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: 11/6/20

November 9, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Thursday was District Finals day for volleyball across most of the state, with the Muskegon area leading the way in big-time matchups – and an unexpected result.

1. Volleyball: Unranked Whitehall upset No. 7 Montague in four sets to claim a Division 2 District championship – Local Sports Journal

2. Volleyball: No. 3 Leland avenged a loss to No. 2 Traverse City Christian with a sweep in Division 4 – Up North Live

3. Volleyball: No. 4 North Muskegon won a Division 3 District Final matchup of ranked teams over No. 6 Western Michigan Christian – Muskegon Chronicle

4. Volleyball: Breckenridge claimed its first District title in this sport, celebrating in Division 3 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

5. Volleyball: No. 5 Utica Eisenhower won a high-powered Division 1 District Final over honorable mention Rochester Hills Stoney Creek – State Champs Sports Network

6. Volleyball: Honorable mention Clarkston clinched its Division 1 District title with a 3-1 win over Lake Orion – State Champs Sports Network

7. Volleyball: Central Montcalm avenged a 2019 District Final loss to Ionia with a five-set win in Division 2 – Greenville Daily News

8. Volleyball: Honorable mention Unionville-Sebewaing swept Bad Axe in a Division 3 Final that saw the first two sets decided by two points apiece – Huron Daily Tribune

9. Volleyball: Three Oaks River Valley emerged with a five-set win over St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran in a Division 4 District Final – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

10. Volleyball: Honorable mention Bronson swept Reading in Division 3 for its seventh-straight District title – Hillsdale Daily News