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: 4/29/16

April 29, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Thursday’s rain couldn’t wash out a record-breaking performance and a league title celebration in April.

Baseball

From Wednesday, Calumet played the first baseball games in school history, and won both over Houghton – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Boys Golf

Ludington shot a stellar 145 to win the Lakes 8 Activities Conference jamboree at its home course, Lincoln Hills – Ludington Daily News

Boys Lacrosse

Utica Ford’s Nick Iannuzzi unofficially broke (will be official with confirmation by the school) the MHSAA record for goals in a game with 16 in his team’s 20-3 win over Warren Cousino – Macomb Daily

Girls Soccer

Rochester rose to the top of the Oakland Activities Association White with a slim 1-0 win over contender Berkley – Oakland Press

Softball

Clinton’s Renee Hoffman threw her second five-inning no-hitter this season, this one against Petersburg-Summerfield – Adrian Daily Telegram

Milan’s Bethany Hogg threw a six-inning perfect game as her team finished a sweep of Grosse Ile – Ann Arbor News

Also from Wednesday, Escanaba shut out Rapid River by a combined 14-0 over two games, with Taylor Rathe picking up a no-hitter for one of the wins – Escanaba Daily Press

Girls Tennis

The calendar hasn’t turned to May, but we have a league champion as Sturgis claimed the Wolverine Conference South with a win over Three Rivers – Sturgis Journal

Good Reads

Anika Yarlagadda is one of the top tennis players her age in the Midwest – and unlike some others among the elite, she’s also chosen to play on the high school team. She’s having a great time as the top singles player at West Bloomfield, for reasons many individual-sport athletes would understand – Detroit Free Press