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: 10/23/26
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 23, 2026
1. BOYS SOCCER Kent City claimed its first District title in this sport, defeating Kingsley 2-1 in Division 3 – Grand Rapids Press
2. BOYS SOCCER Top-ranked St. Joseph clinched a Division 2 District championship with a 2-0 win over No. 10 Edwardsburg – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
3. BOYS SOCCER Laingsburg defeated No. 15 Lansing Christian 1-0 to claim a Division 4 District title, its first since 2008 – Owosso Argus-Press
4. BOYS SOCCER DeWitt edged No. 3 Lansing Eastern 1-0 to clinch a Division 2 District championship – Lansing State Journal
5. BOYS SOCCER No. 9 Traverse City West advanced with a 1-0 District-clinching win over No. 11 Rockford in Division 1 – Traverse City Record-Eagle
6. CROSS COUNTRY Brownstown Woodhaven finished fourth-straight girls and third-straight boys Downriver League championships; the Woodhaven girls are ranked No. 11 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – Southgate News-Herald
7. GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Midland Dow swept Davison to clinch the Saginaw Valley League Tournament championship – Midland Daily News
8. BOYS SOCCER Kyle Jean became the winningest boys soccer coach in Bay County history as Bay City Western clinched its first District title in 12 years with a 3-1 win over Midland in Division 1 – Bay City Times
9. BOYS SOCCER Marquette clinched a Division 2 District championship with a 1-0 win over Petoskey – Upper Michigan’s Source
10. BOYS SOCCER No. 6 Warren De La Salle Collegiate handed Macomb Lutheran North its only loss in clinching a Division 2 District title – Macomb Daily
Also of note …
CROSS COUNTRY New Boston Huron’s girls and Carleton Airport’s boys completed Huron League championship runs – Monroe News