Linked Up: 11/8/11

December 16, 2011

My online travels over the last 10 days have taken me to just about every media entity in Michigan as we've been tracking down football, volleyball and soccer results. Below are some of the intriguing stories I happened upon that you might want to check out as well.

See something high school sports-related that you think others would find valuable? Send me a link at [email protected].

State meet an experience to savor  (Livingston County Daily Press & Argus)

Reporter Katie Noble ran at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Cross Country Finals for Kinde North Huron in 2001. She explains how her perspective has changed during the 10 years since -- something any former high school athlete can appreciate.

Lincoln football: More than just football (AnnArbor.com)

Although Ypsilanti Lincoln's first playoff run ever ended after just one game, it gave those fans plenty to celebrate -- and AnnArbor.com's Jeff Sainlar put together a great multimedia look at how the team made history after going 0-9 in 2010.

Twin sisters key players for both Dow and Midland volleyball teams (Midland Daily News)

We hear a lot of stories of teams having two or three siblings, a set of twins or an occasional crew of triplets. But Saturday's District final at Saginaw Heritage included two teams from the same city both receiving major contributions sets of twins. Dan Chalk explained how similarities among those pairs benefited their respective teams in similar ways.

Marshall Thomas' coaching tree produces state titles on way to Saginaw County Hall of Fame induction (Saginaw News)

Thomas coached five sports and served as athletic director during his tenure at Saginaw High. But he's best known for leading a boys basketball power that has produced two more coaches who have gone on to win MHSAA titles. A fantastic legacy left by one of the friendliest people I've met in high school athletics, and Geoff Mott tells us about it.

Deckerville Eagles will move to 8-man football (Port Huron Times-Herald)

The Port Huron area looks to continue to be a center for 8-player football with another solid program set to make the switch. But it's not always an easy decision, and Jim Whymer tells us why and how Deckerville decided it was time.

Today in the MHSAA: 10/7/19

October 7, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Many of the state’s top cross country teams continued prepping for the postseason this weekend at the Portage Invitational and county championship runs in the Detroit area, while Lower Peninsula girls golf and boys tennis teams finished up regular-season play with MHSAA Tournaments beginning for both this week.

1. Cross Country: The Ann Arbor Pioneer (LPD1 No. 1), Petoskey (LPD2 No. 2), Hart (LPD3 No. 1) and Kalamazoo Christian (LPD4 No. 3) girls and Brighton (LPD1 No. 1), Fremont (LPD2 No. 2), Hanover-Horton (LPD3 No. 1) and Breckenridge (LPD4 No. 1) boys won championships at the prestigious Portage Invitational against fields loaded with many of the state’s best – Athletic.net

2. Boys Tennis: Traverse City West won five flights to claim the Big North Conference Tournament and first overall league title since 2006 – Traverse City Record-Eagle 

3. Girls Swimming & Diving: LPD2 No. 2 Farmington Hills Mercy finished 175 points ahead of the field to earn the Oakland County championship – Oakland Press

4. Cross Country: Troy’s LPD1 No. 11 girls and Clarkston’s LPD1 No. 5 boys won Oakland County championships – Oakland Press Girls | Boys 

5. Boys Tennis: LPD3 No. 1 Ann Arbor Greenhills claimed the Detroit Catholic League Tournament title – Oakland Press

6. Boys Tennis: Oxford won its first league title in this sport, claiming the Oakland Activities Association Blue Tournament – Oakland Press 

7. Boys Tennis/Girls Golf: Byron Center swept Ottawa-Kent Conference Green Tournament championships in these sports, the LPD2 No. 10 tennis team just ahead of Holland Christian and golf ahead of runner-up Zeeland West – Holland Sentinel 

8. Volleyball: Division 3 No. 6 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian swept No. 4 Bronson to win the annual Polish Classic championship – Coldwater Daily Reporter

9. Girls Swimming & Diving: Macomb Dakota claimed the Macomb County meet title – Macomb Daily

10. Cross Country: The LPD1 No. 9 Plymouth, Grosse Ile and Allen Park Cabrini girls and LPD1 No. 13 Plymouth, LPD2 No. 6 Dearborn Divine Child and Cabrini boys won Wayne County championships – Southgate News-Herald Girls | Boys

Also of note …

Boys Soccer: Big Rapids Crossroads went 1-0-1 to win the West Michigan D League Tournament – Big Rapids News