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: 4/26/21

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

April 26, 2021

This spring weekend felt more like winter in many places across the state but was filled with accomplishments including school and tournament records and first-time championships.

1. Boys Golf: Traverse City Central won its first TC Tee Off since 2004 with a 302 on the second day of the tournament – Traverse City Record-Eagle

2. Girls Track & Field: Howell won its Highland Games Invitational thanks in part to Mackenzie Wright’s school record in the 3,200 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

3. Boys Golf: Haslett won the Division 1 team title and Williamston’s Wyatt Vogel was the top individual with a tournament record 68 at the annual Dick’s Sporting Goods Invitational – Owosso Argus-Press

4. Softball: Essexville Garber won its first Bay County championship with a 7-2 win over Bay City Western – Bay City Times

5. Track & Field: Benzie Central swept championships at Cadillac’s Gary Rathbun Invitational with Hunter Jones breaking the boys school 3,200 record – Benzie Record Patriot

6. Baseball: Division 1 No. 11 Macomb Dakota followed up a Thursday loss to No. 16 Romeo with a 9-6 win in Friday’s rematch – Macomb Daily

7. Boys Track & Field: Harbor Springs’ Evan Schwab broke a 50-year-old school long jump record at the Mancelona Invitational – Petoskey News-Review

8. Softball: Escanaba added wins over Macomb Dakota and Frankenmuth to a downstate trip that also saw losses to Hartland and Farmington Hills Mercy – Escanaba Daily Press

9. Boys Lacrosse: Landon Taylor’s goal with 10 seconds to play gave Muskegon Mona Shores a 14-13 win over Reeths-Puffer – Local Sports Journal

10. Baseball: Division 3 No. 15 Traverse City St. Francis won its tournament with a walk-off 8-7 win over Evart in the finale 9&10 News

Also of note …

Girls Basketball: After a season at Flint Carman-Ainsworth, former Flint Northern star and coach Tonya Edwards is headed back to the WNBA as an assistant coach for the Chicago Sky – Flint Journal