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: 5/30/19

May 30, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Upsets and more close finishes continued to set the stage as teams moved on in the girls soccer, girls and boys lacrosse and boys golf tournaments Thursday, in addition to champions being crowned in Upper Peninsula Boys Tennis and Girls & Boys Golf Finals – see coverage of all four of those events under “Latest Posts” to the right.

1. Girls Soccer: No. 9 Grand Haven upset No. 2 Grandville 3-2 to move on to a Division 1 District championship game – Grand Haven Tribune

2. Boys Lacrosse: No. 1 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central clinched its eighth straight Regional title with a 17-4 win over No. 5 Forest Hills Northern in Division 2 – FOX 17

3. Girls Soccer: No. 12 Macomb Dakota moved on in Division 1 with a 1-0 overtime win over No. 8 New Baltimore Anchor Bay in their District Semifinal – Macomb Daily

4. Boys Lacrosse: Plymouth won its first Regional title in this sport, downing No. 10 Saline 19-12 in Division 1 – Observer & Eccentric

5. Girls Soccer: No. 3 Kalamazoo Christian got past No. 8 Kalamazoo Hackett in a Division 4 District Semifinal – Kalamazoo Gazette

6. Boys Golf: No. 6 Clinton edged Jackson Christian by a stroke to win its second straight Lower Peninsula Division 4 Regional title – Adrian Daily Telegram

7. Girls Soccer: Top-ranked Novi got past No. 11 Hartland to move on to a Division 1 District Final – Oakland Press

8. Girls Lacrosse: Top-ranked East Grand Rapids advanced on to a Division 2 Regional Final with a 25-7 win over No. 10 Grand Rapids Catholic Central – FOX 17

9. Girls Soccer: Ellie Primerano’s last-minute goal gave No. 13 St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran a 2-1 lead on the way to a Division 4 District Semifinal win over Bridgman – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

10. Boys Golf: No. 2 DeWitt, Haslett and Mason took the top three spots in their LPD2 Regional at El Dorado, keeping reigning champion Flint Powers Catholic (fourth place) from advancing to this year’s Finals – Flint Journal