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: 4/26/23

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

April 26, 2023

1. TRACK & FIELD Ottawa Lake Whiteford swept Adrian Madison, the Bobcats girls ending Madison’s 107-meet Tri-County Conference winning streak. Madison’s girls are ranked No. 7 in Lower Peninsula Division 3, while Madison’s boys are No. 6 and Whiteford’s boys are No. 4 in LPD3 – Monroe News

2. GIRLS SOCCER Unranked Rochester Adams shut out Division 1 No. 3 Stoney Creek 2-0 in a game with league and statewide implications – Oakland Press

3. BASEBALL Unranked Essexville Garber swept Division 2 No. 5 Bay City John Glenn by a pair of 2-1 scores – Bay City Times

4. TRACK & FIELD The Central Montcalm girls handed 19-time reigning Central State Activities Association champion Remus Chippewa Hills a rare defeat, while the Big Rapids boys also went 4-0 on their side of the event. Chippewa Hills girls are No. 2 in LPD3 – Big Rapids Pioneer Girls | Boys

5. SOFTBALL Division 2 honorable mention Freeland and No. 5 Frankenmuth split a high-caliber doubleheader – Saginaw News

6. BOYS LACROSSE Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central jumped to a 7-0 lead on the way to a 14-4 win over Rockford – FOX 17

7. BASEBALL Traverse City West retained the local Murchie Memorial Trophy with a split with Traverse City Central – Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. GIRLS SOCCER Hazel Park extended its shutout streak to six games, this one a 7-0 win over Southfield Arts & Technology – Oakland Press

9. GIRLS SOCCER Leland defeated Maple City Glen Lake 3-1, its first win over the Lakers since 2015 – MI Sports Now

10. SOFTBALL Undefeated and Division 3 honorable mention Ravenna swept North Muskegon in a matchup for first place in the West Michigan Conference Rivers – CatchMark SportsNet