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: 10/25/18

October 25, 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.

Division 3 Regional soccer was filled with highlights Wednesday from a matchup of two of the top-ranked teams, an upset coming from a meeting of two more and the first win ever at this level of the tournament for another surging contender.

1. Boys Soccer: Division 3 top-ranked Grosse Ile moved to 26-1 with a 3-0 Regional Semifinal win over No. 3 Lansing Catholic – Southgate News-Review

2. Boys soccer: No. 9 Ludington got past No. 5 Elk Rapids 3-2 in overtime in Division 3 – Ludington Daily News

3. Boys Soccer: Brooklyn Columbia Central downed Clawson in Division 3 for its first Regional win in program history – Jackson Citizen Patriot

4. Volleyball: Petoskey downed Alpena to clinch a share of the Big North Conference championship – Petoskey News-Review

5. Volleyball: Division 2 honorable mention Cadillac earned the other share in the BNC, downing Traverse City West – Cadillac News

6. Volleyball: St. Louis swept Pinconning to secure an outright title in the Tri-Valley Conference West – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

7. Volleyball: Division 3 No. 2 Bronson closed the regular season with a sweep of Division 4 No. 3 Battle Creek St. Philip and No. 2 Mendon – Coldwater Daily Reporter

8. Boys Soccer: Paw Paw downed Grand Rapids Aviation Academy 5-3 in Division 3 – WWMT

9. Volleyball: Onaway won the Presque Isle County championship with a sweep of Rogers City – Alpena News

10. Boys soccer: Muskegon Orchard View moved on in Division 3 with a 5-2 win over West Branch Ogemaw Heights – MI Sports Now

Also of note …

Volleyball: From last week, Division 1 No. 4 Lowell clinched its first league volleyball title with a win over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central – Grand Rapids Press

Volleyball: From Tuesday, Marquette swept Escanaba to claim the Great Northern Conference title outright – Marquette Mining Journal

Volleyball: From Tuesday, Division 4 No. 10 Rudyard finished its second straight perfect run through the Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference with a sweep of DeTour – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

Volleyball: From Tuesday, Division 2 honorable mention Corunna completed an unbeaten title run in the Genesee Area Conference Red – Owosso Argus-Press