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: 1/8/20

January 8, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Tuesday’s statewide basketball slate had just about everything, from matchups between championship contenders to historic wins, record breakers and buzzer beaters.

1. Girls Basketball: Detroit Edison downed East Lansing 56-39 in a matchup of championship contenders in Divisions 2 and 1, respectively – Detroit News

2. Girls Basketball: Farmington Hills Mercy’s fourth-quarter run gave it a 46-34 win over Bloomfield Hills Marian in a matchup of Catholic League Central rivals that both entered unbeaten – Observer & Eccentric

3. Boys Basketball: Escanaba earned its first win over Marquette since 2010, 63-56 – Escanaba Daily Press

4. Boys Basketball: Warren De La Salle Collegiate edged Eastpointe 64-61 in a matchup of the Nos. 1 and 2-ranked teams, respectively, in Monday’s Division 1 MPR posting – Macomb Daily

5. Girls Basketball: Pittsford held on to move to 8-0 with a 43-40 win over Reading – Hillsdale Daily News

6. Girls Basketball: Martin’s 52-19 win over West Michigan Aviation Academy gave the Clippers their best start at 7-0 since 1997 – FOX 17

7. Boys Basketball: Pellston’s Blake Cassidy has been one of the state’s top scorers this winter, and he put up a career-high 45 points in Tuesday’s 65-58 win over Johannesburg-Lewiston – Petoskey News-Review

8. Girls Basketball: White Pigeon’s Claycee West broke her school scoring record with 41 points in a 58-39 win over Marcellus – JoeInsider.com

9. Boys Basketball: Ferndale came back to hand North Farmington its first defeat of the season, 52-48 – MLive-Detroit

10. Boys Basketball: Onsted handed Blissfield its first loss 55-53 on a buzzer beater by Cooper Lake – Adrian Daily Telegram

Also of note …

Football: Cassopolis coach Dan Purlee has resigned after eight seasons leading the program to a 70-22 record and two MHSAA Semifinals – South Bend Tribune