Today in the MHSAA: 8/22/16

August 22, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The kickoff of football season this week will mean fall sports are back in full force. But teams from all over the state, and especially on the volleyball court, jumped quickly into tough competition during the first weekend of the 2016-17 school year.

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.

Cross Country

Blissfield’s girls earned the Lenawee County Preview championship Saturday with a tie-breaker to just edge Tecumseh – Adrian Daily Telegram

Boys Soccer

Crosstown programs both led by new coaches faced off as Allen Park Cabrini downed Allen Park 3-0 – Southgate News-Herald

Boys Tennis

Traverse City St. Francis won all eight flights to claim the Paw Paw Rally Against Cancer Tournament, but the host Redskins won flight "No. 9" by raising the most money of participating teams for the American Cancer Society – Kalamazoo Gazette

Volleyball

Hancock’s win at the Kingsford Invitational ended a four-year run of titles by Upper Peninsula power Calumet – Iron Mountain Daily News

It’s hard to believe, but Macomb Dakota hadn’t won a tournament championship since 2013 before sweeping Sterling Heights Stevenson to win Friday’s MCVCA Kickoff – Macomb Daily

Niles enjoyed an incredible start to the season with championships on back-to-back days, first at the Gull Lake Invitational and then over reigning Class C champion Bronson at Bronson’s Invitational – Niles Daily Star

Buchanan finished 6-0 including beating reigning Class D champ Leland to win the Battle Creek St. Philip Invitational on Saturday – Niles Daily Star

For the third straight season, Petoskey opened with a win at the Sault Ste. Marie Invitational – Petoskey News

Today in the MHSAA: 2/6/19

February 6, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

We can sense tournament time is coming on quickly after a Tuesday night filled with championship-caliber matchups, upsets and last-second game-winners.

1. Girls Basketball: Southfield Arts & Technology took over first place alone in the Oakland Activities Association Red with a 60-47 win over previously-undefeated Royal Oak – State Champs!

2. Girls Basketball: Rachel Elms connected on a 3-pointer during the final seconds to lead Holland West Ottawa past previously-undefeated Grand Haven 41-39 – Holland Sentinel

3. Boys Basketball: Clarkston clinched a share of the OAA Red title with a 47-31 win over North Farmington – Oakland Press

4. Boys Basketball: Beal City downed Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart in overtime, but the Irish’s Colten Nelson set his school’s career scoring record now at 1,204 points – Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart

5. Boys Basketball: Mattawan won a matchup of division leaders 48-47 in overtime over Kalamazoo Central – WWMT

6. Hockey: In a matchup of first-place teams in the Northern Michigan Hockey League, Division 1 No. 11 Traverse City Bay Reps moved to the top of the standings with a 3-2 win over Petoskey – MI Sports Now

7. Boys Basketball: Connor Murphy’s halfcourt buzzer beater carried McBain past Manton 45-42, putting McBain in first alone in the Highland Conference – Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. Hockey: South Lyon downed Division 2 No. 11 White Lake Lakeland 4-3 in a key Lakes Valley Conference matchup – Oakland Press

9. Boys Basketball: Brock Mullins’ last-second basket pushed second-place Flat Rock past Huron League leader Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 50-48 – Monroe News

10. Boys Swimming & Diving: Ann Arbor Pioneer, No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 1, had the winner in every event on the way to downing LPD2 No. 10 Temperance Bedford – We Love Ann Arbor

Also of note …

Boys Swimming & Diving: East Kentwood coach Jock Ambrose announced his retirement after nearly four decades – WOOD TV

Wrestling: In its first season in the league, Caro locked up the Greater Thumb Conference tournament title – Huron Daily Tribune