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February 21, 2012
Check out our must-know scores and news from Feb. 13-18.
(Click on links for coverage.)
Swimming & Diving
First champions of 2012: The Marquette girls and Houghton boys won the first MHSAA Finals of the winter 2011-12 season, claiming the Upper Peninsula championships Saturday at Sault Ste. Marie. Sault Ste. Marie senior Colin MacQuarrie set two U.P. Finals records – he won the 50-yard freestyle in 20.85 seconds (breaking the former record of 22.18 set by his school’s Peter Stevens in 2003) and the 100 butterfly in 52.80 (former record was 53.62, set by his school’s Thomas Stabile in 1988). Marquette senior Kinsey Vear won two individual races and was on two relay champs as well. (Sault Ste. Marie Evening News boys story) (Sault Ste. Marie Evening News girls story)
Basketball
King is King and Queen of PSL: The Detroit Martin Luther King girls and boys basketball teams swept their counterparts from Detroit Pershing to claim both the boys and girls Detroit Public School League championships at Detroit Mercy's Calihan Hall. The girls result wasn't too much of a stunner -- although Pershing has held the upper hand between the two of late, King has long been considered one of the state's strongest programs. But the boys result was more of a shocker. Although King has been solid all season, Pershing was undefeated and considered the heavy favorite to win Class A next month. (Detroit News girls story) (Detroit News boys story)
Preview of things to come?: In what could be the first of two meetings between reigning Class A girls champion Inkster and Lansing Waverly, Inkster handed the Warriors their first loss of the season, 56-53 on Feb. 14. Both are considered contenders for the Class A title.
Wrestling
Oxford defense lives on: The reigning Division 1 team champion needed to defeat two other ranked opponents to win its Regional and move on to Friday's Finals weekend at Battle Creek's Kellogg Arena. Oxford, No. 7, beat No. 9 Fair Haven Anchor Bay 50-18 before upending No. 6 Rochester 31-27 in the final at Utica Ford. (NorthOaklandSports.com)
Gymnastics
10.0, again: For the second time in three weeks, Grand Ledge senior Christina Wilson posted a perfect score on the uneven parallel bars. This time she did so in winning the all-around competition and leading the Comets to a Capital Area Activities Conference meet championship -- their 73rd-straight meet win. (Lansing State Journal)
Editor's note: Did we miss something? Comment below and tell us about it. Is there an event coming up that we should make sure to note? Comment or e-mail [email protected].
'Region Report' Tells More of Your Stories
August 17, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
We hope the first three years of Second Half have made it a must-read for MHSAA Finals coverage, as well as a great place to start your day during the weeks leading up to our championship competitions.
Starting Tuesday, you'll find more reason to tune in daily as we introduce locally-centered coverage from all regions, all over the state, supplied by some of the most experienced voices in Michigan high school sportswriting history.
Our correspondents, averaging more than 30 years of experience covering MHSAA sports, will take turns delivering compelling stories four days each week of the regular season beginning this week and into our final tournaments in June.
We’ve split Michigan into eight regions, and each “Region Report” will be of interest to that area but with statewide appeal as well. Plus, each month we’ll publish a historical perspective looking back at notable moments of Michigan’s rich high school sports past.
See below for our correspondents, their coverage areas and contact information, listed in order of when their region's first stories will appear over the next two weeks.
Mid-Michigan
Geoff Kimmerly joined the MHSAA as its Media & Content Coordinator in Sept. 2011 after 12 years as Prep Sports Editor of the Lansing State Journal. He has served as Editor of Second Half since its creation in Jan. 2012. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for the Barry, Eaton, Ingham, Livingston, Ionia, Clinton, Shiawassee, Gratiot, Isabella, Clare and Montcalm counties.
Bay & Thumb
Bill Khan served as a sportswriter at The Flint Journal from 1981-2011 and currently contributes to the State Champs! Sports Network. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.
Greater Detroit
Tom Markowski is a columnist and directs website coverage for the State Champs! Sports Network. He previously covered primarily high school sports for the The Detroit News from 1984-2014, focusing on the Detroit area but also contributing to statewide coverage of football and basketball. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
Upper Peninsula
Denny Grall retired in 2012 after 39 years at the Escanaba Daily Press and four at the Green Bay Press-Gazette, plus 15 months for WLST radio in Escanaba; he served as the Daily Press sports editor from 1970-80 and again from 1984-2012. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for the Upper Peninsula.
Southwest Corridor
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She continues to freelance for MLive.com covering mainly Kalamazoo Wings hockey and can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
Wes Morgan has reported for the Kalamazoo Gazette, ESPN and ESPNChicago.com, 247Sports and Blue & Gold Illustrated over the last 12 years and is the publisher of JoeInsider.com. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
West Michigan
Tom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.
Dean Holzwarth covered primarily high school sports for the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years and more recently served as sports editor of the Ionia Sentinel and as a sports photojournalist for WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties.
Northern Lower Peninsula
Dennis Chase worked 32 years as a sportswriter at the Traverse City Record-Eagle, including as sports editor from 2000-14. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
Southeast & Border
Chip Mundy served as sports editor at the Brooklyn Exponent and Albion Recorder from 1980-86, and then as a reporter and later copy editor at the Jackson Citizen-Patriot from 1986-2011. He also co-authored Michigan Sports Trivia. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
MHSAA History
Ron Pesch has taken an active role in researching the history of MHSAA events since 1985 and began writing for MHSAA Finals programs in 1986, adding additional features and "flashbacks" in 1992. He inherited the title of MHSAA historian from the late Dick Kishpaugh following the 1993-94 school year, and resides in Muskegon. Contact him at [email protected] with ideas for historical articles.