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: 9/21/16

September 21, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

After a day away, “Today” returns with highlights of the past two, including some impressive volleyball upsets coming out of the Traverse City area, a few more in soccer as well, and the end to a lengthy win streak in swimming & diving.

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.

Cross Country

Alpena’s Mitchell Day remains one of the state’s most dominant runners, and he finished nearly a minute ahead of the field at Tuesday’s Big North Conference race – Alpena News

The Grosse Ile girls and boys both won this season’s first Huron League races Tuesday as both seek to repeat as champions – Southgate News-Herald

Boys Soccer

Hillsdale Academy, No. 12 in Division 4, earned a 5-0 win over rival Hillsdale High on Monday – Hillsdale Daily News

Unranked Midland Dow remained undefeated at 11-0-1 on Monday with a 3-1 win over Flint Powers Catholic, ranked No. 4 in Division 3 – Midland Daily News

Unranked Grand Haven upset Division 1 No. 10 East Kentwood 2-0 in overtime Tuesday – Grand Haven Tribune

Girls Swimming & Diving

Brighton downed Dexter 98-88 on Tuesday, its first win over the Dreadnaughts in 22 years. Both are top programs; Dexter is top-ranked in Lower Peninsula Division 2, and Brighton is No. 9 in Division 1 – Livingston Daily

Volleyball

Saginaw Heritage remained undefeated in Saginaw Valley League play with a 3-1 win over Midland Dow on Tuesday – Saginaw News

Utica Eisenhower won a matchup of Division 1 honorable mentions, downing Macomb Dakota in five sets Tuesday – Macomb Daily

The northern Lower Peninsula saw a pair of upsets Tuesday as Kingsley downed Class D No. 3 Leland and Fife Lake Forest Area got past Class D No. 4 Onaway – Traverse City Record-Eagle