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: 4/25/18

April 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.

1. Softball: Jenna Core set a school record with her 17th career home run in Division 2 No. 5 Spring Lake’s win over Sparta – Local Sports Journal

2. Baseball: Holland Christian coach Jim Caserta earned his 399th and 400th career wins with his Division 2 No. 2-ranked team’s sweep of Hamilton – Holland Sentinel

3. Track & Field: The reigning Upper Peninsula Division 1 champion Marquette girls and boys started their seasons with quad meet wins over Negaunee, Escanaba and Menominee – Escanaba Daily Press

4. Baseball: Division 1 No. 16 Canton won a rematch of last season’s Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship game, downing No. 17 Brighton 9-8 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

5. Girls Soccer: Kelsey Adams scored her first high school goal with 1:16 to play to lift Division 1 No. 5 Brighton past Hartland 1-0 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

6. Softball: Division 3 honorable mention Sanford Meridian scored 24 runs over two wins against Midland Dow – Midland Daily News

7. Baseball: Division 2 No. 20 Sturgis earned a pair of wins over Three Rivers – Sturgis Journal

8. Baseball: After Benzie Central won the opener by a run, Division 4 No. 20 Onekama came back to win the second game by two – Manistee News Advocate

9. Girls Soccer: Lake Orion scored on a late penalty kick to get past Birmingham Groves 1-0 – Oakland Press

10. Hockey: Sault Ste. Marie coach John Ferroni has resigned after seven seasons with a 132-57-9 record and after leading the Blue Devils to Division 3 runner-up finishes in 2013 and 2014 – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News