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: 3/16/16

March 16, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The MHSAA girls basketball field was whittled to 16 teams Tuesday night – here are headlines and links from each Quarterfinal game.

Class A

St. Johns continued its best run in more than a decade by securing a Semifinal bid with a win over Port Huron Northern – Lansing State Journal

Warren Cousino will make its first Semifinal appearance after downing Northville – Macomb Daily

Detroit Martin Luther King needed overtime but slipped past Ann Arbor Huron 58-54 – Detroit Free Press

Hudsonville earned its first Semifinal berth with a 40-32 win over East Lansing – Grand Rapids Press

Class B

Marshall improved to 24-1 this season with a 41-30 win over Grand Rapids Catholic Central – Battle Creek Enquirer

Bay City John Glenn continued its best run ever with a Quarterfinal win over Manistee – Bay City Times

Reigning champion Detroit Country Day will return to Breslin Center after downing Detroit Mumford – Detroit Free Press

Grand Rapids South Christian drew another step closer to a second Class B Final in three seasons with a 67-51 win over Dearborn Heights Robichaud – Grand Rapids Press

Class C

Ithaca also extended its longest run ever with a win over Flint Hamady – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Niles Brandywine will make a return to the Breslin for the first time since 2010 after downing Grand Rapids Covenant Christian – Niles Daily Star

Traverse City St. Francis edged reigning Class D champion St. Ignace 48-44 to earn a trip to the Class C Semifinals – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Ypsilanti Arbor Prep dazzled with a 60-22 Class C win over Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett – Ann Arbor News

Class D

Reigning runner-up Pittsford will return to Breslin thanks to a Quarterfinal win over Wyoming Tri-unity Christian – Hillsdale Daily News

Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart got past Gaylord St. Mary by just a point, 27-26 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Waterford Our Lady will make what has become a near-annual trip to East Lansing thanks to a Quarterfinal win over Kingston – Oakland Press

Stephenson won a battle of Upper Peninsula powers, 60-35 over Newberry – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News