Grayling Plays On as Healing Continues

December 15, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The Grayling community was rocked by a two-vehicle collision in 2013 that resulted in the deaths of a coach, a golfer and another passenger in the other vehicle, as well as numerous serious injuries, while the boys golf team was driving to a tournament. 

As the community began to heal, the team played the rest of the 2013 season for classmates who could not. Last spring, more than 30 golfers came out as the team fell just one place short of making the MHSAA Finals but sent an individual, Jake Hinkle, to the Lower Peninsula Division 3 tournament at Grand Valley State University.  

In a few short months, Grayling's boys golf team will again begin the journey to play at the Finals as a team, backed by a community that continues to rally. 

The NBC Golf Channel tells this incredible story below:

Today in the MHSAA: 4/18/16

April 18, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A week after snow still covered much of the Lower Peninsula, teams on both sides of the bridge got outside to get their seasons rolling – with much of most notable weekend action coming in softball, soccer and tennis.

Girls Soccer

Cadillac shut out Holland Black River and Holland and played Grand Rapids Northview to a 0-0 tie in winning the Holland Invitational on Saturday – Cadillac News

Softball

Spring Lake won the Lakeshore Grand Slam in Stevenson by downing reigning Division 2 champion Wayland 5-4 on the way to the title – Grand Haven Tribune

Melissa Wegener clubbed a seventh-inning home run as part of a five-run rally to help Bay City Western over rival Bay City Central 7-4 in the final of the Bay County Softball Championships – Bay City Times

From Thursday, Emily Dragonetti threw a no-hitter against Charlotte that was her school’s first in at least 14 seasons – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Also from Thursday, Dowagiac’s Taylor Hulett and Megan Soderbloom threw back-to-back no-hitters against Sturgis while striking out a combined 21 batters – Niles Daily Star

Girls Tennis

Battle Creek Lakeview won six flight championships in claiming the overall Battle Creek All-City title – Battle Creek Enquirer

From Wednesday, Division 2 top-ranked Bloomfield Hills Marian and Division 3 No. 2 Detroit Country Day tied 4-4 with Country Day winning all four singles matches and Marian sweeping doubles – Oakland Press

Good Read

Eric Marcil as a student convinced the Muskegon Reeths-Puffer district to create a soccer program, and the 1992 alum came back to coach both the girls and boys teams before his death at 25 after a fight against lymphoma. The school’s field was renamed to honor him Thursday – Muskegon Chronicle