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: 1/25/16

January 25, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

This weekend’s statewide action was highlighted by milestones – be it a 25-year winning streak, 600 wins total or 1,000 points scored.

Girls Basketball

Gaylord St. Mary’s senior Bekah Myler – also a member of the MHSAA Student Advisory Council – scored the 1,000th point of her career Friday in a win over Fife Lake Forest Area – Gaylord Herald Times

Grosse Pointe South trailed by 10 in the fourth quarter, but came back to beat Romeo in overtime 54-49 – Macomb Daily

Boys Bowling

Vandercook Lake rose from the eighth seed to win the first Mel Wolf Open championship, capped by a 74-pin victory over Belleville in the final – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Boys Swimming & Diving

Battle Creek Lakeview won its 25th straight All-City championship with first places in all 12 events – Battle Creek Enquirer

Lower Peninsula Division 3 No. 10 Spring Lake won the Bridgman Invitational ahead of the host, an honorable mention in Division 1 – Grand Haven Tribune

Wrestling

Whitehall won its 10th straight Greater Muskegon Athletic Association championship, and senior Reilly Brown became the fifth wrestler in event history to win four individual championships – Muskegon Chronicle

Bronson won its first tournament since 2013, earning five victories including 53-20 over Lawton in the final to move to 20-0 this season – Coldwater Daily Reporter

Holly’s win over Warren Fitzgerald was the 600th of coach Don Pluta’s career, which dating as head coach of the program to 1983 – Flint Journal

Springport, No. 7 in Division 4, won the Lakeshore Super Duals ahead of a field that included Division 2 No. 5 Eaton Rapids and No. 8 Niles – Niles Daily Star