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: 10/27/17
October 27, 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. Boys Soccer: Division 2 No. 7 Coldwater handed No. 2 Dexter its only loss this season in claiming a Division 2 Regional title – Coldwater Daily Reporter
2. Boys Soccer: Division 4 No. 8 Buckley won its first Regional title in boys soccer with a shootout victory over No. 2 Leland – Traverse City Record-Eagle
3. Boys Soccer: No. 8 Holland upset No. 4 Grand Rapids Christian to claim a Division 2 Regional title – Holland Sentinel
4. Wrestling: The National Wrestling Hall of Fame announced its 2018 class Thursday, including longtime Michigan official James McCloughan, who will be inducted as the Medal of Courage recipient – Stillwater (Okla.) News Press
5. Boys Soccer: No. 3 Flint Powers Catholic downed No. 9 Lansing Catholic 3-0 to win a Division 3 Regional title – Lansing State Journal
6. Boys Soccer: Farmington Hills Harrison scored the game’s lone goal against No. 17 Gibraltar Carlson in Division 2 to advance to its first Semifinal since 1987 – Oakland Press
7. Boys Soccer: Auburn Hills Oakland Christian took two-time reigning Division 4 champion and current No. 14 Burton Genesee Christian to overtime before the Soldiers took a 2-1 Regional Final win – Oakland Press
8. Boys Soccer: No. 16 Ludington moved on in Division 3 with a 2-0 win over Big Rapids in their Regional Final – Local State Journal
9. Boys Soccer: No. 4 Grand Rapids South Christian continued its impressive second half run this fall with a Division 3 Regional title win over Dowagiac – Grand Rapids Press
10. Volleyball: Class B honorable mention Cadillac and Traverse City West will share the Big North Conference championship after Cadillac’s sweep of Traverse City Central – Cadillac News
Also noted:
Boys Soccer: Stevensville Lakeshore downed No. 9 Plainwell 2-1 in overtime in a Division 2 Regional Semifinal – St. Joseph Herald Palladium
Boys Soccer: Petoskey emerged with a 1-0 shootout win to move on to Saturday’s Division 2 Regional Final in East Lansing – Petoskey News-Review
Volleyball: Trenton swept Wyandotte Roosevelt to finish an outright championship run in the Downriver League – Southgate News Herald
Volleyball: Jenison swept Class B honorable mention Fruitport to claim the O-K Black championship – Grand Haven Tribune
Volleyball: From Tuesday, Port Huron Northern came back from two sets down to defeat Sterling Heights Stevenson and win an outright Macomb Area Conference White championship – Port Huron Times Herald
Baseball: From Monday, former longtime Brownstown Woodhaven baseball coach and basketball official Robert Kloss tied after a fight with leukemia – Detroit News