Today in the MHSAA: 9/17/15

September 17, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Today’s know-your-sports checklist includes catching up on impressive feats by some of the state’s top-ranked girls golf teams and enjoying a pair of inspirational stories about leading soccer scorers.

Girls Golf

Lower Peninsula Division 1 No. 4 Lake Orion won the Oakland County Division 1 Tournament for the second straight season, edging No. 6 Novi by one shot and No. 1 Rochester by two – Oakland Press

Three Spring Lake golfers carded three birdies apiece to lead the LP Division 3 No. 1 Lakers to a 53-stroke win in the Lakes 8 jamboree on their home course – Muskegon Chronicle

Boys Soccer

Freeland improved to 11-1 with its first win over Saginaw Swan Valley in three seasons, also handing the Vikings their first loss this fall – Saginaw News

Boys Tennis

Midland Dow, No. 1 in Lower Peninsula Division 2, fell to No. 3 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central at the Midweek Classic, but still won the tournament thanks to No. 6 Detroit U-D Jesuit’s win over FHC – Midland Daily News and Saginaw News

Volleyball

Ionia swept reigning Capital Area Activities Conference White champion Williamston, beating the Hornets for the first time under sixth-year coach Jeanna Kraatz – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

Niles emerged as the biggest winner from the SMAC 6-Pack Tournament on its home floor with victories over Battle Creek Lakeview, Battle Creek Central and Richland Gull Lake, all in two games – Niles Daily Star

Bay City John Glenn improved to 9-1 with a win over Tawas, opening North East Michigan Conference play as the reigning champion and with nearly the same lineup as in 2014 – Bay City Times

Good Reads

We’re big fans of athletes who play multiple sports, and Port Huron’s Jon Miller is one of the latest – he’s the soccer team’s leading scorer and the top field goal kicker in school history, plus one of the football team’s leading receivers. A great line from the story: “But if there’s one kid that can take this on, it’s the kid that’s loading his senior year with as many memories as possible.” – Port Huron Times-Herald

Andrew Shippell is Marshall’s leading scorer this season, and after three years of fighting is preparing to celebrate a milestone – the end of his chemotherapy in February – Battle Creek Enquirer

Today in the MHSAA: 6/16/16

June 16, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The final four of eight MHSAA girls soccer finalists were determined in Semifinals on Wednesday, and we posted previews of all 32 baseball and softball teams playing this weekend at Michigan State University. 

Girls Soccer

Grosse Ile took Flint Powers Catholic nearly to the end in Division 3, but the Chargers scored on a penalty kick with 6 minutes to play to win 1-0 – Flint Journal 

Hudsonville Unity Christian will make its near-annual trip back to the MHSAA Finals thanks to a 3-0 Division 3 win over Freeland – Grand Rapids Press

Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern will return to the MHSAA Finals after a late goal helped it get past Dexter 2-1 in Division 2 – Grand Rapids Press

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep avenged its only loss this season by downing Bloomfield Hills Marian in Division 2 – Oakland Press

Baseball & Softball

Click for a glance at all 16 semifinalists playing baseball at McLane Stadium – Second Half

Click for a glance at all 16 semifinalists playing softball at Secchia Stadium – Second Half