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: 6/14/16

June 14, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Today's action in softball, baseball and girls soccer kicks off the final week of this school year, and below are a few stories of interest we found to serve as appetizers as we get into our final championships runs of 2015-16.

Good Reads

Earlier this season we recognized Farmington Hills Mercy’s Abby Krzywiecki with a “Performance of the Week,” and the impressive senior has continued to shine as she’s set the MHSAA single-season home runs record with 20 while helping her team into this week – Oakland Press

With the help of community and propped up by internal strength, the Heck family of Marine City is coming back strong after a tough senior year for son Mike, who missed the entire football season after ankle surgery a month before his dad Mike Sr. suffered a stroke from which he’s still recovering. Mike Jr. did make it back to slug his way through this spring’s baseball season – Port Huron Times Herald

Traverse City West will play this week in its first Quarterfinal ever (and first for any Traverse City Class A school, including the former Traverse City High) after upsetting Bay City Western in the Regional – Traverse City Record-Eagle