Linked Up: 11/15/11
December 16, 2011
We're heading into the final two weeks of the MHSAA fall season, which means playoffs for a few more sports, first practices for many others, and some catch-up on good stories that have made their way into my e-mail or onto my desk. Here are five more I've run across this week.
And again, if you see something high school sports-related that you think others would find valuable, send me a link at [email protected].
Walled Lake Central's Zac Leimbach stands strong after father's death (Detroit Free Press)
Walled Lake Central quarterback Zac Leimbach led his team to the playoffs this fall (WLC lost last weekend). He also is the oldest of three sons and now the man of his house in the wake of the summer death of their father after a battle with cancer. Mick McCabe's passage about Leimbach's final conversation with his father really struck me -- incredible.
Being in the pool makes Zeeland swimmer Becky Taylor feel like equal (Holland Sentinel)
Taylor was born with spina bifida -- "a hole in her back" -- and paralysis from the hips down. But she can leave her wheelchair behind when she takes to the pool as a member of the Zeeland swim team. Dan D'Addona tells us this inspiring story that has made waves on the west side of the state this season.
Mercy's Maddy Doyle takes home Miss Volleyball award (Oakland Press)
Doyle was the spokesperson for her team to the media after tough losses ended their last two seasons. But she was able to stand in once more -- joyfully tearful this time -- in accepting the Miss Volleyball award for 2011. Matthew B. Mowery wraps up her great career.
East Grand Rapids' win over Holland was the Pioneers' 28th straight in postseason play. That's a story unto itself, of course. But another big one for West Michigan high school sports fans was the return of the Press' Jane Bos, who is back in the press box after nearly a year working through medical issues. This is her return column, and I'm sure a loyal reader base is thankful to have her back.
From a standout player, a different sort of care basket (Los Angeles Times)
This is a little old, but came back into the light this week with the start of college basketball season. It's a college story, but also a high school story, of a star hoops player who won $40,000 in scholarship money in a free-throw shooting contest -- and then gave it to the seven runners-up. You'll probably hear about Cal State-Northridge's Allan Guei at some point over the next few years. Here's why.
Today in the MHSAA: 2/16/26
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 16, 2026
1. BOYS BASKETBALL Brooklyn Columbia Central clinched its first league title in boys basketball since 1983, downing Michigan Center 59-56 in the Cascades Conference finale – WLNS
2. BOYS BASKETBALL Gobles clinched its first championship in 25 years with a 54-46 win over Galesburg-Augusta in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Central – Kalamazoo Gazette
3. BOYS BASKETBALL Detroit Martin Luther King finished a perfect run through the Detroit Public School League with a city championship-clinching 68-63 win over Detroit Cass Tech – Detroit News
4. GIRLS BASKETBALL Saline avenged its lone Southeastern Conference Red loss by defeating Temperance Bedford to clinch the league title – Saline Post
5. BOYS BASKETBALL Auburn Hills Avondale clinched its first Oakland Activities Association title with a 58-44 win over Clarkston – Oakland Press
6. GIRLS BASKETBALL Jackson Lumen Christi held on for a 48-36 win over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s to claim the Catholic High School League Bishop title – Oakland Press
7. BOYS BASKETBALL Onsted downed Ida 46-35 to wrap up a fifth-straight Lenawee County Athletic Association title – Adrian Daily Telegram
8. GIRLS BASKETBALL Holt defeated East Lansing 50-35 to secure the outright title in the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue – Lansing State Journal
9. BOWLING Wyandotte Roosevelt’s girls and boys teams finished perfect championship runs in the Downriver League – Southgate News-Herald
10. BOYS WRESTLING Holland’s Andreas Valkema reached 150 career wins on the way to a second-place finish at his Division 2 District – Holland Sentinel
Also of note …
GIRLS BASKETBALL Detroit Renaissance downed Mumford 63-37 to win the Detroit Public School League city championship – Detroit Free Press
GIRLS BASKETBALL Rockford, Grand Rapids South Christian, Grand Rapids Catholic Central and Holland Christian all clinched shares or outright titles in the O-K Conference – Grand Rapids Press
GIRLS BASKETBALL Morenci’s Emersyn Bachelder and Adrian’s Ella Salenbien both reached 1,000 career points – Adrian Daily Telegram
BOYS BASKETBALL East Lansing downed Holt 71-36 to clinch the outright Capital Area Activities Conference Blue championship – Lansing State Journal
BOYS BASKETBALL Saginaw Heritage downed Mount Pleasant 58-29 to clinch the Saginaw Valley League North title – Saginaw News
BOYS BASKETBALL Center Line defeated Warren Mott, and a Marine City win helped the Panthers claim the Macomb Area Conference Silver title outright – Macomb Daily
BOYS BASKETBALL Royal Oak Shrine downed Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes 41-28 to clinch the Catholic High School League St. Anne championship – Oakland Press
BOYS BASKETBALL Isaiah Theodile scored his 1,000th career point during Kalamazoo Central’s 85-46 win over Battle Creek Central – Kalamazoo Gazette
BOWLING The Division 2 No. 10 Fruitport boys finished a championship run in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver – MuskegonSports.com