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: 9/13/17

September 13, 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. Girls Golf: Brighton’s Heather Fortushniak tied her team’s nine-hole record with a 33 in a win over Grand Blanc at former PGA Tour stop Warwick Hills – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

2. Boys Soccer: Zack Shane’s hat trick in a 4-2 win over Grand Rapids Union gave him Fruitport’s career goals and points records – Muskegon Chronicle

3. Cross Country: In one of the most loaded league jamborees in the state, Lower Peninsula Division 1 No. 1 Ann Arbor Pioneer won in the Southeastern Conference boys race over Division 2 No. 2 Chelsea and Division 1 No. 3 Saline, while in the girls race LPD1 top-ranked Pioneer took first ahead of No. 5 Saline and No. 10 Pinckney – Saline Post | Livingston Daily Press & Argus | Athletic.net

4, Cross Country: Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart’s boys and girls teams, both ranked No. 1 in LPD4, swept titles at the Beal City Invitational, the girls ahead of No. 3 Fowler and the boys ahead of No. 7 Beal City –Mount Pleasant Morning Sun | Athletic.net

5. Cross Country: Negaunee’s Colton Yesney set a course record of 16:24 and Miners sophomore Emily Paupore also won individually, while the Houghton boys (UPD1 No. 2) and Marquette girls (UPD1 No. 1) claimed the Kingsford Invitational team titles – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette | Superior Timing

6. Boys Soccer: Division 1 No. 4 Northville, while a player down, scored the go-ahead goal with 14 seconds left to hand No. 17 Plymouth its first loss, 2-1 – Detroit News

7. Girls Swimming & Diving: LPD2 honorable mention Midland Dow doubled up No. 9 Saginaw Heritage, 123-60 – Midland Daily News

8. Boys Soccer: Brighton scored two goals over the final 10 minutes to upend Division 1 No. 19 Hartland 2-1 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

9. Cross Country: Macomb L’Anse Creuse standout Karenna Duffey added another win, running 19:29 to claim the first Macomb Area Conference Red jamboree by 28 seconds – Macomb Daily | Athletic.net

10. Girls Swimming & Diving: Undefeated Bridgman set four pool records in doubling up St. Joseph 126-60 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Also of note:

Volleyball: In a match to stay in a first-place tie in the Downriver League, Wyandotte Roosevelt downed Allen Park in five sets – Southgate News Herald

Volleyball: From Saturday, Class B No. 1 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep downed Class C top-ranked Bronson in three sets to win the Battle Creek Lakeview Invitational – Coldwater Daily Reporter

Boys Soccer: From Monday, Cassopolis got past Hartford 2-0 in a battle of frontrunners in the Southwest 10 Conference – Niles Daily Star