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: 2/17/20

February 17, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The first MHSAA winter champions were crowned Saturday – congrats to Marquette on a girls and boys swimming & diving sweep. Find coverage of those meets also on Second Half, and check out this list of others who made the biggest headlines. 

1. Girls Basketball: Detroit Renaissance claimed its first Detroit Public School League overall title since 2011 with an 81-55 win over Detroit Cass Tech – State Champs Sports Network 

2. Boys Basketball: Cass Tech won its third PSL title over the last four seasons with a 66-41 victory over Douglass – State Champs Sports Network

3. Gymnastics: Howell won its first Kensington Lakes Activities Association title in this sport – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

4. Wresting: Division 4 No. 2 New Lothrop celebrated nine District champions among 14 total Regional qualifiers – Owosso Argus-Press 

5. Hockey: Division 1 No. 1 Detroit Catholic Central won a matchup of top-ranked teams, shutting out Division 2’s Livonia Stevenson 4-0 – Observer & Eccentric

6. Hockey: Utica Eisenhower clinched a share of the Macomb Area Conference Red title with a 6-3 win over Division 1 No. 5 Macomb Dakota – Macomb Daily

7. Bowling: The Division 3 top-ranked Flat Rock girls and Monroe boys won Monroe County championships – Monroe News

8. Boys Basketball: Wyoming handed Grand Rapids Christian its first loss, 62-61, to move into a first-place tie in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold – FOX 17

9. Boys Basketball: Ann Arbor Skyline ended Ann Arbor Huron’s perfect run with a 53-40 victory – We Love Ann Arbor

10. Boys Swimming & Diving: Monroe’s Gavin Redden and Howell’s Hunter Gubeno won multiple championships at the prestigious MISCA Meet – MISCA Online

Also of note …

Hockey: St. Clair Shores Unified repeated as MAC White champion with a 6-5 win over Port Huron United – Macomb Daily

Bowling: Traverse City West’s girls and Cadillac’s Division 2 No. 3 boys locked up Great Northwest High School Bowling Conference titles – Traverse City Record-Eagle