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: 9/27/17

September 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. Volleyball: Class A No. 3 Lake Orion swept rival and No. 6-ranked Clarkston to create a three-way tie for first in the Oakland Activities Association Red with honorable mention Rochester Hills Stoney Creek – Oakland Press

2. Girls Golf: Brighton, No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 1, shot a 306 to finish 24 strokes ahead of runner-up and No. 7 Northville and win the Jim Sander Memorial Tournament – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

3. Cross Country: The Houghton boys (UPD1 No. 1) and Negaunee girls (UPD1 No. 3) won El Harger Memorial Invitational championships in Munising, Houghton’s boys ahead of Ishpeming (UPD2 No. 1) and Negaunee’s girls ahead of Sault Ste. Marie (UPD1 No. 1) – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

4. Boys Soccer: North Farmington goalkeeper Zach Shuk earned his sixth straight shutout in a 2-0 win over Birmingham Seaholm – Detroit News

5. Volleyball: Macomb Dakota stayed undefeated in the Macomb Area Conference Red with a sweep of New Baltimore Anchor Bay; both teams are honorable mentions in Class A – Macomb Daily

6. Girls Swimming & Diving: LPD2 No. 10 Byron Center came on strong at the end to edge LPD1 honorable mention Zeeland 96-89 – Holland Sentinel

7. Girls Golf: LPD2 top-ranked Midland Dow shot a 324 to win its own invitational, finishing 20 strokes better than the field – Midland Daily News

8. Girls Golf: LPD2 No. 3 St. Joseph continued its season dominance, winning the Sturgis Invitational with a 354, four strokes ahead of Battle Creek Lakeview – Sturgis Journal

9. Volleyball: Lake Linden-Hubbell has won seven straight league championships and took a big step toward making it eight with a sweep of top challenger Chassell – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

10. Volleyball: Muskegon Reeths-Puffer stopped four-time reigning Ottawa-Kent Conference Black champion Muskegon Mona Shores in five sets – Local Sports Journal