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: 5/5/25
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 5, 2025
1. BASEBALL Division 2 No. 19 Fruitport defeated Division 3 No. 4 North Muskegon 9-1 to win its first Greater Muskegon Athletic Association championship since 1991 – MuskegonSports.com
2. GIRLS SOCCER Mia Clemence scored six goals over two games to set a Fremont career record with 109 as her team – ranked No. 11 in Division 3 – won the Newaygo County Tournament – Local Sports Journal
3. TRACK & FIELD The Farmington Invitational saw the four fastest boys 200-meter times run in the state this season, with Belleville’s Will Jaiden Smith finishing first in 21.11 seconds – Detroit Free Press
4. SOFTBALL Division 1 honorable mention Muskegon Reeths-Puffer repeated as GMAA champion with an 8-2 win over Division 3 No. 3 Ravenna – CatchMark SportsNet
5. GIRLS TENNIS Detroit Country Day – No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 3 – downed LPD4 No. 2 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 7-1 – Oakland Press
6. BASEBALL Division 1 No. 4 Macomb Dakota downed No. 9 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 8-4 – Macomb Daily
7. SOFTBALL Division 2 No. 2 Escanaba went 2-1 against downstate opponents, falling to Division 1 No. 6 Walled Lake Northern and defeating Division 2 No. 5 Goodrich and Imlay City – Escanaba Daily Press
8. TRACK & FIELD The Muskegon Mona Shores girls and Whitehall boys earned GMAA titles – Muskegon Chronicle
9. TRACK & FIELD The Gladstone girls and Sault Ste. Marie boys claimed Escanaba Invitational championships – Escanaba Daily News
10. GIRLS TENNIS Muskegon Mona Shores took back the GMAA team title, and Fruitport’s Josalynn Nowicki won No. 1 singles – Local Sports Journal
Also of note …
GIRLS SOCCER Johannah McDonald became Dowagiac’s single-season goals record holder with her 33rd and 34th in a loss to Three Rivers – Niles Daily Star
BASEBALL Division 1 No. 5 Grosse Pointe South and Division 3 top-ranked Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett had a combined 54 players see action in their matchup at Comerica Park – Detroit Free Press