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: 1/9/17

January 9, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Upsets reigned as two top-ranked hockey teams were toppled over the weekend, while a No. 1 wrestling team stood tall against one of the toughest fields we’ll see this regular season.

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. 

Girls Basketball

Lansing Waverly jumped back into the mix as a Class A contender with a 55-47 win over previously-undefeated DeWitt – Lansing State Journal

Dana Hoerman had 14 points, 15 rebounds and 11 blocked shots in Birmingham Seaholm’s 38-37 win over Troy – C&G News

Alma’s Kenzie Seeley went over 1,000 career points in a win over Standish Sterling – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Hillman’s Vanessa Schook also broke 1,000 career points, crossing the milestone against Mio – Alpena News

Boys Basketball

Class A contender Muskegon downed Illinois’ Chicago Whitney Young (10-4) in the final game of the Muskegon Showcase – Muskegon Chronicle

Bowling

Ithaca’s girls handed first losses to St. Louis and Ovid-Elsie, trailing the Sharks 15-4 before coming back to win on a total-pin tie-breaker – Saginaw News

Hockey

Division 3 No. 5 Warren DeLaSalle dealt Division 2 top-ranked Birmingham Brother Rice a 4-1 defeat – Macomb Daily

Calumet, No. 10 in Division 3, upended Division 1 top-ranked Brighton 4-1 on Saturday after beating Division 2 No. 5 Novi 5-1 on Friday – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

Boys Swimming & Diving

Birmingham Groves, No. 3 in Lower Peninsula Division 2, won a stacked Battle Creek Lakeview Spartan Invitational ahead of Division 2 top-ranked Dexter – Battle Creek Enquirer

LP Division 3 No. 7 Spring Lake finished 29 points better than runner-up Grand Rapids Northview to win its home invitational – Grand Haven Tribune

Wrestling

Division 1 top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central bested No. 2 Davison, No. 5 Macomb Dakota and Division 2 No. 3 Warren Woods-Tower among others to win its home invitational – Oakland Press

Division 1 No. 7 Brighton followed four individual champions to the Grand Haven Invitational team title – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Grayling won the 44th Escanaba Elks Invitational, 17.5 points ahead of runner-up Ishpeming Westwood – Escanaba Daily Press

Tecumseh just edged Brownstown-Woodhaven to win its 42nd Dave Elliott Memorial Invitational – Adrian Daily Telegram