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: 10/30/17
October 30, 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. Cross Country: Lansing Catholic swept girls and boys Division 2 Regional titles; both teams are ranked No. 1, and the Cougars girls finished just ahead of No. 4 DeWitt – Lansing State Journal
2. Cross Country: Harbor Springs’ boys (No. 15 in LPD3) won their fourth straight Regional title, while No. 5 Traverse City St. Francis won the girls championship – Petoskey News-Review
3. Cross Country: Ann Arbor Pioneer swept a pair of Division 1 Regional titles; Pioneer’s girls are ranked No. 1 and the boys are No. 2 and came in ahead of No. 4 Saline – Saline Post Girls | Boys
4. Cross Country: The No. 5 St. Clair boys continued dominating with a Division 2 Regional title, while the Marysville girls won their first in more than a quarter century – Port Huron Times Herald
5. Cross Country: Northville’s girls (No. 3 in LPD1) won a Regional title ahead of runner-up No. 8 Salem – Observer & Eccentric
6. Cross Country: Pewamo-Westphalia also swept Regional titles in Division 3, the No. 6-ranked girls ahead of runner-up Byron and the No. 5 boys ahead of honorable mention Ithaca – Ionia Sentinel-Standard
7. Volleyball: Manton downed Lake City, McBain Northern Michigan Christian, Leroy Pine River and Beal City to claim the Highland Conference championship for the first time – Cadillac News
8. Boys Soccer: No. 7 Coldwater scored the game’s lone goal to claim a Division 2 Regional title over Stevensville Lakeshore – Coldwater Daily Reporter
9. Cross Country: Milford’s girls (tied for No. 10 in LPD1) edged Waterford Mott by three points to claim a Division 1 Regional title, while No. 5 White Lake Lakeland dominated the boys race – Observer & Eccentric Girls | Boys
10. Volleyball: Class A honorable mention Midland claimed the overall Saginaw Valley League championship by avenging its lone league loss to Davison at the league tournament – Midland Daily News
Also of note …
Cross Country: Sand Creek’s boys (No. 9 in LPD4) edged Hudson’s by five points to win a Regional title, while the No. 5 Hudson girls prevailed as well – Adrian Daily Telegram
Cross Country: The No. 3 Romeo boys and No. 9 Clarkston girls won Division 1 Regional titles at Algonac – Macomb Daily
Cross Country: The Brighton girls (LPD1 honorable mention) made the MHSAA Finals for the 12th straight year and as a Regional champion, and the Okemos boys (also LPD1 honorable mention) won their Regional title in a tie-breaker – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Boys Soccer: East Lansing downed Petoskey 2-0 to claim a Regional title in Division 2 – Petoskey News-Review
Volleyball: Coldwater added an Interstate 8 Athletic Conference tournament championship to a perfect run through the league this fall – Coldwater Daily Reporter