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: 4/17/18
April 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. Weather: There’s been plenty of coverage of how the extended winter weather is keeping most spring sports teams out of action. Muskegon Mona Shores is trying to make the best of it, and changed things up by taking the competition inside – FOX 17
2. Boys Lacrosse: Howell downed Salem 9-7 to move to 6-0 this season, its best start ever – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
3. Girls Lacrosse: Emily Hill’s five goals led Saline to its second straight win, 15-8 over Salem – Saline Post
4. Boys Basketball: Morenci coach Jim Bauer stepped down with a 175-119 record over 13 seasons and after leading the team to a Class D runner-up finish in 2015 – Adrian Daily Telegram
5. Football: Defensive coordinator Johnel Davis has been promoted to take over Lansing Sexton’s program after 14 years assisting Dan Boggan, who stepped down this winter and also is the school’s athletic director – Lansing State Journal
6. Leagues: Dave Feenstra, who will retire this spring as Hudsonville principal, has been selected as the next commissioner of the 49-school Ottawa-Kent Conference; he’ll take over when current commissioner Jim Haskins retires after the 2018-19 school year – Grand Rapids Press