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: 11/9/15

November 9, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Cross Country and Boys Soccer Finals, plus a few remaining Volleyball District championship games and girls swimming and diving league meets made this the most eventful weekend of the school year to date.

Cross Country

Rockford’s boys repeated in Lower Peninsula Division 1, while Birmingham Seaholm’s girls won their third title in four seasons – Second Half Girls | Boys

The Otsego girls and Hamilton’s Erika Freyhof both were first-time champions in LP Division 2, while Algonac senior Morgan Beadlescomb repeated as individual boys champion and Fremont dominated to claim that team title – Second Half Girls | Boys

Lansing Catholic’s boys and Grandville Calvin Christian’s Abe Visser claimed the first team and individual titles in their programs’ respective histories, while Traverse City St. Francis’ Holly Bullough repeated as LP Division 3 champion in helping the Gladiators win the team title as well – Second Half Girls | Boys

Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart turned in arguably the most dominating Finals performance in Division 4 history, while Saugatuck’s boys moved up from runners-up in 2014 to champions – Second Half Girls | Boys

Boys Soccer

Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central capped an undefeated season with a Division 1 championship win over reigning champion Canton – Second Half

Mason won its first MHSAA title since 1997 with a comeback win over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern – Second Half

Grand Rapids South Christian is Division 3 champion once again thanks to a shootout victory over Williamston – Second Half

Burton Genesee Christian completed a perfect season by winning the Division 4 title – Second Half

Girls Swimming and Diving

LP Division 3 No. 4 St. Clair broke four school records in winning the Macomb Area Conference White championship meet – Port Huron Times-Herald

LP Division 3 honorable mention Spring Lake set six school records in winning the Coastal Conference meet with 67 personal-best times – Grand Haven Tribune

Midland Dow won its 10th straight Saginaw Valley League championship, edging Saginaw Heritage by 18 points – Midland Daily News

LP Division 1 No. 6 Brighton won its second straight Kensington Lakes Activities Association Lakes championship meet with three meet records – Livingston Daily

Volleyball

Class B honorable mention Tecumseh swept Brooklyn Columbia Central to win their District and improve to 45-4-1 – Adrian Daily Telegram

Class B No. 5 Cadillac swept Kingsley to win its 10th straight District championship – Cadillac News

Also in Class B, Sault Ste. Marie needed five sets to get past Kalkaska and win the District title – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

From Thursday, Fulton beat Fowler to win its first District title since 2001 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Crystal Falls Forest Park, honorable mention in Class D, won its District for an incredible 16th straight season – Iron Mountain Daily News

Good Read

The Benton Harbor football program got plenty of excellent coverage heading into the weekend’s District Final against Zeeland West – but here’s a story about what's next now that the Tigers’ season is done – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium