Linked Up: 11/15/11
November 15, 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: 5/28/19
May 28, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The final weekend of May saw the majority of the final regular-season events for the 2018-19 school year, plus the annual team championship meets in track & field hosted by the Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association.
1. Track & Field: The Clare top-ranked girls and No. 2-ranked boys repeated in sweeping MITCA team championships in Lower Peninsula Division 3 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
2. Track & Field: The Pittsford No. 2-ranked girls won their third straight MITCA Division 4 team title, while top-ranked Addison won the boys title – Hillsdale Daily News
3. Track & Field: The top-ranked Zeeland East girls and top-ranked Zeeland West boys won MITCA Division 2 titles – Holland Sentinel Girls | Boys
4. Track & Field: The top-ranked Rockford girls and top-ranked East Kentwood boys won the MITCA Division 1 championships – Athletic.net
5. Baseball: Division 2 No. 3 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s won its first Detroit Catholic League A-B title with a walk-off hit in the 10th inning to get past Division 1 No. 14 Detroit Catholic Central – State Champs Sports Network
6. Baseball: Division 3 No. 4 Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett downed No. 3 Riverview Gabriel Richard to win the Catholic League C-D title – State Champs Sports Network
7. Baseball: Division 1 No. 3 White Lake Lakeland got past No. 9 South Lyon to clinch the Lakes Valley Conference title – Oakland Press
8. Softball: Colon ran its winning streak to 20 straight with a sweep of Burr Oak that clinched a Southern Central Athletic Association title – Sturgis Journal
9. Boys Golf: Austin Fauser and Clinton continued their domination of the Tri-County Conference with league titles – Adrian Daily Telegram
10. Softball: Posen celebrated a North Star League Little Dipper title with a sweep of Hale – Alpena News
Also of note …
Softball: Division 2 honorable mention Chelsea claimed a share of the Southeastern Conference White title with a win over Monroe – Chelsea Sun Times
Softball: Division 1 No. 3 Howell and honorable mention New Baltimore Anchor Bay continued their back-and-forth to finish as the new MHSAA record holder for home runs in a season – State Champs Sports Network
Softball: From Thursday, Division 4 No. 9 Unionville-Sebewaing clinched the outright Greater Thumb Conference West title with a sweep of Bad Axe – Huron Daily Tribune
Track & Field: From Thursday, Brimley claimed both the girls and boys Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference meet championships – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News
Softball: From Thursday, Division 2 top-ranked Escanaba finished a league title run in the Great Northern Conference with a shutout of Marquette – Escanaba Daily Press
Boys Golf: From Thursday, Hanover-Horton – No. 5 in Lower Peninsula Division 3 – won the Cascades Conference tournament to force a shared league title with No. 4 Napoleon – Jackson Citizen-Patriot
Track & Field: From Tuesday, Sault Ste. Marie’s girls and Newberry’s boys won Straits Area Conference meet titles – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News
Softball: From last week, Division 3 honorable mention Stanton Central Montcalm locked up its fifth straight Central State Activities Association Gold title – Greenville Daily News