Linked Up: 11/22/11
December 20, 2011
Thanksgiving week means a short one for most -- and more time for family, shopping, relaxation, watching the MHSAA Football Finals and hopefully a little additional reading.
Here are some suggestions from the last week and as we get ready to leave the fall and jump into the winter sports season.
Remember, if you find something high school sports-related that you think others would find useful or inspiring, send me a link at [email protected] and I'll check it out.
Okemos girl's cancer battle inspires Spartans (Lansing State Journal)\
We believe high school sports are about community. While not high school-related, this is a story about community and its power to do great things. Joe Rexrode tells us about 11-year-old Paige Duren and her battle against brain cancer – with the support of her community including big assists from the Michigan State football and basketball teams. She’s a two-sport athlete herself – playing soccer and basketball – and an inspiration to those who’ve come to know her. Rexrode makes it easy to understand why.
Sister act: Shaw, Halberg share much in common, despite more than 2,000 miles between them (Petoskey News)
That the Grunch sisters are excellent volleyball coaches isn’t a coincidence, Charlevoix people surely would say. But it’s a neat one that Liz (Grunch) Shaw and Christine (Grunch) Halberg both led their teams to their best finishes since 1989 (Halberg) or ever (Shaw). Shaw coaches their alma mater, while Halberg coaches 2,300 miles away in Washington. Steve Foley fills us in on how this worked out.
Avenall the right choice to lead Clarkston into volleyball history (NorthOaklandSports.com)
Clarkston coach Kelly Avenal was part of some great teams as a player, but until this past weekend Clarkston had never reached an MHSAA Finals weekend. Dan Stickradt tells us how she’s taken the program to the elite level while also giving a brief history lesson on how it got rolling toward that trip to Battle Creek.
Natural fit: Superior Dome was easy choice for 8-man final according to MHSAA (Marquette Mining Journal)
A few of us spent Friday night at Northern Michigan University’s Superior Dome, and count me among those who will look forward to making a return trip. Here’s some of the story behind the MHSAA’s selection of the Superior Dome as home of the inaugural 8-Player Football Final, as well as Semifinals most years.
Lowell's Noel Dean to Receive 2011 Power of Influence Award (AFCA.com)
The Red Arrows are headed back to Ford Field on Friday for the Division 2 Final, but Dean also will be scheduling a January trip to San Antonio, Texas, to receive this prestigious award from the American Football Coaches Association and American Football Coaches Foundation. Dean started his head coaching career at Bendle in 1991 before heading to Lowell in 1996. He's led teams to three MHSAA championships, and also the fundraising of $425,000 for cancer support through the "Pink Arrow Project."
Today in the MHSAA: 5/24/23
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 24, 2023
1. TRACK & FIELD The Lower Peninsula Division 2 top-ranked Shepherd girls and No. 9 Gladwin boys won Jack Pine Conference meet titles, both ahead of LPD3 top-ranked teams from Clare – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
2. SOFTBALL Division 2 top-ranked Gaylord finished a second-straight perfect season in the Big North Conference and third-straight title run with a sweep of Alpena – Petoskey News-Review
3. GIRLS TENNIS LPD4 No. 4 Traverse City St. Francis clinched the Lake Michigan Conference championship just ahead of No. 9 Elk Rapids – Traverse City Record-Eagle
4. BOYS GOLF LPD1 No. 2 Brighton won its first league title in this sport since 2007, shooting a 293 to finish a championship run in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
5. TRACK & FIELD The Tri-County Conference season finished with a combined five league champions – the LPD3 No. 9 Adrian Madison, Erie Mason and Ottawa Lake Whiteford girls, and Mason and LPD3 No. 4 Whiteford boys. Additionally, Onsted’s boys and Ida’s girls clinched Lenawee County Athletic Association titles – Adrian Daily Telegram
6. TRACK & FIELD The Brownstown Woodhaven girls won their third-straight Downriver League meet, while the Allen Park boys won their first championship as part of the conference – Southgate News-Herald
7. SOFTBALL Division 1 No. 4 Farmington Hills Mercy downed Dearborn Divine Child 1-0 in eight innings to claim the Detroit Catholic League Bishop title, and Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett won the Cardinal final 9-1 over Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes – Detroit News | Oakland Press
8. SOFTBALL Division 2 honorable mention Big Rapids swept Newaygo to complete a 20-0 run in the Central State Activities Association – MI Sports Now
9. TRACK & FIELD Monroe Jefferson’s LPD2 No. 5 girls and boys teams finished repeat runs in the Huron League – Monroe News
10. SOFTBALL Division 2 honorable mention Muskegon Oakridge swept Montague, with an incredible six home runs in an inning in the second game, to finish a perfect run through the West Michigan Conference Lakes – CatchMark SportsNet
Also of note …
TRACK & FIELD Centreville finished a sweep of Southwest 10 Conference championships – Sturgis Journal
SOFTBALL Division 2 honorable mention New Boston Huron clinched a share of the Huron League title with a 4-3 eight-inning win over Milan – Monroe News
SOFTBALL/BASEBALL Beal City’s teams both swept LeRoy Pine River to clinch shares of Highland Conference championships; Beal City softball shared with Division 3 top-ranked Evart, which swept Manton. Beal City baseball is No. 5 in Division 4 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun | Big Rapids Pioneer
TRACK & FIELD The Lake City boys and LPD3 No. 6 McBain girls finished repeats in the Highland Conference – Cadillac News
SOFTBALL Division 2 No. 3 Essexville Garber finished an outright title run in the Tri-Valley Conference Red with a sweep of Alma – Bay City Times
BASEBALL Homer and Jonesville split to also share the Big 8 Conference championship – Jackson Citizen Patriot
BASEBALL Division 2 No. 8 Bay City John Glenn swept Bridgeport to complete an outright title run in the TVC Red – Bay City Times
GIRLS TENNIS Flushing won the top two singles flights on the way to a Flint Metro League team title – WJRT
TRACK & FIELD The Kingsley girls and Benzie Central boys won Northwest Conference titles – Traverse City Record-Eagle
TRACK & FIELD The Midland Dow girls and Saginaw Heritage boys are Saginaw Valley League champions – Midland Daily News