Linked Up: 11/8/11

November 8, 2011

My online travels over the last 10 days have taken me to just about every media entity in Michigan as we've been tracking down football, volleyball and soccer results. Below are some of the intriguing stories I happened upon that you might want to check out as well.

See something high school sports-related that you think others would find valuable? Send me a link at [email protected].

State meet an experience to savor  (Livingston County Daily Press & Argus)

Reporter Katie Noble ran at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Cross Country Finals for Kinde North Huron in 2001. She explains how her perspective has changed during the 10 years since -- something any former high school athlete can appreciate.

Lincoln football: More than just football (AnnArbor.com)

Although Ypsilanti Lincoln's first playoff run ever ended after just one game, it gave those fans plenty to celebrate -- and AnnArbor.com's Jeff Sainlar put together a great multimedia look at how the team made history after going 0-9 in 2010.

Twin sisters key players for both Dow and Midland volleyball teams (Midland Daily News)

We hear a lot of stories of teams having two or three siblings, a set of twins or an occasional crew of triplets. But Saturday's District final at Saginaw Heritage included two teams from the same city both receiving major contributions sets of twins. Dan Chalk explained how similarities among those pairs benefited their respective teams in similar ways.

Marshall Thomas' coaching tree produces state titles on way to Saginaw County Hall of Fame induction (Saginaw News)

Thomas coached five sports and served as athletic director during his tenure at Saginaw High. But he's best known for leading a boys basketball power that has produced two more coaches who have gone on to win MHSAA titles. A fantastic legacy left by one of the friendliest people I've met in high school athletics, and Geoff Mott tells us about it.

Deckerville Eagles will move to 8-man football (Port Huron Times-Herald)

The Port Huron area looks to continue to be a center for 8-player football with another solid program set to make the switch. But it's not always an easy decision, and Jim Whymer tells us why and how Deckerville decided it was time.

Today in the MHSAA: 10/25/23

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

October 25, 2023

1. BOYS SOCCER No. 2 Hudsonville Unity Christian advanced in Division 3 with a 2-0 Regional Semifinal win over No. 3 Hartford – WZZM

2. BOYS SOCCER No. 3 Troy Athens unseated reigning Division 1 champion and current No. 10 Rochester Adams with a 2-1 Regional Semifinal victory – Oakland Press

3. VOLLEYBALL Division 3 No. 10 Cass City clinched its second-straight league title and first outright since 1977, sweeping Bad Axe in the Greater Thumb Conference West – Huron Daily Tribune

4. VOLLEYBALL Trenton avenged a weekend loss to Brownstown Woodhaven and finished a season sweep of the Warriors with a four-set victory to clinch an outright Downriver League title – Southgate News-Herald

5. VOLLEYBALL Addison clinched its first Cascades Conference title in this sport, and Adrian Madison and Division 4 top-ranked Lenawee Christian also claimed league championships – Adrian Daily Telegram

6. VOLLEYBALL Division 3 No. 6 Lake City finished an undefeated run through the Highland Conference with a sweep of McBain Northern Michigan Christian – Cadillac News

7. BOYS SOCCER Top-ranked Holland Christian downed No. 9 DeWitt 4-2 in a Division 2 Regional Semifinal – Holland Sentinel

8. BOYS SOCCER Top-ranked Detroit Country Day shut out No. 6 Grosse Ile 2-0 in a Division 3 Regional Semifinal – Hometown Life

9. VOLLEYBALL Division 2 honorable mention Ada Forest Hills Eastern swept Grand Rapids South Christian to win the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold Tournament – FOX 17

10. VOLLEYBALL Division 2 No. 10 Holland Christian finished its run through the O-K Blue Tournament with a 3-1 win over Fruitport – Holland Sentinel

Also of note ... 

GYMNASTICS The statewide gymnastics community is mourning the death of longtime Canton coach John Cunningham, who made significant contributions to the sport over decades Social House News