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: 12/16/15

December 16, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Basketball was the game, and late heroics the theme of many of the most exciting contests statewide Tuesday.

  

Girls Basketball

Napoleon allowed only one point in overtime to edge Manchester 41-37 in a battle of strong Class C teams from the Jackson area – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Katelyn Wright’s 3-pointer with four seconds to play gave Muskegon Western Michigan Christian a 43-42 win over Wyoming Tri-unity Christian – Grand Haven Tribune

Howell upended expected Class A contender Waterford Kettering 51-37 in a telling cross-division matchup in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association – Livingston Daily

Mason 6-foot-3 senior Autumn Kissman had arguably the best game of her high school career with 31 points and 10 rebounds in the Bulldogs’ 56-39 win over Okemos – Lansing State Journal

Boys Basketball

South Haven saw a 17-point halftime lead dissolve against Three Rivers, but held on to win in overtime 76-75 – Kalamazoo Gazette

Macomb Dakota began avenging last season’s Regional Final loss to Clarkston with a 46-35 victory over the Wolves – Macomb Daily

Noah Ingram scored 14 of his team-high 19 points during the fourth quarter as Mount Pleasant got past Midland Dow 56-41 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Johannesburg-Lewiston’s Logan Huff scored his 1,000th career point in leading the Cardinals to a 67-27 win over Mancelona – Gaylord Herald Times

Marshall and Portland played to five overtimes before Marshall came away with a 98-95 victory – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

Traverse City Central’s Jackson Schrameyer put up 40 points to lead the Trojans past rival Traverse City West 75-64 and break a five-game losing streak to their rival – Traverse City Record-Eagle