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: 10/20/20

October 21, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Boys Soccer Districts and Cross Country Pre-Regionals for both girls and boys kept those two postseasons moving ahead Monday.

1. Boys soccer: Okemos downed No. 15 (MPR) Fenton in a shootout in a Division 1 District Semifinal – WJRT

2. Cross Country: Benzie Central’s teams swept Lower Peninsula Division 3 Pre-Regional races on their home course; the Benzie girls are ranked No. 4 and the boys are No. 10 – Benzie County Record Patriot

3. Cross Country: Petoskey’s teams also swept at Benzie Central, in Division 2 Pre-Regionals; the Northmen girls are ranked No. 2 in LPD2 and the boys are No. 15 – Petoskey News-Review

4. Cross Country: Gladstone locked up girls and boys Mid-Peninsula Conference championships; Gladstone’s boys are No. 3 in UPD1 – Escanaba Daily Press

5. Cross Country: Hanover-Horton swept Cascades Conference championship races; Hanover-Horton’s boys are No. 8 in LPD3 – JTV

6. Boys Soccer: Henry Reinick scored four of his team’s six goals in No. 14 (MPR) Traverse City Christian’s Division 3 District Semifinal win over Grayling – Up North Live

7. Boys Soccer: Muskegon Mona Shores moved on in its Division 1 District with a shootout win over Grand Rapids Union – Local Sports Journal

8. Volleyball: Petoskey defeated Kingsley, Sault Ste. Marie and Elk Rapids in a home quad – Petoskey News-Review

9. Volleyball: Division 4 No. 1 Mendon defeated Sturgis and Delton Kellogg but fell in three sets to Battle Creek Harper Creek – Sturgis Journal

10. Volleyball: Brown City came back after losing the third and fourth sets to defeat Division 4 honorable mention Ubly in five – Huron Daily Tribune

Also of note …

Officials: The Midland area is mourning the death of longtime official Steve Weiger, who recently lost his fight with brain cancer – Midland Daily News