Linked Up: 10/28/11

October 28, 2011

Each week I'll post links to stories that interest me most during my travels in online sports land. I was going to wait for next week for this first installment, but these seemed worthy of telling you about now.

See something high school sports-related that you think others would find valuable? Send me a link.

Akron-Fairgrove and Owendale-Gagetown eager for long-awaited playoff games in first season of eight-man football bracket (Bay City Times)

These two teams provide multiple reasons why 8-player football has been such a strong addition -- most notably, it is providing our smallest schools with an opportunity to still play football despite fewer players, and succeed. The sport took off in this state in 2009, and this weekend mark the start of the first MHSAA 8-player Tournament. Akron-Fairgrove will play its first postseason game since 1992, while Owendale-Gagetown will play its first since 1979.

Olivet's Peters coaching his heart out (Battle Creek Enquirer)

I covered Olivet and coach Dean Peters for more than a decade, including during last season's first-ever Eagles run to the MHSAA football finals. One of the great people in high school coaching, he needed emergency double-bypass surgery earlier this month but is back in the coaching booth. Olivet faces Lansing Catholic in a Pre-District game.

Megan Hubbard a standout for Hanover-Horton cross country (Jackson Citizen-Patriot)

This is a neat story about a runner who is second-best on her team and has never won a race -- but also is likely the second-best to ever run at her school. Usually, we hear only about who finishes first.

Standley Lake football player Rhett Gutierrez overcomes eye disease (The Denver Post)
 
Almost always, links I post will be Michigan-related. But this story is just incredible. We've seen athletes with different degrees of vision impairment do incredible things in high school athletics. But this is the first time I've heard of someone overcoming that obstacle to play quarterback for his football team.

Today in the MHSAA: 3/20/19

March 20, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

This weekend’s Girls Basketball Semifinals will welcome back three reigning champions and a host of contenders new and old. We’ve linked to coverage of all 16 Tuesday Quarterfinals below and will preview all four divisions later today on Second Half.  

Division 1: Saginaw Heritage locked down Hartland with a 44-24 win – Saginaw News

Division 1: Muskegon sank the go-ahead basket with four seconds to play to get past DeWitt 53-51 – FOX 17

Division 1: Southfield Arts & Technology earned its second Semifinal trip in three seasons with a 62-36 win over St. Clair Shores Lakeview – Detroit News

Division 1: Wayne Memorial booked its Semifinal return with a 50-28 win over Temperance Bedford – Observer & Eccentric

Division 2: Unbeaten Hamilton earned its first Semifinal berth with a 63-34 win over Grand Rapids South Christian – Holland Sentinel

Division 2: Haslett continued its postseason surge edging one-loss Chelsea 46-44 – Lansing State Journal

Division 2: Freeland came back from a halftime deficit to down Cadillac 48-38 – Midland Daily News

Division 2: Reigning Class C champion Detroit Edison moved closer to playing for the Division 2 title with a 63-23 win over Goodrich – Flint Journal

Division 3: Lake City edged Ishpeming Westwood, coming back from nine down to win 50-46 – Cadillac News

Division 3: Pewamo-Westphalia will return to the Semifinals thanks to a 43-19 win over Niles Brandywine – Lansing State Journal

Division 3: Flint Hamady downed Royal Oak Shrine 56-34 to return to the Semifinals – Flint Journal

Division 3: Ypsilanti Arbor Prep is headed to the Semifinals for the fifth straight season after a 59-31 win over Adrian Madison – Ann Arbor News

Division 4: Reigning Class D champion Adrian Lenawee Christian earned a return trip to the Semifinals with a 59-32 win over Fruitport Calvary Christian – Adrian Daily Telegram

Division 4: Undefeated St. Ignace got past Baraga 76-45 to return to the Semifinals – MI Sports Now

Division 4: Fowler continued its playoff rise with a 48-34 win over Gaylord St. Mary – WPBN

Division 4: Kingston moved on to the Semifinals with a 40-27 win over Clarkston Everest Collegiate – WJRT

Also of note …

Girls Basketball: Detroit Edison’s Rickea Jackson was named this season’s Miss Basketball Award winner – MLive-Detroit

Football: Scott Barnhart stepped down as coach at Algonac after leading a major turnaround the last few seasons – Port Huron Times Herald