Today in the MHSAA: 9/30/16

September 30, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

We kick off today’s “Today” with an excellent story of sportsmanship from Dowagiac, and finish with an outstanding read on a six-sport athlete from Climax-Scotts.

Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.

Cross Country

Dowagiac freshman Shawn Little won his race at the Wolverine Conference meet – after redirecting the Otsego runners (tied for No. 9 in Lower Peninsula Division 2 this week) trying to catch him back onto the course instead of letting them get disqualified for taking a wrong turn – Niles Daily Star

Girls Golf

Grand Rapids South Christian claimed the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold tournament title by a stroke, shooting 177 to finish just ahead of Grand Rapids Christian – Grand Rapids Press

Boys Soccer

Division 2 No. 3 Spring Lake just got past Muskegon Reeths-Puffer 2-1 with a goal during the final minutes – Grand Haven Tribune

Girls Swimming & Diving

LP Division 3 No. 6 St. Clair put up 409 points to beat the field by more than 100 at the annual St. Clair County meet – Port Huron Times Herald

LP Division 1 No. 3 Saline earned one of the season's most impressive wins against No. 10 Ann Arbor Pioneer to remain atop the Southeastern Conference standings – Saline Post

Boys Tennis

LP Division 2 No. 1 Midland Dow won all eight flights to claim its 11th straight Saginaw Valley League tournament championship – Midland Daily News

LP Division 1 No. 1 Bloomfield Hills broke No. 5 Troy’s six-year championship streak by winning the Oakland Activities Association Red tournament – Oakland Press

Traverse City Central also took a championship streak into double digits, winning for the 10th straight season in the Big North Conference – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Girls Tennis

Negaunee claimed its third straight MHSAA Finals championship, finishing first in Upper Peninsula Division 1 – Second Half

Volleyball

Brighton is undefeated in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West standings after downing reigning champion Milford in four sets – Livingston Daily Argus & Press

Good Read

We’re big fans of multi-sport athletes, and so we’re big fans of the work of Climax-Scotts’ Zach Scholly, who plans to play football, basketball and golf, wrestle, run cross country and participate in track & field again this school year – Battle Creek Enquirer

Today in the MHSAA: 1/15/16

January 15, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Thursday provided a substantial appetizer for another big weekend with key basketball games, noteworthy swimming and diving finishes and a milestone wrestling victory.

Boys Basketball

Clarkston earned a key Oakland Activities Association Red edge with a win over similarly state-ranked North Farmington, 60-47 – Oakland Press

Frankfort earned a similarly important win in Northwest Conference play, winning a matchup of Class D ranked teams 65-55 over Buckley – Traverse City Record-Eagle

For the second straight day, a basketball team made an incredible comeback; this time, it was East Jackson building off a 21-2 deficit at the end of the first quarter to beat Napoleon 42-39 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Olivet junior Delbert Redfield made nine of 11 3-point tries and scored 33 points total to lead the Eagles to a 73-55 win over Lansing Christian – MLive Lansing

Girls Basketball

Warren Cousino handed Grosse Pointe North the latter’s first loss this season, 64-58, to move to 9-1 overall – Macomb Daily

Boys Swimming & Diving

Lower Peninsula Division 3 honorable mention Spring Lake downed No. 4 Hamilton, No. 5 Grand Rapids Christian and Division 2 honorable mention Holland in its best meet of a strong run so far – Grand Haven Tribune

Wrestling

Leslie defeated Olivet (and also lost to Lake Odessa Lakewood) on Thursday, giving Blackhawks coach Todd Stern his 400th career win since taking over as head coach in 1987 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Good Reads

Battle of the Fans V kicks off tonight with our first visit to Yale, a finalist as well in 2015 – Port Huron Times-Herald

Grand Haven’s basketball teams will return to their former gym now part of Lakeshore Middle School – Pirates Pit – on Feb. 6 and for the first time since 2007 as the high school gym will be used for the league wrestling meet – Grand Haven Tribune

Vanderbilt’s boys basketball team has one win this season, but it was the first in nearly two years and a testament to the rebuilding of the program under first-year coach Darren Conn and assistant Amie Byelich – Petoskey News