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: 4/28/23

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

April 28, 2023

1. GIRLS SOCCER Unranked Holland West Ottawa edged Division 1 No. 6 Rockford 1-0 in its Purple Power game to raise money for cancer research – Holland Sentinel

2. TRACK & FIELD Annual rivalry meets featuring neighbors and two of the state’s best in Lower Peninsula Division 1 went to the Zeeland East girls and Zeeland West boys. The East girls are ranked No. 3 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 and the boys are No. 9, while the West girls are No. 6 and the West boys No. 3 – Holland Sentinel Boys | Girls

3. SOFTBALL Unranked Sanford Meridian earned an important sweep of Division 3 No. 8 Clare to open Jack Pine Conference play – MI Sports Now

4. SOFTBALL Unranked Muskegon Reeths-Puffer got past Division 2 No. 9 Oakridge 10-6 – Local Sports Journal

5. BASEBALL Coldwater swept Three Rivers, earning coach Randy Spangler his 700th victory – Coldwater Daily Reporter

6. SOFTBALL Division 2 honorable mention New Boston Huron swept Division 1 honorable mention Temperance Bedford 3-1 and 10-9 – Monroe News

7. BOYS GOLF Robert Burns led LPD2 No. 15 Flint Powers Catholic to a Saginaw Valley League win with a 1-under 71 – Flint Journal

8. TRACK & FIELD The Manistee girls and Ludington boys won Scottville Optimist Meet titles. The Manistee girls are ranked No. 8 in LPD3 – Ludington Daily News

9. SOFTBALL Rockford got past Grand Haven 6-3 in a matchup of Division 1 honorable mentions in Ottawa-Kent Conference Red play – Grand Rapids Press

10. BASEBALL Union City swept Homer 7-4 and 10-9 in a key Big 8 Conference doubleheader – Coldwater Daily Reporter