Today in the MHSAA: 9/5/17

September 5, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

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

Today's Top 10

1. Girls Golf: Brighton finished atop a strong field at the Plymouth Invitational, winning in a tie-breaker over Saline and individual medalist Catherine Loftus (72) – Saline Post

2. Cross Country: In a rare downstate race for an Upper Peninsula team, Sault Ste. Marie’s girls finished third at the Ogemaw Heights Invitational while its boys were third behind champion Alpena – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

3. Volleyball: After falling to Grandville to start the round-robin schedule, Grand Haven won five straight matches and its End of Summer Bash tournament – Grand Haven Tribune

4. Cross Country: Marquette’s teams swept the Dale Phillips Invitational titles, with impressive individual championships by Negaunee’s Colton Yesney and Marquette’s Ericka Asmus against strong fields – Marquette Mining Journal

5. Boys Tennis: Clarkston edged Ada Forest Hills Eastern 16-14 to win the Traverse City Invitational – Grand Haven Tribune

6. Boys Soccer: Petoskey held Division 2 power Mason to a 0-0 tie to move to 2-3-3 this fall – Petoskey News-Review

7. Cross Country: The Yale boys and Croswell-Lexington girls won the annual Port Huron Invitational championships – Port Huron Times Herald

8. Girls Golf: South Lyon has big plans after finishing third in Lower Peninsula Division 2 last season, and Elizabeth Harding is leading the charge Observer & Eccentric

9. Boys Soccer: Buckley is having early success this fall with contributions from a number of players who have performed on the big stage – at the Breslin Center during the Basketball Finals – Traverse City Record-Eagle

10. Boys Soccer/Cross Country: We’ve published multiple stories already this school year on athletes playing multiple sports in one season – and Blissfield’s Logan Hudson does as well but with a twist; he plays multiple sports in multiple seasons – Adrian Daily Telegram

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