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: 5/31/16
May 31, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Memorial Day weekend often is a quieter time in Michigan’s high school sports landscape. But this year’s final weekend in May included both league and area championships won and an MHSAA record set as well.
Baseball
Unranked Midland swept No. 8 Grand Ledge 6-3 and 10-4 in a late-season matchup of possible championship contenders – Midland Daily News
Unranked Sturgis got past Division 4 No. 1 Centreville 4-3 to win the St. Joseph County championship after jumping to a 4-0 lead – Sturgis Journal
Softball
Gladwin’s Dayna Fennell drilled an MHSAA record-setting 19th home run against Linden on Saturday at the Ogemaw Heights Invitational – Midland Daily News
Millington improved to 34-1 and won its first Tri-Valley Conference East championship with a 9-2 win over rival Frankenmuth – Saginaw News
Track & Field
Detroit Cass Tech’s boys won their sixth straight Detroit Public School League championship, by 34 points over Detroit East English. The Cass Tech girls won their third straight league title by a closer margin, 13 points over Detroit Renaissance – Detroit News Boys | Girls
The Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association hosted its team state championship meets Saturday, with Hillsdale’s boys winning their meet for the third straight season – Hillsdale Daily News
Oak Park's boys and girls swept the 56th Oakland County championship meet against loaded fields – Oakland Press