Linked Up: 11/22/11
December 20, 2011
Thanksgiving week means a short one for most -- and more time for family, shopping, relaxation, watching the MHSAA Football Finals and hopefully a little additional reading.
Here are some suggestions from the last week and as we get ready to leave the fall and jump into the winter sports season.
Remember, if you find something high school sports-related that you think others would find useful or inspiring, send me a link at [email protected] and I'll check it out.
Okemos girl's cancer battle inspires Spartans (Lansing State Journal)\
We believe high school sports are about community. While not high school-related, this is a story about community and its power to do great things. Joe Rexrode tells us about 11-year-old Paige Duren and her battle against brain cancer – with the support of her community including big assists from the Michigan State football and basketball teams. She’s a two-sport athlete herself – playing soccer and basketball – and an inspiration to those who’ve come to know her. Rexrode makes it easy to understand why.
Sister act: Shaw, Halberg share much in common, despite more than 2,000 miles between them (Petoskey News)
That the Grunch sisters are excellent volleyball coaches isn’t a coincidence, Charlevoix people surely would say. But it’s a neat one that Liz (Grunch) Shaw and Christine (Grunch) Halberg both led their teams to their best finishes since 1989 (Halberg) or ever (Shaw). Shaw coaches their alma mater, while Halberg coaches 2,300 miles away in Washington. Steve Foley fills us in on how this worked out.
Avenall the right choice to lead Clarkston into volleyball history (NorthOaklandSports.com)
Clarkston coach Kelly Avenal was part of some great teams as a player, but until this past weekend Clarkston had never reached an MHSAA Finals weekend. Dan Stickradt tells us how she’s taken the program to the elite level while also giving a brief history lesson on how it got rolling toward that trip to Battle Creek.
Natural fit: Superior Dome was easy choice for 8-man final according to MHSAA (Marquette Mining Journal)
A few of us spent Friday night at Northern Michigan University’s Superior Dome, and count me among those who will look forward to making a return trip. Here’s some of the story behind the MHSAA’s selection of the Superior Dome as home of the inaugural 8-Player Football Final, as well as Semifinals most years.
Lowell's Noel Dean to Receive 2011 Power of Influence Award (AFCA.com)
The Red Arrows are headed back to Ford Field on Friday for the Division 2 Final, but Dean also will be scheduling a January trip to San Antonio, Texas, to receive this prestigious award from the American Football Coaches Association and American Football Coaches Foundation. Dean started his head coaching career at Bendle in 1991 before heading to Lowell in 1996. He's led teams to three MHSAA championships, and also the fundraising of $425,000 for cancer support through the "Pink Arrow Project."
Today in the MHSAA: 10/16/17
October 16, 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 Tennis: No. 2-ranked Novi followed up a one-point league tournament win over No. 4 Northville by finishing five points ahead of the Mustangs to win a sixth straight Lower Peninsula Division 1 Regional title – Observer & Eccentric
2. Cross Country: Lansing Catholic swept championships at the Greater Lansing Invitational, which includes mid-Michigan schools from all classes for one race; the boys are tied for No. 2 in LPD2 and the girls are No. 3 – Lansing State Journal Girls | Boys
3. Cross Country: The LPD1 No. 3 Ann Arbor Pioneer girls and No. 4 Saline boys defeated loaded Ann Arbor River Rat Open fields, Pioneer two points ahead of LPD1 No. 2 Northville and Saline ahead of host Huron – Athletic.net
4. Cross Country: Macomb L’Anse Creuse North’s Karenna Duffey won her fourth Macomb County Invitational title; Romeo swept the team championships, and its boys are No. 3 in LPD1 – Macomb Daily
5. Cross Country: Essexville Garber’s boys ended Bay City Western’s 11-year winning streak at the Bay County Championship; Western’s girls, an honorable mention in LPD1, won a sixth straight title – Bay City Times
6. Volleyball: Escanaba gained a share of its first league title since 2003 by winning the Great Northern Conference tournament – Escanaba Daily Press
7. Volleyball: After falling to Muskegon Mona Shores in the 2016 final, Class B honorable mention Fruitport swept the Sailors in the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament championship match; the final two sets were won by only two points apiece – Muskegon Chronicle
8. Cross Country: Muskegon Reeths-Puffer’s girls and Fruitport’s boys won GMAA city championships, Fruitport led by a meet record setter – Muskegon Chronicle
9. Cross Country: The Harbor Springs boys and LPD3 No. 6 Traverse City St. Francis girls won Lake Michigan Conference championships – Petoskey News-Review
10. Volleyball: Centreville went undefeated on the day and upset Class C honorable mention Mendon in the final to win the Southwest 10 Conference tournament title – Sturgis Journal
Also of note:
Volleyball: Class C No. 9 Adrian Madison survived a close championship match with Onsted to repeat as Lenawee County champion – Adrian Daily Telegram
Boys Tennis: From Thursday, LPD1 No. 10 Hudsonville advanced to its first MHSAA Finals since 1994 and carries a 26-0-2 record this fall – Grand Rapids Press
Boys Tennis: From Thursday, top-ranked Okemos and East Lansing took the top two spots at the LPD2 Regional at East Lansing, but third-place Pinckney also qualified for the Finals for the first time – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Boys Tennis: From Thursday and Friday, LPD2 No. 3 Birmingham Seaholm edged No. 2 Birmingham Groves by three points to win their Regional – Oakland Press
Volleyball: Battle Creek Lakeview swept Harper Creek to win the All-City Tournament for the second straight season – Battle Creek Enquirer
Cross Country: The Adrian boys and Tecumseh girls won Lenawee County championships – Adrian Daily Telegram