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: 4/28/17

April 28, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Upsets in girls soccer and softball topped Thursday’s statewide action, while Saginaw Heritage continued to make plans to honor the fourth baseball coach ever to win 1,000 games in Michigan.

Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.

Baseball

Conner Esch threw a combined 96 pitches in earning both pitching wins for Bay City John Glenn over Freeland, and also drove in three runs in the opener – Bay City Times

Ann Arbor Greenhills drew even with two runs in the seventh inning and then put up seven in the eighth to down 2016 Division 4 champion Sterling Heights Parkway Christian 12-5 – Ann Arbor News

Division 1 No. 16 Brownstown Woodhaven earned its fourth straight Downriver League shutout with an 11-0 victory over Southgate Anderson – Southgate News Herald

From Saturday, Saginaw Heritage coach Bob Andrezejewski became the fourth in MHSAA history to win 1,000 games, guiding the Division 1 No. 8 Hawks to a 12-3 win over Beal City (and then 1,001 in the second game of the day). Heritage will honor him after its invitational this Saturday – Saginaw News

Boys Golf

Berkley remained undefeated with a two-stroke win over Birmingham Groves – Detroit News

Girls Soccer

Unranked Frankenmuth downed No. 7 Birch Run 1-0 in a matchup of annual Tri-Valley Conference East contenders – Saginaw News

Reigning Division 1 champion and current No. 2 Rochester Hills Stoney Creek came back to down North Farmington 2-1 – Oakland Press

Division 1 No. 13 Saline remained undefeated in the Southeastern Conference Red with a 1-0 win over Ann Arbor Skyline – Saline Post

Softball

Division 1 honorable mention White Lake Lakeland improved to 9-0 by coming back to hand No. 9 Howell its first loss, 11-9 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Track & Field

East Kentwood’s top-ranked girls and boys teams swept Grand Haven, the boys by only a 77-60 margin – Grand Haven Tribune