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: 11/15/23

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

November 15, 2023

1. VOLLEYBALL No. 10 Clarkston Everest Collegiate earned its first Semifinals trip with a Division 4 sweep of No. 6 Marlette – Oakland Press

2. VOLLEYBALL Milan continued its program-best run with a sweep of Dearborn Divine Child in Division 2 – Monroe News

3. VOLLEYBALL After they split four matches during the regular season, honorable mention Farmington Hills Mercy defeated No. 4 Bloomfield Hills Marian in a Division 1 Quarterfinal – Detroit News

4. VOLLEYBALL No. 4 Kalamazoo Christian swept No. 2 Pewamo-Westphalia to advance in Division 3 – WWMT

5. VOLLEYBALL No. 10 Cass City lost a set for the first time this postseason, but came back to defeat No. 8 Saginaw Valley Lutheran 3-1 in a Division 3 Quarterfinal – Mid-Michigan Now

6. VOLLEYBALL Top-ranked North Branch is headed back to Battle Creek after a Division 2 sweep of No. 7 Frankenmuth – WJRT

7. VOLLEYBALL No. 5 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern also is returning to Kellogg Arena after sweeping honorable mention Grand Haven in Division 1 – Grand Rapids Press

8. VOLLEYBALL No. 4 Leland swept No. 5 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart in a Division 4 Quarterfinal – MI Sports Now

9. VOLLEYBALL No. 5 Traverse City St. Francis lost the first set but won the next three to get past No. 7 Calumet in Division 3 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

10. VOLLEYBALL Top-ranked Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central swept No. 3 Plymouth Christian Academy to move on in Division 3 – Monroe News

Also of note …

VOLLEYBALL No. 3 Clarkston swept Macomb L’Anse Creuse North to advance in Division 1 – Oakland Press

VOLLEYBALL Grand Rapids West Catholic advanced in Division 2 with a win over honorable mention Ludington – FOX 17

VOLLEYBALL No. 9 Crystal Falls Forest Park will be returning to the Division 4 Semifinals thanks to a four-set win over Newberry – Upper Michigan Source

VOLLEYBALL Top-ranked Adrian Lenawee Christian earned a trip to Battle Creek with a sweep of St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Catholic in Division 4 – Adrian Daily Telegram

VOLLEYBALL No. 2 Grand Rapids Christian swept Edwardsburg in a Division 2 Quarterfinal – Niles Daily Star

VOLLEYBALL No. 2 Northville swept Portage Northern to make the Division 1 Semifinals – Twitter

VOLLEYBALL Pewamo-Westphalia’s Taylor Smith was named this year’s Miss Volleyball Award winner – Lansing State Journal