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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: 4/29/22
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 29, 2022
1. SOFTBALL Division 1 No. 3 Macomb Dakota won a matchup of Macomb Area Conference Red league leaders 8-2 over No. 6 New Baltimore Anchor Bay – Macomb Daily
2. BASEBALL Aaron Jasiak had 17 strikeouts and the walk-off hit to lead Parchment past Division 4 No. 3 Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep in the first game of a sweep – Kalamazoo Gazette
3. SOFTBALL Division 1 top-ranked South Lyon and Walled Lake Central split, with Central winning the second game 4-3 – Oakland Press
4. BASEBALL Flint Powers Catholic split with Division 1 No. 2 Grand Blanc, winning the opener – Flint Journal
5. GIRLS SOCCER Walled Lake Northern remains first in the Lakes Valley Conference after a 2-1 win over Walled Lake Central – Oakland Press
6. GIRLS SOCCER Abby Winn scored five goals in Zeeland West’s 6-2 win over rival East – Holland Sentinel
7. GIRLS SOCCER Ryann Locke scored six goals for Springport in a win over Jonesville, giving her 23 over her last four games – Jackson Citizen Patriot
8. BASEBALL Indian River Inland Lakes swept Gaylord St. Mary, with Austin Brege throwing a no-hitter in the second game – Cheboygan Daily Tribune
9. GIRLS SOCCER Division 1 No. 3 Hartland earned its fifth-straight shutout of Novi, 3-0 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
10. BASEBALL Division 3 No. 14 Bridgman moved to 11-0 with a sweep of Coloma – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium