Today in the MHSAA: 8/31/15
August 31, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The final weekend of August was a giant weekend for MHSAA volleyball contenders, with some of the top regular-season events this fall providing opportunities for the best to see how they might match up when playoffs begin in two months.
Below are headlines for some of the key high school reports from across the state; the weekend’s football round-up will publish later this afternoon.
Cross Country
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer’s Maryssa Depies set a course record of 18:11.3 to win the Big Red Invitational at McGraft Park – Muskegon Chronicle
Flint Powers Catholic’s top individual finisher came in ninth, but the Chargers girls as a team were first at the Lansing Catholic Invitational – Flint Journal
The reigning Lower Peninsula Division 2 champion Grand Rapids Christian boys repeated as winner of the prestigious Benzie Central Invitational, finishing ahead of Traverse City West and Central, while Central senior Anthony Berry won individually in 15:24 – Grand Rapids Press
Boys Soccer
Tawas, a Division 3 semifinalist last season, finished first from an Elk Rapids Invitational field that included Berkley and Saginaw Nouvel – Bay City Times
Volleyball
Lake Odessa Lakewood, last season’s Class B runner-up and the second-ranked team in that class this week, eliminated Class A No. 6 Grand Rapids Christian to win the West Michigan Volleyball Officials Association tournament for the first time in a decade – Grand Rapids Press
Class A No. 4 Grand Haven continued its perfect run at its outdoor Battle of the Boardwalk tournament, sweeping three opponents to remain undefeated through the event's third year – Grand Haven Tribune
Battle Creek Harper Creek, No. 9 in Class B, improved to 17-0 by winning the Cereal City Tournament at Pennfield with a 2-1 championship match win over Temperance Bedford, an MHSAA semifinalist last season in Class A – Battle Creek Enquirer
Good Reads
The Holland Sentinel introduced its top female athletes in that area’s history Sunday, and highlighted nationally-known softball star Kathy Arendsen and her successes during one of the MHSAA’s first Softball Finals – Holland Sentinel
Anyone who follows high school football history will enjoy going through the Muskegon Chronicle’s sampling of top-20 moments from that area’s football past – Muskegon Chronicle
More than 60 former Shepherd High School players from the last 25 seasons returned for an alumni doubleheader Sunday to honor coach Jack Nartker, who will retire after this spring – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Today in the MHSAA: 1/12/17
January 12, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Wednesday was filled with a big-time girls basketball matchup, a scoring milestone, a key Detroit Catholic League hockey matchup and the stepping down of a successful football coach – and don’t miss a history lesson from the Upper Peninsula as well.
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
Class B contender Detroit Country Day posted an impressive 67-28 win over Class C contender Flint Hamady, which also entered undefeated – Detroit News
Eileene Naniseni scored her 1,000th point on a free throw with 17 seconds to play in her team’s 54-40 win over Fife Lake Forest Area – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Madi Cutler had 15 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists to lead Blanchard Montabella past Coleman 58-47 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Boys Basketball
After trailing Holly by 15 during the first quarter, Flushing came back with a 39-point swing to win 75-50 – Flint Journal
Hockey
Division 1 No. 1 Detroit Catholic Central scored two third-period goals to get past Division 3 No. 3 Warren DeLaSalle 4-2 – Macomb Daily
Freshman Stephen Metcalfe’s goal early in overtime gave Royal Oak a 3-2 win over Detroit Country Day – Oakland Press
Brothers Isaac and Luke Lippert teamed up for the winning goal in Ann Arbor Skyline’s 4-3 overtime victory over Saline – Ann Arbor News
Wrestling
Division 1 No. 4 Oxford edged Clarkston 35-30 in a dual after those teams finished first and second, respectively, at the Oakland County Invitational last month – Oakland Press
Division 2 No. 6 Richmond swept a pair of Blue Water Area Conference matches, downing No. 6 Algonac 48-16 and Capac 60-18 – Clinton Township Voice
Football
Ida coach Tom Walentowski stepped down after building a 132-106 record over the last 25 seasons, including a 37-9 mark over the last four – Monroe Evening News
Good Read
Powers North Central is the talk of the Upper Peninsula and growing in statewide basketball circles as its boys team closes in on Chassell’s record 65-game winning streak. The Houghton Daily Mining Gazette recalls the those Chassell passed on the way to setting that record in 1957-58, the Mass-Greenland teams of the late 1940s – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette