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: 9/22/21

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 22, 2021

1. BOYS SOCCER Division 2 No. 3 St. Joseph made a major move locally and statewide, downing No. 1 Richland Gull Lake 2-1 to pull into first place alone in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

2. VOLLEYBALL Division 1 honorable mention Traverse City West sits alone atop the Big North Conference standings after sweeping former co-leader and Division 2 No. 8 Cadillac – Traverse City Record-Eagle

3. VOLLEYBALL Division 1 No. 4 Macomb Dakota moved into first place alone in the Macomb Area Conference Red with a 3-1 win over New Baltimore Anchor Bay – Macomb Daily

4. BOYS SOCCER Division 1 No. 2 Berkley and No. 7 Troy remain tied atop the Oakland Activities Association standings after a 1-1 draw – Oakland Press

5. CROSS COUNTRY The first Lakes 8 Activities Conference jamborees were both decided by two points, Muskegon Western Michigan Christian – ranked No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 4 – winning the girls race and Ludington winning the boys – Ludington Daily News

6. CROSS COUNTRY Romeo swept top team finishes at the MAC Red jamboree; Romeo’s boys are No. 3 in LPD1, and the girls are ranked No. 5 – Macomb Daily

7. VOLLEYBALL North Farmington edged Berkley in five sets in a match that could eventually have OAA White title implications – Oakland Press

8. VOLLEYBALL Remus Chippewa Hills twice came back from a set down to defeat Reed City in five – Big Rapids Pioneer

9. BOYS SOCCER Division 1 No. 13 Portage Central and Portage Northern tied for the second-straight “Portage Derby,” this one a scoreless draw – Kalamazoo Gazette

10. BOYS SOCCER Howard City Tri County handed Big Rapids its first defeat this fall, 2-0 – Big Rapids Pioneer