Thank You from Second Half
January 25, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Next week will mark the one-year birthday of Second Half, our place to tell your high school sports stories.
And I thank you for helping us to such a great start.
We knew what we hoped to accomplish starting this site a year ago, but we've learned quite a bit during a relatively short time. Although we continue to pursue the mission of being home of the state’s best high school stories and a daily stop for fans, we’ll continue to experiment to figure out what you'd most like to see and how best we can continue to pass along the great things happening in MHSAA athletics.
A few things to call to your attention as we move ahead:
- First and foremost, we strive to tell your stories – hoping to hit every sport and all regions of our state – and have some intriguing ones coming up as we get into the second half of the winter season. Stay tuned.
- Second Half is the home for the “Battle of the Fans II.” We have visits to Buchanan and Vandercook Lake next week, followed by Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard and Zeeland East the week after. We’ll announce the winner Feb. 22. All will be found here first.
- We've revamped our video page (see menu across the top of this screen) and will be adding more videos more regularly in the year to come.
- After a brief hiatus, we’ll next week bring back “High 5s” featuring two athletes and a team that have done great things this season.
- What you’re reading now is the first of a weekly “First Pitch” blog that will allow us to post more of the quick hits we run across in our regular travels. Make sure to continue checking out the twice-weekly blog by Executive Director Jack Roberts, as well as the Viewpoints and SAC Sound-Offs supplied regularly by our friends from the Michigan State University Institute for the Study of Youth Sports and the members of our Student Advisory Council, respectively.
- We began providing in-depth statewide coverage – both previewing and then postgame reporting – of our Finals in every sport this fall, and hope to become your first and fastest source for the stories behind our championships.
We’re always looking for ideas both for stories or any other features you’d like to see – and feel free to send them directly to me at [email protected].
And again, thank you again for coming to our site today. We look forward to seeing you more in the year to come.
Story in Photos: 2025 Ice Hockey Semifinals
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 7, 2025
PLYMOUTH – The 2024-25 hockey season will conclude Saturday with all three No. 1-ranked teams at the end of the regular season playing to finish the MHSAA Tournament also on top at Plymouth's USA Hockey Arena.
Division 2 will start Saturday’s MHSAA Finals at 11 a.m. with top-ranked Flint Powers Catholic (24-4) facing No. 4 Livonia Stevenson (18-8-2). Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood will play for a repeat in Division 3; the No. 5 Cranes (19-8-1) will face top-ranked Orchard Lake St. Mary's (22-5-2) at 3 p.m. The Division 1 Final will feature top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central (27-2) playing for a sixth-straight title, vs. No. 3 Howell (24-3-2), with the puck dropping at 7 p.m. to finish the day.
Hockey Weekly Action Photos captured plenty of action from the Semifinals – all photos below are by John Castine.
A Howell player works to maintain possession during Friday's 5-4 Division 1 Semifinal overtime win over Salem with Abel Dubanik (84) applying pressure.
Detroit Catholic Central's Nino Suhy (2) rips a shot during his team's 8-0 Division 1 win over Sparta on Friday. He had two goals and an assist.
The Shamrocks' Connor Laird (15) moves the puck up ice as Sparta's Jameson Meendering (5) trails. Laird finished with a goal and an assist.
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood and Painesdale Jeffers players work to gain possession of the puck during the Cranes' 2-1 win in Division 3 on Friday.
Cranbrook's Nick Timko celebrates one of his two goals with teammates GianLuca DiSalvo (9) and Cam Rocchini (10).
Orchard Lake St. Mary's and Alpena face off during the Eaglets' 9-1 Friday win in Division 3.
The Eaglets' Julian Johnston (9) and an Alpena player battle for possession. Johnston finished the victory with two goals and three assists.
Livonia Stevenson goalie Mark Besedin deflects a shot during his team's 6-2 win over Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice in Division 2 on Thursday.
Stevenson's Tanner Champoux (6) celebrates during his team's win to reach the Division 2 Final for the first time since 2016.
Flint Powers Catholic goalie Hunter Clark walls off a side of the goal as Grandville's Bennett Eisma (21) makes a run toward the crease during the Chargers' 4-3 Division 2 win Thursday.
Powers' Blake Dawson controls the puck as his team advanced to play for a potential second title over the last three seasons.
TOP PHOTO Howell players and fans celebrate their team's 5-4 overtime win over Salem on Friday at USA Hockey Arena.