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: 4/25/16
April 25, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
An intriguing tournament format, track and field dominance by a statewide power and the return to baseball by one of our Upper Peninsula schools were among events gaining notable headlines over the weekend.
Baseball
L’Anse played its first high school baseball games in more than 50 years, splitting with Hancock – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
Boyne City ace Derek Willis no-hit Bath in helping his team to an East Jackson Dome Classic championship for the second straight season – Petoskey News
Unranked Clinton took a doubleheader from Division 3 No. 6 and reigning champion Jackson Lumen Christi, 11-9 and 8-5 – Adrian Daily Telegram
Division 3 top-ranked Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett split with Detroit Country Day on Saturday, winning the opener 3-0 before suffering its first loss, 6-0 – Detroit News
Jake Dabkowski followed teammate Sergio Diaz with Grand Rapids Union’s second straight no-hitter, this one in a 5-0 win over Comstock Park – Grand Rapids Press
Baseball/Softball
Leroy Pine River won the first Osceola County Royal Rumble, which combined results of the baseball and softball teams. The Bucks finished 4-0 – Cadillac News
Track & Field
Midland’s girls won the annual Swayze Relays, this time at Northwood University, by 14 points over Traverse City West, while West’s boys broke Midland’s winning streak in the accompanying Graves Relays – Midland Daily News
The two-time reigning Lower Peninsula Division 1 champion Oak Park girls just edged Lake Orion 94-90 to win the Oxford Invitational, while Oak Park’s boys dominated by more this time finishing 26 points ahead of Walled Lake Central – Oakland Press