Today in the MHSAA: 9/23/19

September 23, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Today’s list of the weekend’s top achievers has a definite Grand Rapids-area tilt as teams from five schools from that part of the state emerged as invitational champions in either cross country, golf, volleyball or swimming & diving.

1. Cross Country: The East Grand Rapids girls – No. 1 Lower Peninsula Division 2 – honorable mention Tecumseh and Jackson Lumen Christi girls and LPD1 No. 4 Romeo, LPD3 No. 1 Hanover-Horton and Manchester boys all won championships at the Jackson Invitational – Athletic.net

2. Volleyball: Division 2 No. 5 Coopersville downed honorable mention Kingsley in two sets to win the Cadillac Tournament title – Traverse City Record-Eagle

3. Volleyball: Division 2 honorable mention Onsted improved to 24-0 with an undefeated run through its invitational, including sweeping Division 4 No. 9 Adrian Lenawee Christian in the final – Adrian Daily Telegram

4. Volleyball: Division 3 No. 5 Bronson also finished a perfect tourney run, taking the Portage Northern Invitational title by downing the host in that final – Coldwater Daily Reporter

5. Girls Swimming & Diving: LPD2 No. 10 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central won the fastest wave of the Portage Central Invitational by a point over the host, ranked No. 5, and also ahead of No. 6 Midland Dow – Midland Daily News

6. Girls Golf: LPD2 top-ranked Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern shot a 297 to win the Greenville Invitational – Petoskey News-Review

7. Cross Country: The LPD2 No. 8 Sparta boys and No. 5 Cadillac girls won Muskegon Oakridge Invitational championships – Athletic.net

8. Cross Country: The LPD4 No. 8 Pittsford girls and LPD3 honorable mention Leslie boys won Pittsford’s invitational – Hillsdale Daily News

9. Volleyball: Stephenson downed Felch North Dickenson in the final to win the Crystal Falls Forest Park Invitational – Iron Mountain Daily News

10. Cross Country: Roscommon swept the big school championships at the Evart Invitational; the girls are ranked No. 13 in LPD3 – Big Rapids News

Today in the MHSAA: 1/30/19

January 30, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Teams outran the oncoming cold spell Tuesday with a highlight-filled night of basketball across Michigan despite a weather-caused shortened schedule.

1. Boys Basketball: Flint Beecher got past Grand Blanc 81-69 in a matchup of top teams in the Flint area and statewide – WJRT

2. Boys Basketball: Westland John Glenn edged Wayne Memorial 67-63 to create a three-way tie for first in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East while Joe Moon IV set Glenn’s career scoring record – Observer & Eccentric

3. Boys Basketball: Milford handed Walled Lake Northern its first loss this season, 37-34 – State Champs!

4. Girls Basketball: Gladstone took the final lead with 16 seconds to play in a 43-39 upset of Negaunee – Escanaba Daily Press

5. Hockey: Brighton got past Division 2 No. 9 Howell 1-0 with an overtime goal – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

6. Boys Basketball: Johannesburg-Lewiston avenged an early loss to Pellston by handing the Hornets their second defeat of the season, 81-65 – MI Sports Now

7. Girls Basketball: Mackinaw City maintained its lead in the Northern Lakes Conference with a 58-24 win over reigning league champion Harbor Springs Harbor Light Christian – Petoskey News-Review

8. Girls Basketball: Chelsea improved to 13-0 with a 52-43 win over Jackson – Ann Arbor News

9. Boys Basketball: Marquette downed Ishpeming Westwood 47-39 in a matchup of contenders in their respective leagues – The Upbeat

10. Boys Basketball: Rogers City won its seventh of the last eight games, 59-39 over Posen – WBKB

Also of note …

Battle Creek: The community is mourning the death of Al Leibert, who served as a teacher, principal and/or coach in multiple sports for more than 65 years at Battle Creek Central, Lakeview and St. Philip – Battle Creek Enquirer