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: 6/11/18
June 11, 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 does not include the Boys Golf or Lacrosse Finals played Saturday; they are reported in their entirety elsewhere on Second Half.
1. Softball: Honorable mention South Haven claimed its first Regional title in softball since 1982 with an upset of top-ranked Stevensville Lakeshore in Division 2 – WWMT
2. Baseball: No. 6 Gladstone got past top-ranked Traverse City St. Francis 8-4 in 10 innings to clinch a Division 3 Regional title – Escanaba Daily Press
3. Softball: No. 3 Clinton claimed its Regional title, ending the seasons for reigning Division 3 champion and current No. 5 Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central and also reigning runner-up and current honorable mention Napoleon – Adrian Daily Telegram
4. Softball: Top-ranked Rogers City eliminated reigning Division 4 champion and current No. 7 Indian River Inland Lakes with a 4-2 Regional Final win – Alpena News
5. Baseball: No. 9 Brownstown Woodhaven continued its historic run with a first Regional title, downing reigning Division 1 champion and current No. 10 Saline 3-2 to advance – Southgate News Herald
6. Softball: No. 2 Spring Lake improved to 40-0 with wins over No. 6 Wayland and Holland Christian to claim a Division 2 Regional title – Grand Haven Tribune
7. Girls Soccer: No. 8 Midland won its first Regional title in 31 years in this sport with a 3-2 victory over No. 16 Grandville in Division 1 – Midland Daily News
8. Softball: No. 7 Richmond earned a return to the Quarterfinals with a 3-1 win over No. 4 St. Clair in Division 2 – Port Huron Times Herald
9. Softball: Negaunee followed its first District title in this sport with its first Regional championship, downing Traverse City St. Francis and No. 8 Gladstone in Division 3 – Marquette Mining Journal
10. Softball: No. 5 Frankfort held on for a Division 4 Regional title win over No. 4 Holton – Traverse City Record-Eagle