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: 2/17/25
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 17, 2025
1. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Marquette's girls claimed their fourth-straight Upper Peninsula Finals championship – MHSAA.com
2. BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING The Sentinels ran their boys Finals championship streak to six – MHSAA.com
3. BASKETBALL Detroit Renaissance swept Detroit Public School League Tournament titles, the girls defeating Mumford 55-51 and the boys defeating King 69-64 – Detroit News
4. BASKETBALL Orchard Lake St. Mary’s boys edged Detroit U-D Jesuit 58-57 to win a Catholic High School League Bishop championship, and Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard’s girls defeated Toledo Notre Dame Academy 48-31 to clinch a title – Detroit News
5. COMPETITIVE CHEER Top-ranked Sanford Meridian continued its undefeated season with a Division 4 District title – Midland Daily News
6. BOYS BASKETBALL Grass Lake downed Brooklyn Columbia Central in the Cascades Conference to win its first league title since 1971, and Mason clinched a three-peat in the Capital Area Activities Conference Red – WILX
7. GIRLS WRESTLING Mason’s Cecilia Williams remained undefeated in girls competition this season in winning her Regional bracket – Lansing State Journal
8. BOYS WRESTLING Roseville’s Jay’Den Williams was among Macomb County standouts advancing with Division 1 Regional titles – Macomb Daily
9. COMPETITIVE CHEER No. 10 Wyandotte Roosevelt in Division 1, No. 2 Gibraltar Carlson in Division 2 and No. 3 Grosse Ile in Division 3 were among District title winners from the Downriver area – Southgate News-Herald
10. BOYS BASKETBALL Bridgman clinched the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore title with a 66-58 win over South Haven – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
Also of note …
BOYS BASKETBALL Riverview Gabriel Richard downed Jackson Lumen Christi 82-48 to clinch the CHSL Cardinal Tournament title – Southgate News-Herald
BOYS BASKETBALL Battle Creek St. Philip downed Athens to clinch the Southern Central Athletic Association West title, its first since 2013-14 – Battle Creek Enquirer
GIRLS BASKETBALL Traverse City Central downed West 55-39 to clinch the Big North Conference title – Traverse City Record-Eagle
BOYS BASKETBALL Kinross Maplewood Baptist won the Northern Lights League Tournament title with a 104-94 overtime victory over Hannahville Nah Tah Wahsh – Escanaba Daily Press
GIRLS BASKETBALL Big Bay de Noc defeated Beaver Island to clinch the Northern Lights League Tournament title – Escanaba Daily Press
BOWLING Boyne City’s girls claimed the Northern Michigan Bowling Conference championship – Traverse City Record-Eagle
BOYS BASKETBALL Elk Rapids clinched a share of the Northern Shores Conference title with a 53-49 win over Charlevoix – Traverse City Record-Eagle
GIRLS BOWLING Ishpeming Westwood's Olivia Letson claimed the Upper Peninsula individual championship – Upper Michigan's Source
BOYS BASKETBALL Thomas Maier reached 1,000 career points for Hillsdale Will Carleton Academy during a loss to Pittsford – Hillsdale Daily News