Michigan
Michigan State football’s last chance at ending miserable season on high note
EAST LANSING – Quindarius Dunnigan is lunging for the tape in a marathon college career.
To mark the finale of the Michigan State defensive lineman’s seven years in college, 15 family members were hitting the pavement for Thanksgiving and his last game – one van for the passengers and another for the luggage.
Following practice on Tuesday, Dunnigan was about 24 hours out from their arrival and preparing to host a group through the weekend. Despite all his growth split between Middle Tennessee State and the last two years at Michigan State, making holiday plans isn’t a strength.
“I have no idea,” Dunnigan, a Chattanooga native, said with a laugh before anticipating some competitive board games. “With it being cold, they ain’t going to want to go outside anyway so it will probably just be a whole lot of fireplace action, movies and stuff.”
The Spartans (3-8, 0-8 Big Ten) are heading into the end of a miserable season by facing Maryland (4-7, 1-7) at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday (7 p.m., FS1). They’ve lost eight straight – the program’s longest losing streak in more than four decades – and are one defeat away from finishing winless in the Big Ten for the first time.
“All these games we’re playing, it’s bigger than the program, it’s bigger than us,” defensive lineman and Detroit native Jalen Thompson said, “so we’re just playing for the guys next to us, playing for our seniors.”
Michigan State’s last appearance at Ford Field ended in a 42-0 loss against Penn State to close the chaotic 2023 season a day before coach Jonathan Smith was hired. The Spartans return to Detroit amid more uncertainty about the direction of the program with athletic director J Batt still silent about Smith’s job status.
“I have no other way to look at it besides the way they’ve gone, call it the last month,” Smith said Monday of his team approaching the finale. “I totally anticipate that they’re going to bow up again, back to work tomorrow morning and come out flying around excited to play and finishing things right this Saturday.”
Although the brutal losing streak continues, the effort remains. Michigan State’s defense has upped its fight and a 20-17 loss at Iowa last week marked the second straight road defeat when leading with less than two minutes to play. Another game the Spartans were only a play or two from winning but couldn’t get it done.
Maryland is riding a seven-game losing streak but, unlike Smith, coach Mike Locksley received public support from Maryland athletic director Jim Smith for a ninth year with additional financial resources to build a roster. Smith and has staff remain in limbo.
“I think both programs are really hungry for a win,” offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren said, “to take some momentum into the offseason.”
Defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, whose midseason move from the booth to the sideline helped spark that side of the ball, quickly dismissed a mention of Saturday’s game as a matchup between two teams with 15 combined losses.
“I get to coach Wayne Matthews one last time – that’s a big deal to me,” Rossi said. of one of the seniors. “Grady Kelly, Malik (Spencer), Sam Edwards, Quindarius Dunnigan, Malcolm Bell, Joshua Eaton – I get to coach those guys one more time. That’s what I’m excited about.”
Michigan
Michigan groom sentenced for killing his best friend on his wedding night
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — A man in Michigan who got married and then ran over his best friend that same day, killing him, after an alcohol-fueled argument was sentenced Monday to least 30 years in prison.
“The only thing I can do for the rest of my life is express my apology and remorse. … I will forever be sorry,” James Shirah said in Genesee County court.
Shirah, 24, was driving when his vehicle struck Terry Taylor Jr. in Flint, about an hour’s drive northwest of Detroit, on Aug. 30, 2024. He and Savanah Collier were married earlier that day and the celebration had moved to a house.
Shirah’s attorney had argued that the crash was not intentional. Prosecutors, however, said Shirah had left the scene and had time to reflect before returning and striking Taylor, MLive.com reported.
“Mr. Shirah, I believe that you are not a criminal. You are, however, a killer,” Judge Khary Hanible said.
In April, Shirah pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and other offenses. He will be eligible for parole after 30 years.
“I hope that they throw the book at you,” Taylor’s cousin, Eren Taylor, said before Shirah received his sentence.
Shirah’s wife will be sentenced later in May for being an accessory.
Michigan
SW Michigan show returns as growing destination for vinyl collectors
BENTON HARBOR — Vinyl collectors and music fans are invited to dig through thousands of records and music collectibles at the Southwest Michigan Record Show.
The event is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 16 at Grand Upton Hall inside Lake Michigan College’s Mendel Center in Benton Harbor, according to a press release.
Now in its fourth season, the show features 25 vendors from five states, offering 70 tables filled with vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, record supplies and music memorabilia.
Free admission begins at 10 a.m.
General admission is free starting at 10 a.m., while early entry is available at 8:30 a.m. for $5. Door prize drawings are planned for 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., including $25 shopping certificates and record supplies from BCW Supplies. The first 75 attendees will receive free tote bags.
A food truck will be on site, and cash is preferred for purchases. Some vendors may accept cards, PayPal, Venmo and other payment methods, but there is no ATM on site.
Vendors from across the Midwest and beyond
The show is expected to feature a wide selection of music genres, including classic rock, pop, ’80s, metal, punk, jazz, blues, R&B, country and soundtracks.
“This show is still being discovered, and that’s part of what makes it exciting,” event organizer Jeremy D. Bonfiglio said in the release. “We’ve built a strong group of experienced vendors, so whether you’re just getting into vinyl or digging for something rare, there’s a real opportunity here to find something unexpected.”
Free parking is available near the entrance of Mendel Center, 2755 Napier Ave.
Future dates planned
The Southwest Michigan Record Show is also scheduled to return Sept. 19.
For more information, visit southwestmichiganrecordshow.com or follow the event on Facebook.
This story was created by reporter Cheryl Morey, with the assistance of artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing.
Michigan
Yes, you can play curling in West Michigan
ALGOMA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The spirit of curling is one of friendship.
While memory of the Winter Olympics may have long melted away in the minds of many Americans, there some whose curiousness for the sport of curling has extended all the way into the springtime.
“Everybody’s having fun,” said Paul Curran, league manager for the Grand Rapids Curling Club. “It’s a really weird sport in that it’s really friendly.”
The club, which plays at the Cedar Rock Sportsplex in Algoma Township, has seen a recent spike in interest in its beginners leagues and learn to curl classes.
“We’re all here to curl and learn,” said beginner Aaron Schwieterman. “Everyone’s making mistakes, but still having a great time learning the sport and trying to mimic what the professionals do at the Olympics.”
“I recommend it to anybody who wants to try something different,” said beginner Margaret Steketee. “If I can do it, anybody can do it.”
For a period of time on the ice, these newcomers to the sport turn into competitors. Then, at the conclusions of their games, they revert to being friends.
“Largely, what you’ll find with curlers is that when they’re done curling, they want to be friendly and hang out,” Curran said. “Which is what our league is doing right now.”
As long as people are interested, Curran says the club will continue to put on beginners leagues and lessons.
“The more people we get out here curling, the better,” he said.
For more information on ways to play and learn how to curl in West Michigan, visit the Grand Rapids Curling Club’s website.
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