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: 9/11/17
September 11, 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: The Traverse City West girls and Saginaw Heritage boys won Midland Bullock Creek’s Lancer Invitational titles, with Midland Dow sophomore Anna Jensen dominating in claiming an individual championship – Midland Daily News | Athletic.net
2. Cross Country: Saline’s teams swept against strong fields at the Bath Bret Clements Invitational, the boys 21 points ahead of Hudsonville and the girls 13 in front of DeWitt – Saline Post Boys | Girls | Athletic.net
3. Cross Country: St. Clair swept the Division 2-4 races of the Algonac Muskrat Classic Invitational, the boys by 53 points – Port Huron Times Herald | Athletic.net
4. Cross Country: Hudson’s girls dominated the Homer Invitational field winning by 53 points, while Michigan Center’s boys won in a tie-breaker over the Tigers – Adrian Daily Telegram | Athletic.net
5. Cross Country: Traverse City St. Francis also swept invitational titles, at Buckley, with the girls claiming victory by 38 points – Traverse City Record-Eagle | Athletic.net
6. Cross Country: Spring Lake’s boys finished a point ahead of Grand Haven to win the Bredeweg Invitational at Holland West Ottawa, while the girls race was won by the host – Grand Haven Tribune | Athletic.net
7. Volleyball: Petoskey downed Midland Dow in the championship match to win its home invitational for the third straight season – Petoskey News-Review
8. Volleyball: Houghton downed Escanaba in the semifinal and host Gladstone in the championship match to win The Rock Invitational for the second straight season – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
9. Cross Country: The Milford boys and Troy girls won titles at the Averill Distance Meet at Kensington Metropark – Livingston Daily Press & Argus | Athletic.net
10. Volleyball: McBain downed Manistee, Maple City Glen Lake, Marion, Benzie Central and the host in the final to win Leroy Pine River’s Invitational – Cadillac News