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: 1/25/16
January 25, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
This weekend’s statewide action was highlighted by milestones – be it a 25-year winning streak, 600 wins total or 1,000 points scored.
Girls Basketball
Gaylord St. Mary’s senior Bekah Myler – also a member of the MHSAA Student Advisory Council – scored the 1,000th point of her career Friday in a win over Fife Lake Forest Area – Gaylord Herald Times
Grosse Pointe South trailed by 10 in the fourth quarter, but came back to beat Romeo in overtime 54-49 – Macomb Daily
Boys Bowling
Vandercook Lake rose from the eighth seed to win the first Mel Wolf Open championship, capped by a 74-pin victory over Belleville in the final – Jackson Citizen-Patriot
Boys Swimming & Diving
Battle Creek Lakeview won its 25th straight All-City championship with first places in all 12 events – Battle Creek Enquirer
Lower Peninsula Division 3 No. 10 Spring Lake won the Bridgman Invitational ahead of the host, an honorable mention in Division 1 – Grand Haven Tribune
Wrestling
Whitehall won its 10th straight Greater Muskegon Athletic Association championship, and senior Reilly Brown became the fifth wrestler in event history to win four individual championships – Muskegon Chronicle
Bronson won its first tournament since 2013, earning five victories including 53-20 over Lawton in the final to move to 20-0 this season – Coldwater Daily Reporter
Holly’s win over Warren Fitzgerald was the 600th of coach Don Pluta’s career, which dating as head coach of the program to 1983 – Flint Journal
Springport, No. 7 in Division 4, won the Lakeshore Super Duals ahead of a field that included Division 2 No. 5 Eaton Rapids and No. 8 Niles – Niles Daily Star