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: 4/10/19

April 10, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A perfect softball pitching performance leads off today’s list of Tuesday’s top achievers that also includes highlights from baseball, boys lacrosse, boys golf and girls soccer.

1. Softball: Gabbie Sherman tossed a perfect game to kick off Division 3 No. 2 Millington’s doubleheader sweep of Division 2 honorable mention Saginaw Swan Valley – Saginaw News

2. Baseball: Division 3 top-ranked Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett earned a pair of shutout wins over No. 16 Madison Heights Bishop Foley – Detroit News

3. Softball: Traverse City West won its opener 7-3 over Division 4 No. 7 Frankfort, and was up 8-0 in the second game before it was called after three innings – Traverse City Record-Eagle

4. Boys Lacrosse: Traverse City St. Francis edged Petoskey 5-4 – WPBN

5. Girls Soccer: McKenzie Swarts scored four goals in Muskegon Oakridge’s big win over Mason County Central – Local Sports Journal

6. Softball: Mackenzie Noah had a combined 29 strikeouts over two games as Division 3 No. 6 Allen Park Cabrini swept Riverview Gabriel Richard – Southgate News-Herald

7. Baseball: Nico Maloney’s 2-0 shutout win led off Division 3 No. 2 Riverview Gabriel Richard’s doubleheader sweep of Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard – Southgate News-Herald

8. Boys Golf: Aaron Fauser shot a 38 to lead Clinton to the win in the opening Tri-County Conference jamboree – Adrian Daily Telegram

9. Baseball: Farmington scored eight runs, but Division 1 No. 11 Rochester put up 16 – Oakland Press

10. Girls Soccer: Gaylord improved to 3-0 with a 4-1 win over Harbor Springs – Gaylord Herald Times

Also of note …

Baseball: From Monday, Division 3 No. 4 New Lothrop swept Montrose, along the way earning coach Ben Almasy his 500th career win – Flint Journal

Baseball: From Monday, No. 13 Brighton defeated No. 5 Howell 14-3 in a matchup of top Division 1 teams – Livingston Daily Press & Argus