Today in the MHSAA: 2/2/16
February 2, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Statewide sports action Monday was light, so we’ll focus on a series of stories published today that should pull at your heart strings and put life’s little obstacles in proper perspective.
Good Reads
Mason’s Brendan Brown is fighting for his life, against a form of cancer that has led to the amputation of a leg and soon will mean the removal of parts of his lungs. The Bulldogs junior is fighting, and also continuing a high school bowling career that is inspiring opponents and those in his community – Jackson Citizen-Patriot
Also at Mason, Storm Miller might be the strongest athlete at his high school and finished third in a national weight-lifting competition last summer. He’s relying on strength now to fight a rare form of cancer that also initially was found in a leg – Lansing State Journal
Molly Holmes hasn't joined her siblings on the Leroy Pine River wrestling team yet – wait until next year – but she plays junior varsity basketball and is one of 13 kids in a family that loves sports – a family that adopted her after five foster placements and a fight to survive no child should experience – Cadillac News
Today in the MHSAA: 10/24/17
October 24, 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. Volleyball: Division 1 No. 5 Farmington Hills Mercy returned to the Detroit Catholic League A-B championship match after finishing runner-up a year ago, and this time left victorious with a four-set win over No. 7 Bloomfield Hills Marian – Oakland Press
2. Volleyball: Class C honorable mention Wixom St. Catherine improved to 32-2-2 with a Detroit Catholic League C-D championship win over Allen Park Cabrini – Southgate News Herald
3. Officials: With their father Tony Joostberns, Stefanie (Joostberns) Jones and sister Amy Joostberns help make up a notable and inspiring football officiating crew in the Lansing area. They are two of 14 women registered to officiate that sport (out of more than 2,300 football officials total) this season – Lansing State Journal
4. Football: Flat Rock is in the playoffs for the first time since 1990 and without one of its best in Sameer Tayeb, a two-way starter on the field now contributing instead from the sidelines – Monroe Evening News
5. Volleyball: Class B No. 7 Kingsley went undefeated at a strong Traverse City Central ABCD quad with wins over the Trojans, Class C honorable mention Traverse City St. Francis and Class D No. 2 Leland – Traverse City Record-Eagle
6. Boys Soccer: Division 1 No. 14 Grand Haven and Division 4 No. 3 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian made it through tough Districts to earn Regional opportunities this week – Grand Haven Tribune
7. Volleyball: Class D No. 5 Onaway split against larger opponents Monday, falling to Sault Ste. Marie but winning close over Cheboygan – Alpena News
8. Volleyball: Berrien Springs improved to .500 on the season with first and second-set comebacks against St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
9. Volleyball: L’Anse came back from losing the first set to win the next three and down Baraga – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
10. Volleyball: Alpena ran off wins over the final two sets to win in four over Ogemaw Heights – Alpena News
Also of note …
Cross Country: From Saturday, Marshall’s boys and Parma Western’s girls won Interstate 8 Athletic Conference championships; Coldwater’s Shuaib Aljabaly won his second straight individual title – Coldwater Daily Reporter