Linked Up: 12/19/11
December 19, 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: 9/22/25
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 22, 2025
1. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Grand Blanc won the Genesee County Meet, with Fenton – an honorable mention in Lower Peninsula Division 2 – placing second – Flint Journal
2. VOLLEYBALL Division 3 No. 8 Hanover-Horton defeated Division 2 honorable mention Parma Western to clinch the Spring Arbor University Invitational title – Jackson Citizen Patriot
3. BOYS SOCCER Division 3 No. 4 Elk Rapids downed No. 6 Grand Rapids West Catholic 3-0 – Traverse City Record-Eagle
4. BOYS SOCCER Division 2 No. 5 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood downed No. 13 Dearborn Divine Child 1-0 in their second meeting this fall – Oakland Press
5. VOLLEYBALL Division 1 honorable mention Byron Center defeated Division 2 honorable mention Edwardsburg in three sets to clinch its home invitational title – Niles Daily Star
6. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD2 No. 3 Midland Dow was first and Midland High second at the Tri-Cities Championship – Bay City Times
7. BOYS SOCCER Division 2 No. 14 Fruitport capped a week of shutouts with a 1-0 win over Division 4 No. 3 North Muskegon – MuskegonSports.com
8. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD1 No. 4 Northville and LPD3 No. 9 Traverse City St. Francis girls and LPD1 No. 8 Traverse City West and LPD4 No. 4 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart boys won at Cadillac’s Veterans Serving Veterans Invitational – Cadillac News
9. VOLLEYBALL Division 4 No. 8 Crystal Falls Forest Park defeated Munising in the championship match to win its 12-team tournament – Iron Mountain Daily News
10. VOLLEYBALL Midland defeated Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard and then Mason to win the Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes Tournament – Midland Daily News
Also of note …
VOLLEYBALL Cadillac coach Michelle Brines reached 1,000 wins during the Flint Powers Catholic Invitational – Cadillac News