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: 10/19/18

October 19, 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.

1. Cross Country: The Northville girls, top-ranked in Lower Peninsula Division 1, and No. 2 Plymouth boys clinched Kensington Lakes Activities Association championships, Plymouth ahead of top-ranked Brighton and Northville for the seventh straight season – Observer & Eccentric girls | boys

2. Boys Soccer: Division 2 No. 7 Fenton downed Linden 2-1 in overtime to claim a Division 2 District title – WEYI

3. Boys soccer: Jackson came back from a two-goal deficit to force overtime and a shootout and come away with an upset of No. 6 Okemos in a Division 1 District Semifinal – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

4. Boys Soccer: New Haven claimed a Division 4 District title with a 4-3 win over Memphis – Macomb Daily

5. Boys Soccer: No. 2 Hudsonville Unity Christian locked up a Division 3 District title with a 3-0 win over Wyoming Lee – WOOD TV

6. Boys Soccer: Leland downed Harbor Springs 5-0 to also claim a Division 4 District title – WPBN

7. Cross Country: The Rockford girls and Hudsonville boys, both ranked No. 8 in LPD1, claimed Ottawa-Kent Conference Red championships – WOOD TV

8. Cross Country: The New Baltimore Anchor Bay girls had one of the most dominating performances at the Macomb Area Conference championship races – Macomb Daily

9. Volleyball: Division 3 No. 6 Unionville-Sebewaing clinched the Greater Thumb Conference West title with a sweep of Vassar – Huron Daily Tribune

Cross Country: Pinckney’s girls, tied for No. 10 in LPD1, repeated as Southeastern Conference White champions – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Also of note …

Cross Country: From Tuesday, Yale’s boys (LPD2 honorable mention) repeated as Blue Water Area Conference champions – Port Huron Times-Herald