Today in the MHSAA: 8/25/2015

August 25, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A soccer coach celebrated his 1,000th game and a community mourned the passing of a longtime football program leader.

Those and a feature on a member of our Student Advisory Council are among today’s notable headlines and links to coverage below.

Football

Newaygo is mourning the passing of longtime coach Mark Puff, who guided the varsity to 128 wins and seven league titles over 22 seasons before retiring in 2000 – Muskegon Chronicle

Girls Golf

Jackson Lumen Christi went from two returning members last season to 17 golfers total this fall and won its first tournament since 2013 by edging Parma Western by six strokes at Hanover-Horton’s invitational – Jackson Citizen Patriot

Boys Soccer

Fraser coach Thaier Mukhtar coached his 1,000th high school soccer game Monday (boys and girls games combined), guiding his team to a 5-0 win over Romeo. He formerly coached the Warren DeLaSalle boys and leads both teams at Fraser – Macomb Daily

Saginaw Heritage has posted three shutouts during a 4-0 start after finishing 9-10-1 last season; Monday’s was a 4-0 win over Flushing – Saginaw News

Alma’s Brevan Bender is coming off a season during which he set a school record with 30 goals, and Monday he netted five in an 8-0 win over Birch Run – Saginaw News

Volleyball

Left over from Saturday: St. Louis has long been one of the dominant programs in Class C statewide and against all classes in the mid-Michigan area; Ithaca beat the Sharks for the first time since 1993 when they faced off at the Alma Invitational – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Good Read

Muskegon senior Jared Pittman played in last season’s MHSAA Division 3 Football Final, and after his team was defeated handed the trophy to Orchard Lake St. Mary’s as a member of the MHSAA Student Advisory Council. He’ll be a significant contributor to his team and the Council this fall – Detroit Free Press

Today in the MHSAA: 2/20/18

February 20, 2018

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. Gymnastics: The “Superior 7” co-op based at Lake Linden-Hubbell won the Upper Peninsula Conference meet by a point ahead of Negaunee – Marquette Mining Journal

2. Girls Basketball: Howell edged Brighton 38-36 in a Kensington Lakes Activities Association semifinal and will face Wayne Memorial in Thursday’s championship game – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

3. Girls Basketball: Wayne came back from a halftime deficit to get past Hartland 45-40 in the other KLAA semifinal – Observer & Eccentric

4. Boys Basketball: Otsego downed Plainwell 61-49 to earned the Wolverine Conference North championship outright and run its winning streak to 15 – FOX17

5. Boys Basketball: Hillsdale Academy handed Bellevue its first loss this season, 56-46 – Hillsdale Daily News

6. Girls Basketball: Brimley handed Harbor Springs Harbor Light Christian just its second loss of the season, 57-52 – Petoskey News-Review

7. Girls Basketball: Powers North Central avenged an earlier 17-point loss with a 61-56 overtime upset of Bark River-Harris – Escanaba Daily Press

8. Girls Basketball: Mount Pleasant scored a last-second basket to beat Bay City John Glenn 37-35 and guarantee its best regular-season record in more than a decade – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

9. Boys Basketball: Benton Harbor is mourning the death of longtime successful coach Earl McKee, who died Saturday at age 81 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

10. Officials: Former MHSAA registered official Rob Ford writes about why he took up the whistle – and why it’s worthwhile to give it a try – Traverse City Record-Eagle