Linked Up: 12/19/11
December 20, 2011
We've hit a bit of a slow spot with schools out for break and most contests reserved for holiday showcases and the like.
Here are some suggestions if you have some time for some reading between now and the start of 2012.
High school coaches try to bring basketball back to basics (Detroit News)
For most of the last decade, we've heard about the recessing of basketball fundamentals even among elite high school players. Enter Ben Kelso, Marshall Thomas and a number of other Michigan coaches who have pledged to end that trend. Tom Markowski tells us how the Metro Detroit Basketball Coaches Association aims to do so.
Lantzy retires after more than 4 decades as Ike grid coach (Macomb County Advisor & Source)
Utica-Eisenhower coach Bob Lantzy has been his school's only varsity football coach. He took four teams to MHSAA Finals and this fall became one of only nine state football coaches to win more than 900 games. He has retired after 41 seasons, and Kevin Lozon fills us in on the legacy.
Tabahn Afrik poised for greatness in pool for West Ottawa (Holland Sentinel)
The Holland area has its next big swimming star. Dan D'Addona introduces us to Tabahn Afrik, a freshman at Holland West Ottawa who qualified for the MHSAA Division 1 Finals in two events in his first meet this season.
High school basketball: History of class hoops is just that (South Bend Tribune)
"Hoosiers" made Indiana's former one-class basketball tournament known on a grander scale. But Indiana went to classes (similar to Michigan's) beginning in 1997-98. Al Lesar tells us how some in the state are attempting to revert to one class.
Today in the MHSAA: 6/8/26
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
June 8, 2026
1. BOYS VOLLEYBALL Grand Haven in Division 1 and Lowell in Division 2 clinched the inaugural MHSAA Finals championships – MHSAA.com
2. GIRLS LACROSSE Rockford won Division 1 by handing South Lyon United its only loss, and Detroit Country Day edged East Grand Rapids by a goal in Division 2 – MHSAA.com
3. BOYS GOLF Charlevoix and Grand Rapids West Catholic won their first Finals titles, while Detroit Catholic Central and Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood extended streaks – MHSAA.com
4. GIRLS TENNIS Country Day entered the second day tied for first but pulled away for the Lower Peninsula Division 3 title – MHSAA.com
5. BOYS LACROSSE Detroit Catholic Central and Detroit Country Day won titles after finishing Finals runners-up the previous season – MHSAA.com
6. SOFTBALL Lorelei Chciuk threw a no-hitter to lead No. 6 Grand Haven past top-ranked Hudsonville in Division 1 and to its first Regional title in this sport – Grand Haven Tribune
7. GIRLS SOCCER Top-ranked Hudsonville Unity Christian downed No. 2 Richland Gull Lake 3-0 in a Division 2 Regional Final – Kalamazoo Gazette
8. SOFTBALL Boyne City is a first-time Regional champion thanks to a 5-4, 12-inning win over honorable mention Gladstone in Division 3 – Petoskey News-Review
9. BASEBALL No. 2 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart earned its first trip to the Semifinals since 1997 with wins over No. 5 Fulton in a Division 4 Regional Final and top-ranked Portland St. Patrick in a Quarterfinal – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
10. SOFTBALL No. 5 Traverse City Central claimed its first Regional title with a 1-0 win over No. 8 Grand Blanc in Division 1 – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Also of note …
SOFTBALL Norway claimed its first Regional title in this sport with wins over Eben Junction Superior Central and Hancock in Division 4 – Upper Michigan’s Source
BASEBALL Millington claimed its first Regional title in this sport, defeating No. 7 Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett in Division 3 before falling to No. 16 Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest in a Quarterfinal – Saginaw News