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: 10/13/17
October 13, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
Today's Top 10
1. Girls Golf: In arguably the state’s strongest Regional in this sport, top-ranked Saline shot a 324 to finish 15 shots ahead of runner-up and No. 3-ranked Northville and 22 ahead of No. 4 Plymouth in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – Saline Post
2. Boys Tennis: Top-ranked Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood edged No. 2 Detroit Country Day by two points to win an LPD3 Regional title – Oakland Press
3. Girls Golf: No. 5 Muskegon Reeths-Puffer won its first Regional championship in girls golf, claiming an LPD2 title with a 328, four strokes ahead of runner-up and No. 2 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern – Local Sports Journal
4. Girls Golf: Top-ranked Kalamazoo Hackett won its LPD4 Regional with a 351, followed by No. 3 Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian making the Finals for the 10th straight season – Grand Rapids Press
5. Girls Golf: No. 7 St. Johns bested runner-up and No. 10 Fenton by six strokes and No. 9 Okemos by 17 to win their LPD2 Regional – Lansing State Journal
6. Cross Country: Ishpeming and Negaunee battled for the boys and girls championships in the Mid-Peninsula Conference, with the UPD2 No. 1 Hematites boys and UPD1 No. 3 Miners girls earning the victories – Marquette Mining Journal
7. Girls Golf: Reigning LPD3 champion and current No. 8 Spring Lake won its fourth straight Regional title with a 372, eight strokes ahead of runner-up and No. 10 Big Rapids – Grand Haven Tribune
8. Boys Tennis: Sturgis won its first Regional championship in this sport since 2001, claiming an LPD3 title – Sturgis Journal
9. Girls Golf: All three Traverse City programs earned MHSAA Finals berths together for the first time, LPD1 No. 7 Traverse City West winning its Regional, Central finishing as a runner-up in LPD2 and St. Francis winning a tie-breaker for a third-place spot in LPD4 – Traverse City Record-Eagle
10. Girls Golf: No. 2 Brighton shot an impressive 309 to win its LPD1 Regional by 30 strokes – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Also of note …
Girls Golf: Top-ranked Midland Dow shot a 348 to clear the field by 20 strokes and win an LPD2 Regional title – Midland Daily News
Boys Tennis: Petoskey clinched its ninth straight Regional title, in LPD3, claiming 22 of a possible 24 points – Petoskey News-Review
Cross Country: Continuing their domination this season, Houghton’s boys (UPD1 No. 1) and Chassell’s girls (UPD3 No. 1) finished Western Peninsula Athletic Conference title chases – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
Cross Country: Marquette’s teams continued their dominance as well sweeping Great Northern Conference championships; the girls are No. 2 in UPD1 and the boys are ranked No. 2 as well – Marquette Mining Journal