 by downing Unionville-Sebewaing 1-0 – Bay City Times

Good Read

Longtime Michigan high school coach and wrestling official James C. McCloughan will receive the Medal of Honor for risking his life on nine occasions to rescue wounded comrades while serving in Vietnam – USA Today