Houghton Hockey Advances to State Semifinals – Sunday Sports Wrap

Click on the highlights scores for more game details.

High School

Houghton blanked Escanaba 8-0 Saturday, to advance to the state hockey tournament semifinals. Mikey Maillette scored five goals for the Gremlins. The fifth ended the game midway through the third period because of the mercy rule. Jace Deforge, Landon Stevens and Connor Arko also scored. The Gremlins outshot the Eskymoes 44-11.

The final four in Division Three also includes East Grand Rapids, Flint Powers Catholic, and Riverview Gabriel Richard. The field will be reseeded, and semifinal parings announced this evening. The semifinals will be played Friday, with Houghton coverage continuing on the Voice of the Gremlins, 97.7 The Wolf.

College Hockey

The Central Collegiate Hockey Association tournament best-of-three quarterfinal series all ended with two-game sweeps last night…
• Second-seed Michigan Tech held off seventh-seed St. Thomas 5-4. Blake Pietila made 30 saves, and tied the school record for career wins for a goaltender with 58. Coach Joe Shawhan’s 119th career win moved him into second place in program history, behind John MacInnes.
• Fourth-seed Northern Michigan defeated fifth-seed Bemidji State 2-1.
• Top-seed Minnesota State slipped past eighth-seed Lake Superior State 2-1.
• Sixth-seed Ferris State dispatched third-seed Bowling Green 2-1 in overtime.

Tech will host Northern in one of the single-game semifinals Saturday. Minnesota State will entertain Ferris.

College Basketball

Both Michigan Tech teams advanced to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Association tournament finals with wins yesterday.

On the women’s side, the Huskies used a 25-0 run in the second half to engineer a 68-57 comeback win over Ferris State. Sarah Dax led Tech with 14 points. The second-seeded Huskies will face top-seed Grand Valley for the championship today on the Lakers’ court in Allendale.

On the men’s side, the eighth-seeded Huskies upset fifth-seed Grand Valley 73-69. Marcus Tomashek led Tech with 22 points. The Huskies will face third-seed Northern Michigan for the title this afternoon in Big Rapids. The Wildcats advanced with a 67-59 victory over Ferris State.

GLHL

The Calumet Wolverines v the Marquette Mutineers Saturday – no report.

The Portage Lake Pioneers blanked the Eagle River Falcons 6-0.

NHL

The Red Wings lost to the Islanders 4-1 Saturday afternoon. Magnus Hellberg made 32 saves, and took the loss in net.

The Wings visit the Flyers tonight. Coverage will begin at 5:45 on 99.3 The Lift.

NBA

The Pistons fell 114-90 to the Cavaliers Saturday evening. Marvin Bagley III led Detroit with 20 points.

The Pistons have dropped seven straight, and host the Trailblazers tomorrow. Coverage will begin at 6:35 on 99.3 The Lift.

MLB

The Tigers lost an ugly 18-5 Grapefruit League Grapefruit League game to the Blue Jays Saturday. Toronto scored 13 runs in the fourth inning off Will Vest and Jake Higgenbotham. Zack Short and Miguel Cabrera homered. In his first start since undergoing Tommy John ligament replacement surgery in 2021, Spencer Turnbull gave up a run over two effective innings.

The Tigers face a split Twins squad this afternoon. Joey Wentz will start for Detroit.

The Brewers pounded the Giants 14-2. Rowdy Tellez, Willy Adames, Brian Anderson, Blake Perkins and Wes Clarke homered.

Milwaukee will play The Mariners today. Brandon Woodruff will start.

CopperDog 150

Ryan Anderson continues to lead the CopperDog 150 after the second stage Saturday. He holds a 3:48 advantage over Michael Bestgen after the run from Eagle Harbor to Copper Harbor. Defending champion J.R. Anderson turned in the fastest run of the day, but remains in third place. The final leg of the three-stage race will begin this morning at 9:00 in Copper Harbor, and end this afternoon in Eagle Harbor.

Lynne Witte earned an impressive victory in the CopperDog 80 Saturday. Witte dominated both stages, and finished 24 minutes ahead of Joann Fortier.

In the CopperDog 15 sprint at Copper Harbor Saturday, Sherry Johnson took the title, finishing 5:32 ahead of runner-up Matt Monke.

Among local mushers:
• In the 150, Sarah Tarlton is sixth, Tom Bauer is in eighth place, and Maddie Longpre-Harrer is 16th.
• In the 80, Alyssa Sarlund finished eighth, and Wade Canavan ninth.
• In the 15, Jerry Trudell finished third. Mara Grentz placed ninth.

See full results here.

Upcoming local sports broadcasts:

• Tomorrow – Houghton boys basketball will play at Negaunee in a district quarterfinal. Coverage will begin at 5:40 on the Voice of the Gremlins, 97.7 The Wolf.
• Tuesday – Houghton girls basketball will face either Kingsley or Boyne City in a regional semifinal at Manistique. Coverage will begin at 6:40 on the Voice of the Gremlins, 97.7 The Wolf.
• Wednesday – Calumet boys basketball will play at Westwood in a district semifinal. Coverage will begin at 5:40 on the Voice of the Copper Kings, KBear 102.3.

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