The Madison men’s basketball team battled to the regional final buzzer, but it was a three-point buzzer-beating basket by SMCC that finished their season, 57-54, despite the fact that the Trojans had been down by 16 points in the third quarter. They tied the game with six seconds left in the regional contest before the Falcons sank the big basket.

The Blissfield women’s basketball team bade the 2016-17 season farewell in Tuesday night’s state quarterfinal game to Detroit Edison.

The final score in the Royals’ season was 58-45.

For Brad Heineman’s story, please see the March 22 edition of The Advance.

The Madison Trojans secured the district men’s basketball title Friday night in a 45-40 win over Addison at Sand Creek High School.

Madison will move on to the first round of regional play against Ann Arbor Greenhills at 8 p.m. Monday in Hudson.

Blissfield’s Lady Royals gave their fans quite a thrill battling Grass Lake – in double overtime – to a 56-49 regional crown in Madison.

The Royals advance to quarterfinals from here.

Coach Ryan Gilbert celebrated the win right after celebrating with this wife the arrival Wednesday of a new baby boy.

The Lady Royals of Blissfield defeated Michigan Center 48-38 to advance to Thursday’s regional basketball final at Madison High School.

Blissfield’s dynamic senior duo of Brooke Henning and Kelsey Wyman dominated the game with 21 points for Henning and Wyman contributing 18 before a packed gymnasium.

Tickets for the annual Blissfield Athletic Booster’s Nite at the Races fundraiser are now on sale for the Jan. 28 event at the Blissfield American Legion Hall, 451 High St. Doors will open for the event at 6 p.m. and the fun kicks off at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the high school’s athletic office or by contacting any of the following athletic booster members: Mike and Pam Alexander, Steve Babbitt, Dawn Chappuies, Stacey Clark, Matt Crane, Dori Degregorio, Deb Dusseau, Amy Hayford, Kristin Horky, Michelle Jackson, Anne Lycans and Tom Lycans, Shawn Milner, Kori Nieman, Billie Patton, Brian Reed and Dawn Reed, Erin Slusher, Jodi Spiker, Brian Weidmayer, Donna Wood and Kim Zemla.

By Brad Heineman

When it finally became a realization to 2015 Blissfield High School graduate Josh Hall that his four-year high school football career would be coming to a close at the conclusion of the fall 2014 season, it was a rough time for the then-honorable mention academic all-state lineman for the Blissfield Football Royals.
“It was tough,” he said. “Man, the thought of never playing football again really stung.”
Like many high school seniors braving the unexamined waters of post-secondary life, Hall was a bit taken by the options available to him, post-high school. Rather than attempting to play collegiate level football, Hall said he realized that he would realistically make it farther after college if he focused on his education, rather than trying to make a college’s football roster.
But football still remained a part of Hall’s being.
Ultimately, in order to get … Read More »

From The Advance sports desk:

UPDATE: Final

DETROIT – The Whiteford Bobcats had one last drive, but time ran out before they were able to put another score on the board as Muskegon Catholic Central claimed their fourth-straight state championship out of 12 in their history at Ford Field Friday in the District 8 championship by a final score of 35-6.

Though Whiteford owned the first half and trailed by only one point  going into the half, the Crusaders made half-time adjustments that lifted them over the Bobcats, who have played the best season in the history of their football program. They were never defeated in 2016 until this final game, downed every TCC opponent, blazed through the post season and carried with them most of the community to cheer on their effort against MCC in Detroit.

UPDATE: 1:04 fourth quarter

Read More »

The Lady Trojans of Madison High School lost the state semifinal volleyball match in a nail-biting five sets to Brown City Thursday in Battle Creek.

In the final set, they saw their outstanding season end by a 15-12 score. They had won the first set 25-21, and fourth set 25-21, and lost the second set 25-20 and third set 25-22.

For the rest of the story, please see the Nov. 23, 2016, edition of The Advance.

The Whiteford Bobcats will make their first-ever appearance in the MHSAA state football championships at Ford Field in Detroit Friday after defeating  Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary Saturday in the District 8 semifinal game by a score of 40-21.

For all the game details, please see the Nov. 23, 2016, edition of The Advance.

The Madison Lady Trojans volleyball team moves on to the state semifinals in Battle Creek Thursday via a three-sets-to-one win tonight (Tuesday) in the quarterfinals over Allen Park Cabrini.

From The Advance sports desk, Brad Heineman reporting

The Whiteford Bobcats will move on to the semifinal game next weekend for the second straight year after defeating visiting Climax-Scotts 38-18 and claiming the 2016 Division 8 Region 4 championship.

Both teams started the evening with 11-0 records. And while the Climax-Scotts Panthers’ season ended in Whiteford, the Bobcats now take their 12-0 perfect record to a neutral site next weekend where they will face the winner of the Region 3 game between the 9-2 Royal Oak Shrine Catholic team or the Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary, also a 9-2 team.

Following are the updates from the Whiteford regional win:

8:02 left in the game: Bobcat Logan Murphy just galloped 38 yards for to the end zone, and Thomas Eitniear ran for the two-point conversion to raise the Whiteford lead over Climax-Scotts to 38-18 in the Division … Read More »

The Whiteford Bobcats will be moving on in the 2016 MHSAA football postseason after dismantling the Summerfield Bulldogs 50-28, Friday night during the team’s pre-district contest played at Whiteford Stadium. Whiteford will host next Friday night’s district championship game against the Morenci Bulldogs, who defeated the Pittsford Wildcats in an overtime 27-24 game played in Morenci Friday night.

After a 22-22 tied halftime score, the Bobcats went on to outscore Summerfield, 28-6 in the second half to advance in the state division-eight playoffs.

Bobcat senior running back Jesse Kiefer scored five touchdowns Friday night and converted a two-point conversion, accounting for 32 of the team’s 50 points.

For the full story, please see the Nov. 2, 2016, edition of The Advance.

The Britton Deerfield  Patriots fell to the Morenci Bulldogs 53-8 Friday night.

The game story will appear in the Oct. 5 Advance.

The Whiteford Bobcats remained perfect on the season defeating the Madison Trojans 54-16 on their home turf. And on top of the win, they earned an automatic playoff berth with their 6-0 record.

For the complete story, please see the Oct. 5 edition of The Advance.