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: 4/23/25
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 23, 2025
1. SOFTBALL Division 1 No. 2 Hudsonville increased its winning streak to 48 with a sweep of No. 6 Grand Haven – Grand Rapids Press
2. GIRLS SOCCER Division 1 No. 11 Hartland scored three straight second-half goals to get past No. 10 Brighton 3-1 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
3. GIRLS SOCCER A late goal led to a 2-2 draw between Division 1 No. 3 Bloomfield Hills and No. 5 Rochester – Oakland Press
4. GIRLS SOCCER Division 3 No. 6 Frankenmuth and No. 4 Essexville Garber remain undefeated after playing to a 1-1 draw – Mid-Michigan Now
5. BOYS LACROSSE Birmingham United took a big step toward a league title with a 12-11 overtime win over Clarkston – Oakland Press
6. SOFTBALL Kalamazoo Central improved to 13-0 with a sweep of Mattawan – Kalamazoo Gazette
7. TRACK & FIELD Kingsford’s girls and boys were among the most impressive teams at the Marquette Invitational – Upper Michigan’s Source
8. BASEBALL Division 3 No. 15 Watervliet and Bridgman split, with the Bees winning the opener – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
9. TRACK & FIELD Temperance Bedford’s boys – No. 4 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – continued their undefeated run through the Southeastern Conference Red with wins over Monroe and Ann Arbor Pioneer, while Pioneer’s girls also went 2-0 – Monroe News
10. BASEBALL Essexville Garber and Freeland split, with Garber winning the opener in extra innings – Bay City Times