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: 9/12/18
September 12, 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. Volleyball: Division 4 No. 3 Leland came back from losing the first set to down Division 2 No. 9 Kingsley in five – Traverse City Record-Eagle
2. Boys Soccer: Division 1 No. 7 Canton avenged an early-season loss to No. 5 Salem by handing the Rocks their first defeat, 3-2 – Observer & Eccentric
3. Cross Country: The Lower Peninsula top-ranked Northville girls and No. 2 Brighton boys won big league races against ranked competition – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
4. Boys Soccer: Division 3 No. 5 Ludington took a significant step in Lakes 8 Conference play with a 2-1 win over Division 4 No. 3 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian – Ludington Daily News
5. Cross Country: Marquette’s Upper Peninsula Division 1 top-ranked teams continued to dominate, sweeping championships at the Kingsford Invitational – Iron Mountain Daily News
6. Boys Soccer: Cadillac downed host Petoskey 1-0, earning its first road win over the Northmen in at least 10 years – Cadillac News
7. Volleyball: Division 2 No. 2 Pontiac Notre Dame swept Bloomfield Hills and Troy Athens to improve to 23-5 – Oakland Press
8. Volleyball: Schoolcraft, No. 3 in Division 3, shut down league rival Kalamazoo Christian – WWMT
9. Girls Swimming & Diving: Spring Lake, an honorable mention in Lower Peninsula Division 3, edged Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern by nine points – Grand Haven Tribune
10. Cross Country: Romeo swept Macomb Area Conference Red races at the latest league event – Macomb Daily
Also of note ...
Boys Basketball: Longtime Clarkston coach Dan Fife announced his retirement. He's the third-winningest coach in the sport in MHSAA history and led the Wolves to the last two Class A titles – Oakland Press