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: 12/10/18
December 10, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
This weekend was filled with record-setting scoring on the basketball court, milestone points and titanic early-season victories as some of the state’s best met in hoops, wrestling and hockey.
1. Wrestling: No. 3 Brighton downed No. 2 Davison 34-23 in a matchup of top teams in Division 1 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
2. Girls Basketball: Reigning Class A champion Saginaw Heritage held on for a 45-43 win over Southfield Arts & Technology at the Arbor Prep Invitational – Saginaw News
3. Girls Basketball: Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart won big over Coleman as Scout Nelson scored her 1,000th career point – MI Sports Now
4. Wrestling: Division 2 No. 9 Tecumseh downed No. 10 New Boston Huron in the final to win the Brooklyn Columbia Central Team Tournament title – Adrian Daily Telegram
5. Hockey: Division 1 No. 4 Salem followed its Thursday win over Division 2 No. 7 Howell with a 4-0 victory over Division 3 No. 11 Livonia Churchill – Observer & Eccentric
6. Girls Basketball: Comstock’s Daisy Ansel broke her school’s 27-year-old scoring record with 45 points in a big win over Buchanan – Kalamazoo Gazette
7. Bowling: Quincy’s boys entered bracket play as the eighth seed and downed the first on the way to winning the Cascades Clash Baker Tournament – Coldwater Daily Reporter
8. Girls Basketball: Taylor Folkema tied her school’s record with 39 points in Muskegon Western Michigan Christian’s big win over Muskegon Catholic Central – Local Sports Journal
9. Wrestling: Seven individual champions led Petoskey to the team title at the Owosso Invitational – Petoskey News-Review
10. Wrestling: Ishpeming Westwood won its Super Duals finishing 5-0 on the day – Marquette Mining Journal
Also of note …
Cross Country: Longtime Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart coach Mark Zitzelsberger announced his retirement; he led the Irish to six MHSAA titles including the girls team to the last four in Lower Peninsula Division 4 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Wrestling: Lake City earned its first invitational team title as a program, claiming first at Manton – Cadillac News
Girls Basketball: Shepherd edged Birch Run 41-40, but Panthers junior Sarah Miller reached 1,000 points for her career – Saginaw News
Boys Basketball: From Tuesday, Bryce Hallman scored a school-record 44 points as Howard City Tri-County won its first game in nearly two calendar years, over White Cloud – Greenville Daily News