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: 12/13/18

December 13, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

Today’s list is book-ended by wrestling, leading off with a match between two of the state’s best in Division 1 and finishing with a sweep by a Division 4 contender. In between, we’ve got glances at hockey, girls and boys basketball and gymnastics results.

1. Wrestling: No. 5 Hartland edged No. 4 Clarkston 34-29 in a matchup of two of the top-ranked in Division 1 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

2. Wrestling: Livonia Franklin edged Churchill 186-183 to clinch its fourth straight City championship – Observer & Eccentric

3. Hockey: Traverse City Central took the first lead and hung on for a 2-1 win over Division 1 No. 15 Traverse City West – WPBN

4. Hockey: Division 1 No. 2 Saginaw Heritage earned a key 6-2 league victory over Division 3 No. 13 Midland Dow – Midland Daily News

5. Girls Basketball: Auburn Hills Avondale moved to 3-0 with a 49-34 win over Pontiac Notre Dame Prep – Oakland Press

6. Boys Basketball: Hanover-Horton moved to 5-0 with a 66-56 win over Michigan Center – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

7. Gymnastics: Escanaba edged Negaunee by a mere 2.4 points in an early-season meet – Escanaba Daily Press

8. Boys Basketball: Pellston moved to 6-0 with a 67-62 win over Johannesburg-Lewiston, the reigning Ski Valley Conference champ – Petoskey News-Review

9. Hockey: Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard hung on for a 3-2 win over Dearborn Divine Child – We Love Ann Arbor

10. Wrestling: Division 4 No. 7 Mendon downed Centreville and White Pigeon in Southwest 10 Conference action – Sturgis Journal