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: 3/22/21
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 22, 2021
The first of four consecutive jam-packed high school sports weekends to finish the winter saw postseason and regular season championships as most basketball teams played their final games before playoffs and the rest of remaining MHSAA sports advanced through another round of their tournaments – with the state’s top female wrestlers celebrating statewide championships Sunday as well.
1. Wrestling: Bullock Creek’s Sydney Kutzke reached 100 career wins Saturday at her Division 3 Individual District, then won her weight at the Michigan Wrestling Association state finals Sunday – Midland Daily News
2. Hockey: No. 5 Novi downed No. 4 Livonia Stevenson 2-1 in a Division 2 Regional Final – State Champs Sports Network
3. Hockey: Top-ranked Calumet downed No. 6 Houghton 3-1 to claim a Division 3 Regional title – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
4. Boys Basketball: Detroit Martin Luther King defeated Detroit Pershing 56-48 to claim the Detroit Public School League Tournament title – Detroit News
5. Bowling: Tecumseh swept girls and boys team and individual Division 2 Regional championships – Adrian Daily Telegram
6. Girls Basketball: Bloomingdale clinched its first Southwest 10 Conference championship in this sport, downing Centreville 59-38 – Sturgis Journal
7. Boys Basketball: Grand Ledge downed Holt 75-65 to clinch the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue title, its first league title since 2003 – Lansing State Journal
8. Girls Basketball: Haslett clinched the CAAC Red title with a 46-32 win over Williamston – WILX
9. Boys Basketball: Eaton Rapids won a title-clinching matchup of first-place teams in the CAAC White, defeating former co-leader Lansing Catholic 62-48 – WILX
10. Competitive Cheer: Reigning Division 2 champion Allen Park claimed its fourth-straight District title – Southgate News-Herald
Also of note …
Boys Basketball: Detroit U-D Jesuit edged Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 64-62 to claim the Detroit Catholic League Tournament title – Detroit News
Girls Basketball: East Lansing downed Grand Ledge 79-43 to finish a perfect run through the CAAC Blue – Lansing State Journal
Boys Basketball: Ubly clinched its first league title since 2011 with a 35-33 win over Harbor Beach in the Greater Thumb Conference East – Huron Daily Tribune
Boys Basketball: Charlevoix clinched the Lake Michigan Conference outright championship with a 49-45 win over Elk Rapids – Petoskey News-Review
Boys Basketball: Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart finished an outright title run in the Mid-State Activities Conference with a 63-26 win over Coleman – Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart
Girls/Boys Basketball: The Big Bay de Noc girls and Kinross Maplewood Baptist boys clinched Northern Lights League championships – Escanaba Daily Press