Today in the MHSAA: 9/28/15
September 28, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
This weekend’s highlights included elite swimming competitions and a cross country race so fun that a football team came out to run.
Cross Country
The Cadillac girls, No. 6 in Lower Peninsula Division 2, and the unranked Middleville Thornapple Kellogg boys won championships at the Muskegon Oakridge Invitational – Cadillac News
LP Division 1 No. 4 Brighton took the top five places to win the Monroe Jefferson Invitational with a perfect score – Livingston Daily
The LP Division 1 No. 6 Bay City Western boys and No. 12 Midland Dow girls won Division 1-2 races at the Delta College Invitational – Midland Daily News
Boys Soccer
Unranked Warren DeLaSalle upset Division 1 No. 3 Utica Eisenhower on Saturday, 2-1, on two goals by Aleks Vushaj – Macomb Daily
Girls Swimming & Diving
Midland Dow won the Tri-City Invitational for the fifth straight season, edging Saginaw Heritage after falling to the Hawks in a dual earlier this fall – Saginaw News
LP Division 3 No. 2 Holland Christian won its invitational ahead of No. 1 Grand Rapids Catholic Central and No. 5 Grand Rapids Christian – Grand Rapids Press
Volleyball
Brooklyn Columbia Central swept Concord in two sets to win the 41st Jackson County Tournament, played at Spring Arbor University – Jackson Citizen-Patriot
Good Reads
St. Louis volleyball player Brooke Courter is deaf, but she and her teammates have learned to communicate well while cheering each other on – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Rochester Adams boys tennis coach Al Must earned his 400th victory in 32 seasons earlier this month, and for him, continuing to coach at the high school level remains an honor – Oakland Press
Frankenmuth and Millington are the fiercest of rivals and met again on the football field Friday – but with the experience of working together during a meaningful day this summer – Saginaw News
The Old Skool Classic Cross Country Race puts the “country” back in cross country, according to one of the host coaches, with two river crossings, muddy areas, a corn field and wooded trails – Macomb Daily
Today in the MHSAA: 12/10/15
December 10, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Wednesday was the first day of winter in full swing with significant matchups coming in six sports as four got into the heart of their first week of the season. Be sure to check out as well a story on MHSAA officials recruiting efforts.
Girls Basketball
Traverse City St. Francis won an early battle between two of the north’s top small-school teams, downing Frankfort (featured today on Second Half) 76-72 – Traverse City Record-Eagle
A pair of Concord players filled the stat sheet in a 62-56 win over Michigan Center; senior Lindsey Lehmen led with 24 points, five assists, four rebounds and four steals, and sophomore Camryn Ward grabbed 19 rebounds – Jackson Citizen-Patriot
Boys Basketball
From Tuesday, Sanford Meridian freshman Lucas Lueder will be among first-year players to watch, if his 18 points in a 65-61 win over Saginaw Nouvel are an indication – Midland Daily News
Boys Bowling
Vandercook Lake could be in line for an exciting season or four after watching freshmen Korey Reichard (278) and Conner Lackey (267) lead the way in a 29-1 win over Grass Lake – Jackson Citizen-Patriot
Ice Hockey
Division 3 No. 10 Farmington’s two first-period goals were enough as the Falcons scored a key early-season win over Division 2 No. 4 Berkley – Oakland Press
After finishing regulation tied, Division 2 No. 9 Traverse City Central needed only 14 seconds of overtime to get past Cadillac 4-3 – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Boys Swimming & Diving
Chelsea coach Dave Jolly was the mid-Michigan link to Wednesday’s Waverly Relays, the annual event for Lansing-area teams to kick off the season; his Lower Peninsula Division 3 No. 3-ranked team broke Okemos’ five-year hold on the meet championship – Lansing State Journal
Wrestling
No. 3 Davison earned one of the most significant early wins so far this season, 45-27 over No. 4 Brighton, which beat Davison in the Division 1 Semifinals last season – Livingston Daily
Saginaw Swan Valley, No. 8 in Division 3, just escaped Essexville Garber for a 32-30 win – Saginaw News
Good Read
After more than five decades as an official, Dick Kalahar is watching from the stands this season. He is among a growing number of retiring officials the MHSAA is charged with replacing over the next few years, and this piece looks at some of the challenges and opportunities, in part through Kalahar’s eyes – Jackson Citizen-Patriot