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: 4/9/19
April 9, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Many in Michigan returned from Spring Break on Monday, and teams jumped straight into competition with five sports making our first daily achievers list of this season.
1. Girls Tennis: Petoskey won five flight championships en route to earning the Up North Invite team title – Petoskey News-Review
2. Softball: Kalkaska coach Rik Ponstein earned his 700th career win during his team’s sweep of Roscommon – Traverse City Record-Eagle
3. Boys Lacrosse: Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard edged rival Greenhills 7-6 in overtime – We Love Ann Arbor
4. Baseball: Division 1 No. 6 Lake Orion downed Division 3 No. 16 Madison Heights Bishop Foley for its first win – Oakland Press
5. Baseball: Division 3 No. 12 Michigan Center swept Jonesville in a rematch of last season’s Regional Final – Jackson Citizen-Patriot
6. Baseball: Division 2 No. 6 Saginaw Swan Valley took a pair of impressive wins over Mount Pleasant – Saginaw News
7. Softball: Gladwin earned a pair of one-run wins over Midland Dow – Midland Daily News
8. Baseball: Division 1 No. 16 Plymouth won big over Northville in a matchup of Kensington Lakes Activities Association contenders – Observer & Eccentric
9. Softball: Division 1 No. 8 Canton improved to 2-0 with a 6-1 win over Novi – State Champs Sports Network
10. Girls Soccer: Taylor Noble had a first-half hat trick as Boyne City downed Kalkaska – MI Sports Now
Also of note …
Baseball: From Friday, Fowlerville downed Division 2 top-ranked Detroit Country Day 2-1 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Softball: From Friday, No. 4 Howell avenged a Wednesday loss with a big win over No. 2 Hartland to finish their first rematch from last season’s Division 1 Semifinal – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Baseball: From Friday, Division 1 No. 3 Grandville made a trip east and left with a 13-6 win over Division 2 No. 2 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s – State Champs Sports Network
Baseball: From April 3, Division 1 No. 8 Detroit Catholic Central swept top-ranked Birmingham Brother Rice – Observer & Eccentric