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Second Half by MHSAA

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.

It's like I never left, almost: EGR still winning playoff games, this time against Holland (Grand Rapids Press)

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: 10/3/17

October 3, 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. Boys Soccer: Division 2 No. 11 Holland partially avenged an earlier 4-0 loss by tying Division 3 No. 2 Hudsonville Unity Christian 1-1 – Holland Sentinel

2. Girls Golf: LPD1 No. 3 Traverse City West and lead scorer Anika Dy (72) finished with championships at the Traverse City Central Invitational – Traverse City Record-Eagle

3. Girls Golf: Unranked South Lyon East edged rival and LPD2 No. 4 South Lyon by a stroke to win the inaugural Lakes Valley Conference tournament with a score of 344; South Lyon ended with the overall league title – Observer & Eccentric

4. Girls Golf: LPD2 No. 3 St. Joseph shot a 338 to win the South Haven Invitational ahead of runner-up and LPD4 top-ranked Kalamazoo Hackett (349) – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

5. Boys Tennis: Big Rapids capped an undefeated regular season with a 7-1 win over Mount Pleasant – Big Rapids News

6. Girls Golf: Utica shot a 386 to win the Macomb Area Conference Blue tournament, with Macomb L’Anse Creuse’s Maddie Quick (84) earning the individual title – Macomb Daily

7. Volleyball: Cadillac outlasted Traverse City West in five sets, winning the last 15-13, to avenge an earlier sweep against the only team that’s beaten the Vikings in the Big North Conference – Cadillac News

8. Boys Soccer: Division 4 No. 7 Hillsdale Academy added to its recent success against its rival with a 2-0 win over Hillsdale High – Hillsdale Daily News

9. Boys Soccer: Ben Holscher’s three second-half goals helped Gaylord to a 5-2 win over Alpena – Gaylord Herald-Times

10. Football: As Fox Sports Detroit wrote in describing this installment of its “Earning the Letter” series, “Corunna Football homecoming spirit extends beyond pep rallies and spirit days in this tight-knit community” – Fox Sports Detroit

Also of note …

Boys Cross Country: From Saturday, Coldwater’s Shuaib Aljabaly (14:53) and Otsego’s Alex Comerford (14:55) posted the fastest boys times in the state this season in finishing first and second, respectively, at the Otsego Invitational – Coldwater Daily Reporter

Girls Swimming & Diving: Also from Saturday, Midland Dow won its seventh straight Tri-Cities Swimming and Diving Championships, led by star sophomore Claire Newman – Midland Daily News