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: 11/13/20

November 13, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Volleyball Regional championship matches dominated Michigan high school coverage Thursday night as the playoff field reached its final 32 contenders.

1. Volleyball: No. 2 Bloomfield Hills Marian edged reigning Division 1 champ and top-ranked Farmington Hills Mercy in five sets to claim a Regional championship – Oakland Press

2. Volleyball: No. 4 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep edged No. 6 North Branch in five sets to advance in Division 2 – Oakland Press

3. Volleyball: Honorable mention Calumet swept No. 10 Charlevoix to advance to the Division 3 Quarterfinals – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

4. Volleyball: Grand Blanc got past honorable mention Traverse City West in five sets in Division 1 to claim its first Regional title – Flint Journal

5. Volleyball: Honorable mention Birch Run earned its first Regional title since 1991, downing Saginaw Swan Valley in Division 2 – WJRT

6. Volleyball: Edwardsburg got past Battle Creek Harper Creek in Division 2 to win its first Regional title since 1992 – Niles Daily Star

7. Volleyball: Royal Oak Shrine clinched its first Regional title since 2007, defeating Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest in Division 3 – Oakland Press

8. Volleyball: Honorable mention Ubly swept Dryden to advance to the Division 4 Quarterfinals – Huron Daily Tribune

9. Volleyball: No. 2 Lake Odessa Lakewood improved to 39-1 with a sweep of Lansing Catholic in Division 2 – Lansing State Journal

10. Volleyball: Honorable mention Warren Regina earned a repeat Division 2 Regional title with a sweep of Ferndale – Macomb Daily