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: 10/17/18
October 17, 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. Boys Soccer: No. 6 Okemos downed No. 2 Portage Central 3-2 in overtime in a Division 1 District opener – JoeInsider.com
2. Boys Soccer: No. 2 Hudsonville Unity Christian scored all of its goals during the second half to come back and down No. 4 Grand Rapids South Christian 3-1 in Division 3 – FOX 17
3. Cross Country: The Traverse City Central girls, No. 6 in Lower Peninsula Division 1, and Alpena boys claimed Big North Conference championships – Traverse City Record-Eagle | Alpena News
4. Volleyball: Livonia Churchill secured the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East title with a 3-1 win over Stevenson – Observer & Eccentric
5. Boys Soccer: Travers City West scored both goals in the second half to get past rival Traverse City Central 2-1 in Division 1 – MI Sports Now
6. Cross Country: Fremont (boys LPD2 No. 5, girls No. 14) swept the final Central State Activities Association Gold meets, locking up the boys league title and sharing the girls with No. 12 Remus Chippewa Hills – Big Rapids News
7. Volleyball: Mount Pleasant downed Saginaw Heritage in four games to finish an outright Saginaw Valley League North title, its first league championship since 2006 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
8. Cross Country: The Muskegon Western Michigan Christian teams (girls LPD4 No. 3, boys No. 6) clinched Lakes 8 Conference championships, and Spring Lakes’ teams (girls LPD2 T-No. 10, boys No. 4), finished a sweep in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue – Grand Haven Tribune
9. Cross Country: The Hillsdale Academy boys and Pittsford girls (LPD4 No. 4) won Southern Central Athletic Association championship races, while Otsego’s teams (boys LPD2 No. 2, girls No. 5) swept in the Wolverine Conference – Sturgis Journal
10. Volleyball: Division 3 honorable mention Adrian Madison locked up an outright Tri-County Conference title with a sweep of Sand Creek – Adrian Daily Telegram
Also of note:
Cross Country: From Monday, St. Ignace’s girls and Brimley’s boys finished Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference title runs – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News