Linked Up: 11/15/11
December 16, 2011
We're heading into the final two weeks of the MHSAA fall season, which means playoffs for a few more sports, first practices for many others, and some catch-up on good stories that have made their way into my e-mail or onto my desk. Here are five more I've run across this week.
And again, if you see something high school sports-related that you think others would find valuable, send me a link at [email protected].
Walled Lake Central's Zac Leimbach stands strong after father's death (Detroit Free Press)
Walled Lake Central quarterback Zac Leimbach led his team to the playoffs this fall (WLC lost last weekend). He also is the oldest of three sons and now the man of his house in the wake of the summer death of their father after a battle with cancer. Mick McCabe's passage about Leimbach's final conversation with his father really struck me -- incredible.
Being in the pool makes Zeeland swimmer Becky Taylor feel like equal (Holland Sentinel)
Taylor was born with spina bifida -- "a hole in her back" -- and paralysis from the hips down. But she can leave her wheelchair behind when she takes to the pool as a member of the Zeeland swim team. Dan D'Addona tells us this inspiring story that has made waves on the west side of the state this season.
Mercy's Maddy Doyle takes home Miss Volleyball award (Oakland Press)
Doyle was the spokesperson for her team to the media after tough losses ended their last two seasons. But she was able to stand in once more -- joyfully tearful this time -- in accepting the Miss Volleyball award for 2011. Matthew B. Mowery wraps up her great career.
East Grand Rapids' win over Holland was the Pioneers' 28th straight in postseason play. That's a story unto itself, of course. But another big one for West Michigan high school sports fans was the return of the Press' Jane Bos, who is back in the press box after nearly a year working through medical issues. This is her return column, and I'm sure a loyal reader base is thankful to have her back.
From a standout player, a different sort of care basket (Los Angeles Times)
This is a little old, but came back into the light this week with the start of college basketball season. It's a college story, but also a high school story, of a star hoops player who won $40,000 in scholarship money in a free-throw shooting contest -- and then gave it to the seven runners-up. You'll probably hear about Cal State-Northridge's Allan Guei at some point over the next few years. Here's why.
Today in the MHSAA: 2/5/24
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 5, 2024
1. WRESTLING Division 2 No. 6 Three Rivers won the Wolverine Conference championship, its first league title in this sport since 2004 – Sturgis Journal
2. WRESTLING Division 4 No. 3 Union City edged No. 5 Bronson to finish a Big 8 Conference championship run – Coldwater Daily Reporter
3. WRESTLING Division 3 No. 9 Otisville LakeVille Memorial dominated in claiming the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference championship – Owosso Argus-Press
4. WRESTLING Gaylord claimed its 16th-straight Big North Conference championship – Traverse City Record-Eagle
5. WRESTLING Division 2 No. 7 Hamilton won the Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue championship, its first since 2013 – Holland Sentinel
6. WRESTLING Laingsburg earned its first Central Michigan Athletic Conference championship on the mat – Owosso Argus-Press
7. WRESTLING Division 2 No. 4 Mason won the overall Capital Area Activities Conference title – Lansing State Journal
8. BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood – ranked No. 1 in Lower Peninsula Division 3 – won its first Oakland County championship – Oakland Press
9. WRESTLING Division 1 No. 2 Hartland won its third-straight Kensington Lakes Activities Association West championship – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
10. WRESTLING Jackson Northwest had four individual champions in claiming the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference team title – Jackson Citizen Patriot
Also of note …
WRESTLING Division 4 No 8 Climax-Scotts/Martin had six individual champions in claiming a Southwestern Athletic Conference team title – Battle Creek Enquirer
WRESTLING Gibraltar Carlson didn’t win the Downriver League Tournament, but clinched the overall league title – Southgate News-Herald
WRESTLING Division 2 No. 5 Monroe Jefferson, Division 3 No. 1 Dundee and Division 1 No. 3 Temperance Bedford all locked up league championships – Monroe News
WRESTLING Division 4 No. 2 St. Louis and Remus Chippewa Hills clinched outright league titles, and Clare earned a share – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING St. Clair Shores Lakeview edged 2023 champion Fraser to win the Macomb County title – Macomb Daily
HOCKEY Division 1 No. 1 Detroit Catholic Central edged Division 3 top-ranked Houghton 2-1 in the headlining matchup from the MIHL Showcase – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
WRESTLING LeRoy Pine River won the Highland/Mid Michigan Conference Tournament – Cadillac News
BOYS BASKETBALL Benton Harbor clinched a share of the Lakeland Conference title with a 74-36 win over Dowagiac – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
BOYS BASKETBALL Cass City clinched a share of the Greater Thumb Conference West title with a 62-60 win over Caro – Bay City Times
BOYS BOWLING/WRESTLING The Bay City Western boys bowling team and Division 2 No. 3 Bay City John Glenn wrestling team also were among the weekend’s league champions – Bay City Times
WRESTLNG Division 3 No. 2 Whitehall and No. 7 Hart were West Michigan Conference champions in their respective divisions – CatchMark SportsNet
BOYS BASKETBALL Greg Lawson II went over 1,000 career points in Davison’s 66-57 win over Grand Blanc – Mid-Michigan Now