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: 6/10/19

June 10, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Baseball, softball and girls soccer teams earned trips to the final week of the season this past weekend, with baseball teams clinching spots in the MHSAA Semifinals with first-ever Super Regional championships.

1. Baseball: No. 2 Portage Northern earned a Division 1 Super Regional title with a nine-inning win over No. 18 Grand Ledge followed by a 7-3 victory over top-ranked Brownstown Woodhaven – JoeInsider.com

2. Softball: Top-ranked and reigning champion Escanaba will return to the final week thanks to a 1-0 nine-inning win over No. 5 Muskegon Oakridge in Division 2 – Muskegon Chronicle

3. Girls Soccer: No. 9 Marshall got past No. 4 Richland Gull Lake in a shootout, taking penalty kicks 6-5 for a 2-1 win – JoeInsider.com

4. Softball: No. 4 Rogers City shut out No. 3 Onaway 7-0 to claim its fourth straight Division 4 Regional title – Alpena News

5. Girls Soccer: No. 7 Essexville Garber earned its first Regional title in this sport with a win over Williamston – Bay City Times

6. Softball: No. 6 Warren Regina pushed the winning run across in the eighth inning to down honorable mention Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse 5-4 and clinch a Division 2 Regional title – C&G Newspapers

7. Softball: Hudson defeated Sand Creek 4-1 in Division 4 to claim its first Regional title in this sport – Adrian Daily Telegram

8. Softball: With a pair of shutouts by pitcher Molly Carney, No. 3 Howell got past honorable mention St. Joseph and No. 9 Richland Gull Lake to win a Division 1 Regional – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

9. Softball: Freeland earned its first Regional title since 2005 with wins over Alma and Frankenmuth – Midland Daily News

10. Baseball: Macomb Dakota avenged three regular-season losses to reigning Division 1 champion Grosse Pointe South with an 11-3 win in a Super Regional Final – Macomb Daily