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Linked Up: 11/22/11
November 22, 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.
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.
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: 5/22/24
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 22, 2024
1. SOFTBALL Division 1 No. 10 Brownstown Woodhaven edged No. 6 Allen Park 10-9, ending the Jaguars' 14-year reign as a Downriver League champions with its first outright league title in this sport – Southgate News-Herald
2. TRACK & FIELD Kingsley swept championships at the 62nd Northwest Conference championship meet and in the Stags’ last season in the league; the Kingsley girls are ranked No. 6 in Lower Peninsula Division 3 – Traverse City Record-Eagle
3. SOFTBALL Zeeland West clinched the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green title with a 3-2 walk-off win over Division 1 honorable mention Muskegon Reeths-Puffer – Holland Sentinel
4. TRACK & FIELD The Midland Dow girls and Midland High boys claimed Saginaw Valley League championship meet wins – Midland Daily News
5. BASEBALL Division 2 No. 6 Saginaw Swan Valley clinched a share of the Tri-Valley Conference Red title with a 10-inning win over No. 8 Frankenmuth, and will attempt to reign outright today – Saginaw News
6. BASEBALL Division 2 top-ranked Flint Powers Catholic swept Midland Dow on a record-setting day to claim its first SVL championship in this sport – WJRT
7. SOFTBALL Marysville downed Utica 8-6 to clinch the Macomb Area Conference White title – Macomb Daily
8. TRACK & FIELD Brownstown Woodhaven continued girls and boys championship streaks in the Downriver League; the Woodhaven girls are No. 6 in LPD1 – Southgate News-Herald
9. TRACK & FIELD The Saugatuck girls and LPD4 No. 2 Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep boys won Southwestern Athletic Conference championship meets – Holland Sentinel
10. SOFTBALL/BASEBALL The Division 2 No. 7 Goodrich softball team and Flushing baseball team won overall Flint Metro League championships – WJRT Softball | Baseball
Also of note …
BASEBALL Muskegon Oakridge swept Montague to finish as outright champion in the West Michigan Conference – Local Sports Journal
TRACK & FIELD The Monroe Jefferson and Erie Mason girls and Ottawa Lake Whiteford and Milan boys won league meets – Monroe News
GIRLS SOCCER Saugatuck and Holland Black River played to a 1-1 draw to share the SAC Lakeshore championship – Holland Sentinel
SOFTBALL Division 3 No. 5 Evart earned a share of the Highland Conference title with a sweep of Roscommon – Cadillac News