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Linked Up: 11/15/11
November 15, 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.
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Today in the MHSAA: 5/17/24
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 17, 2024
1. GIRLS TENNIS No. 7 Midland Dow earned five flight championships and a Lower Peninsula Division 2 Regional team title – Midland Daily News
2. GIRLS TENNIS No. 10 Holland West Ottawa swept singles on the way to clinching a sixth-straight Regional title in LPD1 – Holland Sentinel
3. GIRLS SOCCER Livonia Stevenson won the Kensington Lakes Activities Association overall championship game 1-0 over Division 1 No. 6 Hartland – Hometown Life
4. GIRLS TENNIS Hamilton clinched its first Regional title in girls tennis, in LPD3 – Holland Sentinel
5. BASEBALL Whitehall’s Kyle Stratton broke the state career stolen bases record with a swipe against Mason County Central – Muskegon Chronicle
6. GIRLS SOCCER Division 2 No. 12 Mason clinched its first Capital Area Activities Conference Gold Cup with a shootout win over DeWitt – Lansing State Journal
7. GIRLS LACROSSE Chippewa Valley United earned its first MHSAA Tournament victory, 9-4 over West Bloomfield – Macomb Daily
8. GIRLS SOCCER Walled Lake Northern finished a repeat run in the Lakes Valley Conference Tournament with a 1-0 win over South Lyon East – Oakland Press
9. BASEBALL/SOFTBALL Clare’s Division 3 No. 8 softball and baseball teams clinched Jack Pine Conference titles outright with sweeps at Farwell – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
10. TRACK & FIELD Pewamo-Westphalia swept LPD3 Regional titles at Bath – Midland Daily News | Athletic.net