Today in the MHSAA: 9/27/19

October 1, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Thursday provided championship opportunities for a few teams looking to avenge past years’ defeats – and Muskegon Mona Shores girls golf, Spring Lake boys soccer and Ishpeming Westwood girls tennis took advantage to top today’s list.

1. Girls Golf: Mona Shores broke Reeths-Puffer’s three-year hold on the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association championship by shooting a 372 to edge runner-up Whitehall, which is ranked No. 10 in Lower Peninsula Division 3 – Local Sports Journal

2. Boys Soccer: Division 2 No. 12 Spring Lake got past two-time reigning Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue champion Grand Rapids Catholic Central 5-1 to clinch the league title – Grand Haven Tribune

3. Girls Tennis: Ishpeming Westwood swept singles and won two doubles flights to claim the Mid-Peninsula Conference tournament title ahead of runner-up and three-time reigning champ Negaunee – Marquette Mining Journal

4. Girls Swimming & Diving: Ann Arbor Pioneer continued to build on its top ranking in LPD1 with a 136-50 win over No. 10 Ann Arbor Huron – We Love Ann Arbor

5. Cross Country: Harbor Springs swept Class B/C titles (boys are ranked No. 12 in LPD3, and girls are an honorable mention), and the LPD4 No. 8 Petoskey St. Michael boys and Mackinaw City girls also won Mackinaw City Invitational titles – Petoskey News-Review

6. Boys Soccer: Division 4 No. 3 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian stayed unbeaten in Lakes 8 Conference play while handing a first league loss to Ludington, 1-0 – Local Sports Journal

7. Boys Soccer: Fremont and Newaygo played to a 1-1 draw in a matchup of teams that both finished without a loss in Central State Activities Association Gold play – Local Sports Journal

8. Boys Soccer: Traverse City West won the latest matchup with rival Central, 2-1 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

9. Volleyball: Onaway swept Gaylord St. Mary to remain perfect in Ski Valley Conference play – Alpena News

10. Volleyball: Petersburg Summerfield came back from a two-set deficit to get past Ottawa Lake Whiteford in five – Monroe Evening News

Today in the MHSAA: 12/20/18

December 20, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

Teams are getting in their final competitions before at least a brief holiday break, and we’re taking one too after today’s list – “Today” will return Jan. 7, although Second Half will continue publishing stories from all over the state during the final week of December and first of January.  

1. Boys Basketball: Gaylord St. Mary broke a 31-game, 14-year losing streak to Bellaire with a 29-26 win – Gaylord Herald Times

2. Boys Basketball: Camden-Frontier improved to 7-0 by handing a first loss to Reading, 57-46 – Hillsdale Daily News

3. Hockey: Evan MacDonald had a hat trick as Division 1 No. 5 Brighton downed reigning Division 3 runner-up Livonia Churchill 4-1 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

4. Boys Basketball: Mancelona gave Pellston its first loss of this season, 67-65 – Petoskey News-Review

5. Girls Basketball: Waterford Our Lady made a late run to get past Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 61-56 – Oakland Press

6. Wrestling: Grand Haven came back from a 24-0 deficit to defeat Caledonia 39-33 – Grand Haven Tribune

7. Gymnastics: Escanaba remained undefeated to start the season with wins over Marquette and Negaunee – Escanaba Daily Press

8. Boys Basketball: Portland St. Patrick closed on a 22-5 run to beat Fowler 52-42 – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

9. Hockey: Brendan Pellerito had 34 saves as Mattawan shut out Portage Northern 4-0 – JoeInsider.com

10. Wrestling: Division 4 top-ranked Hudson earned a pair of league wins over Blissfield and Onsted – Adrian Daily Telegram

Also of note …

Hockey: The status of high school hockey is on the rise with talent evaluators at the game’s next levels – Observer & Eccentric

Tennis: Longtime coach Paul Bandrowski retired after leading Traverse City St. Francis’ girls and boys teams to a number of strong MHSAA Finals finishes – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Girls Basketball: From Tuesday, Eaton Rapids came back to stun Jackson Northwest 44-41, but the Mounties’ Sydney Shafer went over 1,000 career points – Jackson Citizen Patriot

Boys Swimming & Diving: From Tuesday, Lower Peninsula Division 1 No. 2 Ann Arbor Skyline edged LPD2 top-ranked Dexter 95-90 – We Love Ann Arbor