Today in the MHSAA: 8/21/17
August 21, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
Today’s Top 10
1. Officials: A year after being diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, MHSAA official Steve Johnson has beaten it and returned to the field to work a football scrimmage last week – ABC12
2. Volleyball: Reigning Class A champion Novi cleared a loaded Lakeshore Classic field undefeated, downing host Grand Haven in the championship match – Grand Haven Tribune
3. Volleyball: Kalamazoo Central opened with a championship at the Carrie Adams Memorial Invitational at Battle Creek St. Philip, downing among others Battle Creek Harper Creek, Portland St. Patrick, Coldwater and then Buchanan (which had advanced by beating Leland) in the championship match – Kalamazoo Gazette
4. Volleyball: After failing to do so last season for the first time in at least five, Calumet won the Kingsford Invitational now under new coach Matt Laho – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
5. Boys Soccer: Tecumseh came back from a halftime deficit to down Adrian Lenawee Christian and win the Bronson Mansfield Cougar Cup championship – Adrian Daily Telegram
6. Boys Soccer: For the 14th time in 16 season, Niles won the VandenBerg Invitational, downing Cassopolis 3-0 in the championship game – Niles Daily Star
7. Volleyball: Saginaw Swan Valley went 5-0-1 to win the Carrollton Invitational, downing Saginaw Heritage, Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker and Saginaw Valley Lutheran in bracket play – Saginaw News
8. Volleyball: Two-time reigning Class C champion Bronson opened quickly as well with five wins to claim its invitational, downing North Adams-Jerome 3-0 in the championship match – Sturgis Journal
9. Volleyball: Adrian Madison went 5-0 to win the Addison Invitational, sweeping all five opponents – Adrian Daily Telegram
10. Cross Country: Lake City swept the Northern Michigan Christian Invitational races in McBain, the girls finishing first by three points and the boys by 11 – Cadillac News
Also of note ...
Girls Golf: From last week, Brighton downed Saline by two strokes to win the Traverse City Central Ben Lober Invitational; reigning Lower Peninsula Division 2 champ Midland Dow finished fourth – Midland Daily News
Today in the MHSAA: 1/20/16
January 20, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Buzzer beaters and milestone basketball victories made headlines all over Michigan today, and check out as well a moving video that tells of the importance of our national anthem.
Girls Basketball
Reigning Class C champion Calumet added another accomplishment to the long list with its first win over Houghton since 1999, 44-31 – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
Three Rivers’ sophomore Arionne Fowlkes went baseline to baseline for a last-second layup to give her team a 43-41 win over Niles – Niles Daily Star
Class A favorite Saginaw Heritage remained undefeated with a 53-38 win over rival Midland Dow, also ranked in Class A – Saginaw News
One-loss St. Ignace handed Newberry its first defeat of the season, 64-57 – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News
Cedar Springs also knocked a team from the unbeaten ranks, with Sam Taylor’s 3-pointer in the closing seconds ending Kent City’s perfect run, 50-47 – Grand Rapids Press
Muskegon edged East Kentwood 50-47 after trailing by 10 and on the strength of 26 points and 22 rebounds by senior Mardrekia Cook – Muskegon Chronicle
Boys Basketball
Despite being outscored 30-22 in the fourth quarter, Southfield Christian held on for an 82-79 win over Southfield – MLive-Detroit
Merrill earned its first win since 2013 by downing Coleman 49-36 – Midland Daily News
One-loss Alma handed previously-undefeated Ithaca its first, 56-53, as Dylan Carl hit 3-pointers to send the game to overtime and then win it – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Muskegon Oakridge’s Brady Luttrull drilled a 3-pointer during the final seconds to push his team past Scottville Mason County Central 67-66 – Muskegon Chronicle
Cassopolis followed a strong third quarter by Deoin Gatson to hand Niles Brandywine its first loss, 61-47 – Niles Daily Leader
One-loss Clarkston also handed out a first loss Tuesday, to Rochester Adams, in a matchup of top Class A teams – Oakland Press
Caleb Brown’s only basket for Northport was the game winner during the final seconds of a 51-49 victory over Central Lake – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Nate Dugener’s sixth 3-pointer of the game gave Muskegon Western Michigan Christian a 52-49 win over Holland Christian – Grand Haven Tribune
Boys Swimming & Diving
In a matchup of top teams on the west side of the Lower Peninsula, Division 1 No. 6 Zeeland got past Division 2 honorable mention Holland 104-73 – Holland Sentinel
Worth Watching
We ran across and were moved by Virginia Tech’s honoring of veterans at the start of this men’s basketball season. Check out this meaningful presentation and how it relates to providing proper respect during The Star-Spangled Banner.