Today in the MHSAA: 9/9/19

September 9, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Unranked – and probably soon-to-ranked – volleyball and soccer teams dominated the top half of today’s list of achievers from an invitational-filled weekend across a number of sports. 

1. Volleyball: Unranked Beaverton defeated Division 3 No. 4 Bronson in the final to claim Bay City Central’s Mitten Bay Invitational title – Midland Daily News

2. Volleyball: Also-unranked Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern downed Division 1 No. 6 Grand Haven and then honorable mention Northville to win the Grand Haven Invitational – Grand Haven Tribune

3. Cross Country: The East Grand Rapids, Ada Forest Hills Eastern and Pewamo-Westphalia girls and Ann Arbor Skyline, Haslett and Hanover-Horton boys won championships at the Bath Bret Clements Invitational – Athletic.net 

4. Boys Soccer: Unranked Portage Northern made a number of stops in getting past Division 2 top-ranked Mattawan 1-0 – JoeInsider.com

5. Girls Swimming & Diving: Chelsea, No. 4 in Lower Peninsula Division 3, edged LPD2 honorable mention Grand Rapids Northview to win the DeWitt Invitational – Chelsea Sun Times News 

6. Cross Country: Brighton’s boys and Troy’s girls won Gold division Averill Invitational championships at Kensington Metropark – Athletic.net

7. Cross Country: Traverse City teams swept titles at the Bullock Creek Lancer Invitational, the West girls and St. Francis boys claiming championships – Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. Volleyball: Petoskey finished the day 6-0 and defeated Midland Dow in the final to win its home invitational – Petoskey News-Review

9. Cross Country: The Petoskey girls and Charlevoix boys won Charlevoix Mud Run championships – Petoskey News-Review

10. Volleyball: Kingsford repeated as the Great 8 Tournament champion at West Iron County – Iron Mountain Daily News

Today in the MHSAA: 1/28/20

January 28, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Basketball rolled to a fast start this week with major highlights Monday, and news broke about two coaches from prominent football programs stepping down.

1. Girls Basketball: Makenna Banbury scored 26 points including the 1,000th of her career in Hillsdale Academy’s 60-26 win over North Adams-Jerome – Hillsdale Daily News

2. Boys Basketball: Emoni Bates scored 42 points to lead Ypsilanti Lincoln past Jackson 83-58 – Jackson Citizen Patriot

3. Boys Basketball: Clarkston moved to 9-1 overall with a big Oakland Activities Association Red win over North Farmington, 55-45 – Oakland Press

4. Girls Basketball: Cadillac held on to move to 11-0 with a 42-40 win over McBain – Cadillac News

5. Girls Basketball: Melanie Morrison’s 3-pointer during the final seconds pushed Hillman past Mio 42-41 – Alpena News

6. Girls Basketball: Cedarville handed just the second loss this season to Mackinaw City, 58-25 – MI Sports Now

7. Girls Basketball: Laney Jakeway was another late-game hero as Harbor Light Christian edged Wolverine 47-43 in overtime – Petoskey News-Review

8. Girls Basketball: Sault Ste. Marie improved to 10-1 with a 57-46 win over Marquette – Up North Live

9. Boys Swimming & Diving: Ishpeming Westwood edged Gladstone 62-56 – Escanaba Daily Press

10. Boys Basketball: Morley Stanwood held on through overtime to improve to 9-1 with a 58-50 win over LeRoy Pine River – Big Rapids News

Also of note …

Football: Jerry Angers has resigned as coach at Maple City Glen Lake after 11 seasons and this fall a runner-up finish in Division 6 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Football: Midland Dow coach Jason Watkins stepped down, also after 11 seasons leading the program – Midland Daily News