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: 1/28/16

January 28, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The number 300 has been significant for at least two competitors this week, and Wednesday’s action also included some of the state's best wrestling matchups this season and a league champion crowned for the first time in more than 30 years.

Boys Basketball

Standish-Sterling handed Beaverton its first regular-season loss since 2013-14, 53-51 – Saginaw News

Suttons Bay got past Benzonia Benzie Central on Thomas Hursey’s 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds to play – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Girls Basketball

From Tuesday, Norway gave Stephenson the latter’s first loss this season, 71-57 – Iron Mountain Daily News

Bowling

Also from Tuesday, Ada Forest Hills Eastern 14-year-old freshman Nick Slagter rolled his first 300 game – Grand Rapids Press

Competitive Cheer

Sterling Heights Stevenson scored 780.44 points to best Warren Cousino by more than 10 to win the Macomb Area Conference Red meet – Macomb Daily

Perennial Division 3 power Richmond is back among the elite and won its Blue Water Area Conference jamboree by nearly 30 points with a total of 768.28 – Port Huron Times Herald

Ice Hockey

Traverse City Central shut out rival Traverse City West for the second time this season, this time 3-0 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s scored twice over the final three minutes to earn a comeback 2-1 win over rival Birmingham Brother Rice – Oakland Press

Wrestling

Three Rivers earned coach Pete Bachinski his 300th win, a 60-18 victory over Vicksburg; Bachinski began his coaching career in 1995 – Kalamazoo Gazette

Hartland won the rematch of last season’s Division 1 Final, this time defeating reigning champion Brighton 46-16 – Livingston Daily

Top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central also dominated a match of Division 1 powers, taking down Oxford 46-17 – Oakland Press

Chesaning won its first league wrestling championship since 1982, claiming the Tri-Valley Conference Central title with a 60-15 win over Midland Bullock Creek – Saginaw News

Goodrich senior Nathan Ellis won his 150th career match during his team’s wins over Durand and Mount Morris – Flint Journal