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.
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: 3/8/17
March 8, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The Division 2 ice hockey field was cut to four and the girls basketball field to 16 during a Tuesday full of big-time performances and a few upsets as well.
Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.
Girls Basketball
Walled Lake Western earned its first Regional win in 34 season, downing Novi 48-42 in a Class A Regional Semifinal – Oakland Press
Kierra Fletcher had 35 points and 13 rebounds in reigning Class A champion Warren Cousino’s 56-44 victory over 20-win Utica Ford – MLive-Detroit
With a heavy heart, Asjia Blanton had 19 points off the bench to lead Midland Dow to a 59-36 win over Marquette – Saginaw News
East Kentwood survived a 28-point night from Muskegon Mona Shores standout Jordan Walker to win 57-43 in their Class A matchup – Grand Rapids Press
Farmington Hills Mercy dealt Hartland only its second – and final – loss this season, 47-42 in a Class A Regional Semifinal – Observer & Eccentric
Blissfield handed 20-win Michigan Center a 48-38 Regional Semifinal loss in Class C – Jackson Citizen Patriot
Kalkaska scored during the final 10 seconds to upend Houghton 58-57 in a matchup of 20+ win teams in Class C – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Bronson contained high-scoring Niles Brandywine 32-22 in Class C – Coldwater Daily Reporter
Pickford ended Hillman’s 21-game winning streak with a 51-45 win in Class D – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News
Frankfort upset Gaylord St. Mary 47-44 in Class D – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Hockey
Unranked Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern/Eastern advanced to the Division 2 Semifinals for the second straight season with a 3-2 win over unranked Muskegon Mona Shores – Grand Rapids Press
Unranked Saline upset No. 5 Livonia Churchill in double overtime 5-4 to advance – Saline Post
Top-ranked Birmingham Brother Rice eliminated reigning Division 2 champion Romeo, 4-0 – Macomb Daily
No. 2 Hartland shut out No. 4 Livonia Stevenson 3-0 to also move on – Livingston Daily Press & Argus