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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](/sites/default/files/2021-03/Today%20In%20The%20MHSAA_8.png)
Today in the MHSAA: 9/28/22
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 28, 2022
1. GIRLS GOLF Big Rapids finished an undefeated championship run in the Central State Activities Association – Big Rapids Pioneer
2. BOYS SOCCER Division 2 No. 3 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern will head into the Ottawa-Kent Conference White Tournament as the top seed after defeating No. 2 Forest Hills Central 2-1 – FOX 17
3. VOLLEYBALL Division 3 honorable mention Manton picked up a key Highland Conference win over Division 4 No. 10 McBain Northern Michigan Christian – Cadillac News
4. GIRLS GOLF Petoskey shot a 345 to edge Traverse City Central for the Cheboygan Invitational title – Cheboygan Daily Tribune
5. GIRLS GOLF LPD4 No. 8 Montague shot a 375 to win the Rocket Invitational, with Muskegon Mona Shores runner-up – Local Sports Journal
6. BOYS SOCCER Division 1 No. 15 Traverse City West remained undefeated in the Big North Conference with a 1-0 win over Petoskey – Traverse City Record-Eagle
7. VOLLEYBALL Clinton Township Chippewa Valley reached the midpoint of the Macomb Area Conference Blue season undefeated in league play thanks to a sweep of Port Huron Northern – Macomb Daily
8. BOYS SOCCER The first “Battle of the Big Boy” went to Division 2 No. 7 St. Joseph with its 3-1 win over Stevensville Lakeshore – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
9. GIRLS GOLF Sturgis won the final Wolverine Conference jamboree, clearing the field by 11 shots – Sturgis Journal
10. BOYS SOCCER Birmingham Groves maintained its lead in the Oakland Activities Association White with a win over North Farmington – Oakland Press
Also of note …
BASEBALL Chris Andrews, who led Portage Northern to the 2019 Division 1 championship, has resigned after 22 seasons – Kalamazoo Gazette
SAULT STE. MARIE Longtime sportswriter Rob Roos died Saturday after a battle with cancer; he was in his 24th year at The Sault News – Petoskey News-Review