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: 8/31/20

September 1, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

One of the state’s major cross country invitationals was run as is tradition Saturday, and yet in an entirely new way to highlight a full weekend of high school events across the state.

1. Cross Country: The annual Benzie Central Pete Moss Invitational was split into more races this fall because of COVID-19 restrictions, with Traverse City Central junior Julia Flynn and Benzie sophomore Hunter Jones the fastest overall on the course – Athletic.net/Up North Live

2. Cross Country: Ishpeming’s Lola Korpi and Marquette’s Carson VanderSchaaf led the way at the Marquette Early Bird Meet – Marquette Mining Journal

3. Boys Tennis: Hudsonville earned 7-1 wins over Traverse City Central and Traverse City West; Central is ranked No. 10 in Lower Peninsula Division 2 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

4. Boys Tennis: LPD4 No. 3 Traverse City St. Francis won a strong quad also featuring No. 8 Whitehall, Maple City Glen Lake and No. 10 Ludington – Ludington Daily News

5. Cross Country: Fowlerville’s boys claimed a one-point win at the Laingsburg Early Bird Invitational, while Marshall’s girls won their race by a comfortable margin – Livingston Daily

6. Volleyball: Cadillac finished 6-0 during a pair of quads, defeating Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, Leland, Onaway, Morley Stanwood, Howard City Tri County and McBain – MI Sports Now

7. Volleyball: Charlevoix defeated Pickford and Bellaire to remain undefeated – Petoskey News-Review

8. Boys Soccer: Alpena combined to outscore three opponents 18-0 in finishing first at its Sunrise Side Challenge Cup – WBKB

9. Boys Tennis: Jackson Northwest finished first at the Coldwater Invitational – Coldwater Daily Reporter

10. Volleyball: Bronson traveled north and earned a win over Leland between losses to Traverse City West and Petoskey – Coldwater Daily Reporter