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: 6/14/23

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

June 14, 2023

2. GIRLS SOCCER No. 10 Grosse Ile earned its first Finals trip with a shootout win over No. 6 Flint Powers Catholic in a Division 3 Semifinal – Southgate News-Herald

2. GIRLS SOCCER Both of No. 4 East Grand Rapids’ goals came over the final five minutes of its 2-1 Division 2 Semifinal win over No. 11 Plainwell; the Pioneers will face unranked Grosse Pointe North, which defeated No. 10 Linden 1-0 – FOX 17

3. SOFTBALL No. 10 (tied) Brownstown Woodhaven advanced to its first Semifinals in this sport with a 5-1 win over Canton – Detroit News

4. SOFTBALL Honorable mention Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart advanced in Division 4 with a sixth postseason shutout, this one over honorable mention Lake Leelanau St. Mary – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

5. SOFTBALL Honorable mention Ravenna turned 15 hits into a 12-6 win over No. 4 Buchanan in a Division 3 Quarterfinal – CatchMark SportsNet

6. GIRLS SOCCER Top-ranked Hudsonville Unity Christian advanced in Division 3 with a 6-0 win over No. 3 Elk Rapids – MI Sports Now

7. SOFTBALL No. 10 Standish-Sterling continued its surge with a 3-1 Division 3 Quarterfinal win over No. 5 Gladstone – Bay City Times

8. SOFTBALL No. 6 Grand Blanc is headed back to the Semifinals for the first time in 17 years thanks to a 4-2 win over No. 7 Jenison – WNEM

9. SOFTBALL No. 7 Laingsburg continued its historic run with an 8-6 win over honorable mention Cass City in Division 3 – Lansing State Journal

10. SOFTBALL A homer off the scoreboard highlighted top-ranked Gaylord’s 4-1 win over No. 7 Hudsonville Unity Christian in Division 2 – Up North Live

Also of note …

SOFTBALL No. 2 Mendon edged honorable mention Fowler 13-12 to advance in Division 4 – Sturgis Journal

SOFTBALL Honorable mention Johannesburg-Lewiston also moved on in Division 4 with a 7-1 win over Hancock – Petoskey News-Review

SOFTBALL Honorable mention Southfield Christian opened the scoring, but top-ranked Unionville-Sebewaing continued its pursuit of a fourth-straight Division 4 title with a 7-4 win – Bay City Times

SOFTBALL Unranked Dearborn Divine Child advanced in Division 2 with an 11-3 win over honorable mention Trenton – Dearborn Press & Guide