Linked Up: 10/28/11

December 13, 2011

Each week I'll post links to stories that interest me most during my travels in online sports land. I was going to wait for next week for this first installment, but these seemed worthy of telling you about now.

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

Akron-Fairgrove and Owendale-Gagetown eager for long-awaited playoff games in first season of eight-man football bracket (Bay City Times)

These two teams provide multiple reasons why 8-player football has been such a strong addition -- most notably, it is providing our smallest schools with an opportunity to still play football despite fewer players, and succeed. The sport took off in this state in 2009, and this weekend mark the start of the first MHSAA 8-player Tournament. Akron-Fairgrove will play its first postseason game since 1992, while Owendale-Gagetown will play its first since 1979.

Olivet's Peters coaching his heart out (Battle Creek Enquirer)

I covered Olivet and coach Dean Peters for more than a decade, including during last season's first-ever Eagles run to the MHSAA football finals. One of the great people in high school coaching, he needed emergency double-bypass surgery earlier this month but is back in the coaching booth. Olivet faces Lansing Catholic in a Pre-District game.

Megan Hubbard a standout for Hanover-Horton cross country (Jackson Citizen-Patriot)

This is a neat story about a runner who is second-best on her team and has never won a race -- but also is likely the second-best to ever run at her school. Usually, we hear only about who finishes first.

Standley Lake football player Rhett Gutierrez overcomes eye disease (The Denver Post)
 
Almost always, links I post will be Michigan-related. But this story is just incredible. We've seen athletes with different degrees of vision impairment do incredible things in high school athletics. But this is the first time I've heard of someone overcoming that obstacle to play quarterback for his football team.

Today in the MHSAA: 3/20/24

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

March 20, 2024

(Girls Basketball Quarterfinals coverage from across the state)

Division 1

GIRLS BASKETBALL West Bloomfield will be returning to the Semifinals after a 54-32 win over Temperance Bedford – Detroit News

GIRLS BASKETBALL Grand Blanc downed Rochester Hills Stoney Creek 49-27 to reach the Semifinals for the first time in 47 years – Mid-Michigan Now

GIRLS BASKETBALL Reigning champion Rockford advanced another step in its repeat pursuit with a 52-36 win over Holland West Ottawa – WOOD TV

GIRLS BASKETBALL Belleville advanced with a 44-39 win over Holt – WLNS

Division 2

GIRLS BASKETBALL Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard will play in its first Semifinal since 1993 thanks to a 50-45 win over Tecumseh – Ann Arbor News

GIRLS BASKETBALL Grand Rapids West Catholic is making a repeat trip to Breslin thanks to a 35-27 win over Vicksburg – FOX 17

GIRLS BASKETBALL Detroit Edison handed Goodrich its lone loss, 50-33, to move on – Flint Journal

GIRLS BASKETBALL Negaunee hung on for a 50-45 win over Flint Powers Catholic – Upper Michigan Source

Division 3

GIRLS BASKETBALL Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest earned its first Semifinal trip with a 38-16 win over Sandusky – Oakland Press

GIRLS BASKETBALL Ypsilanti Arbor Prep edged New Lothrop 38-34 to advance – Ann Arbor News

GIRLS BASKETBALL Lake City won one of the most high-profile Quarterfinals statewide, 36-28 over Elk Rapids – Cadillac News

GIRLS BASKETBALL Niles Brandywine will give its school two Semifinals trips in two weeks as it advanced with a 43-34 win over Grand Rapids Covenant Christian – South Bend Tribune

Division 4

GIRLS BASKETBALL Kingston defeated Morenci 36-21 to book its return to Breslin – WJRT

GIRLS BASKETBALL Frankfort is headed back to the Semifinals with a 56-46 win over Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart – Traverse City Record-Eagle

GIRLS BASKETBALL Fowler earned another trip to Breslin with a 51-32 victory over Mendon – Lansing State Journal

GIRLS BASKETBALL Ishpeming advanced with a 65-45 victory over St. Ignace – Upper Michigan Source

Also of note …

GIRLS BASKETBALL Holland West Ottawa’s Gabby Reynolds was named this season’s Miss Basketball Award honoree – Detroit Free Press