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: 11/30/16

November 30, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Although a handful of teams kicked off girls basketball season Monday, the majority took the court for the first time Tuesday – and wasted little time delivering dramatic finishes and a look at some of what we can expect this winter.

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 Basketball

Otsego, which won 20 games last season, opened with a nail-biting 33-31 victory over Portage Northern – Kalamazoo Gazette

Jordan Walker scored 33 points as Muskegon Mona Shores downed Grand Rapids Catholic Central 59-52 in a matchup of expected state contenders – Grand Rapids Press

Beecher came back in the fourth quarter to force overtime, but Flint Southwestern emerged with a 42-41 victory – Flint Journal

Reigning Class B runner-up Grand Rapids South Christian also started with a close win, 38-35 over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern – Grand Rapids Press

In another low-scoring opener, Bay City Central just edged Traverse City West 32-31 – Bay City Times

Frankenmuth came back from an 11-point deficit to edge Bullock Creek 40-38 – Saginaw News

Lansing Catholic trailed Perry by six points at halftime but came on to win by 28, 56-28 – Lansing State Journal

Charlevoix freshman Elise Stuck had 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead her team to a 43-39 win over Petoskey – Petoskey News Review

Belding’s Hallee Breimayer put up 32 points in her team’s 57-52 win over reigning Greater Lansing Activities Conference champion Lake Odessa Lakewood – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

Edwardsburg, coming off a District title last season, survived a 37-32 opener against Niles – South Bend Tribune

Southfield Arts & Technology won its first game since the merger of Southfield and Southfield-Lathrup this fall, 64-43 over Birmingham Groves – Oakland Press

Ice Hockey

Hancock continued another strong start with a 5-0 defeat of rival Houghton – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Softball

Gladstone coach Ashley Hughes, who led the Braves to the Division 3 championship in her first season in 2014 and the Semifinals this spring, has resigned amid sad circumstances – Escanaba Daily Press