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: 11/10/17
November 10, 2017
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 Top 10
1. Volleyball: Top-ranked Pontiac Notre Dame Prep reaffirmed its status as favorite in a big way with a sweep of No. 2 North Branch in a Class B Regional Final – Oakland Press
2. Volleyball: No. 3 Grand Rapids Christian took top-ranked Rockford to a fifth set and closed out a slight upset of the reigning Class A runner-up – Grand Rapids Press
3. Volleyball: No. 4 Schoolcraft took top-ranked and reigning champion Bronson to a fifth set as well, but the Vikings prevailed for the Class C Regional title – Coldwater Daily Reporter
4. Volleyball: No. 6 Bloomfield Hills Marian avenged two losses this season to No. 8 Clarkston by downing the Wolves in a Class A Regional Final sweep – Oakland Press
5. Volleyball: Reigning champion and top-ranked Plymouth Christian Academy got past No. 3 North Adams-Jerome to move on in Class D – Hillsdale Daily News
6. Volleyball: No. 3 Lake Odessa Lakewood will play in another Class B Quarterfinal thanks to a Regional Final sweep of No. 6 Marshall – Ionia Sentinel-Standard
7. Volleyball: Honorable mention New Baltimore Anchor Bay won its first Regional title with a five-set victory over Sterling Heights Stevenson in Class A – C&G Newspapers
8. Volleyball: Honorable mention Southfield Christian earned its first Regional title in volleyball, downing Sterling Heights Parkway Christian 3-1 in Class D – Macomb Daily
9. Volleyball: Class C No. 10 Wixom St. Catherine and Detroit Edison Public School Academy both were playing for a first Regional title, and St. Catherine claimed it with a sweep – Oakland Press
10. Volleyball: No. 6 Unionville-Sebewaing swept reigning Class C runner-up Brown City to advance with a Regional title – Huron Daily Tribune
Also of note …
Volleyball: Class A No. 4 DeWitt won its first Regional title in any class since 2010 with a sweep of honorable mention Richland Gull Lake – Lansing State Journal
Volleyball: Honorable mention Cadillac won its ninth straight Class B Regional title with a sweep of Alma – Cadillac News
Volleyball: No. 8 Calumet claimed its sixth straight Regional title with a sweep of Iron River West Iron County in Class C – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
Volleyball: No. 10 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart won a fifth straight Class D Regional title, defeating honorable mention Muskegon Catholic Central in five sets – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Volleyball: Reigning champion and No. 2-ranked Novi moved on to a rematch with Temperance Bedford by sweeping South Lyon in a Class A Regional Final – Observer & Eccentric
Volleyball: No. 8 Rogers City continued a highlight-filled week, claiming a Regional title with a sweep of honorable mention Bellaire after downing No. 2 Leland on Tuesday – Alpena News
Volleyball: Unranked Battle Creek St. Philip finds itself headed to the final week of the season again thanks to a Class D sweep of Climax-Scotts – Battle Creek Enquirer
Volleyball: Honorable mention Shelby moved on with a Class C Regional title, ending the dream season for Beaverton that included first league and District titles – Midland Daily News
Volleyball: No. 6 Farmington Hills Mercy also moved on in Class A with a sweep of Livonia Stevenson – Observer & Eccentric
Volleyball: Class B honorable mention Fruitport moved on to next week’s Quarterfinals with a sweep of Grant – Muskegon Chronicle