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: 6/12/24

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

June 12, 2024

1. SOFTBALL Gretchen Weiland no-hit No. 9 Hancock over six innings of a 12-0 Division 4 Quarterfinal victory for No. 7 Hillman – Alpena News

2. SOFTBALL Megan Beemer hit three home runs to lead No. 2 Hudsonville past honorable mention Midland in Division 1 4-3 – Grand Rapids Press

3. SOFTBALL Top-ranked Unionville-Sebewaing will play for a fifth-straight Division 4 title after a 2-0 Quarterfinal win over No. 4 Plymouth Christian Academy – Huron Daily Tribune

4. SOFTBALL Kaitlyn Pallozzi struck out 19 as top-ranked Farmington Hills Mercy downed No. 7 Allen Park 3-0 in Division 1 – Detroit News

5. GIRLS SOCCER No. 6 Kalamazoo Christian downed No. 7 Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian 2-1 in a Division 4 Semifinal – WWMT

6. SOFTBALL No. 4 Vicksburg is headed back to the Division 2 Semifinals thanks to a 7-1 win over No. 2 Hudsonville Unity Christian – Kalamazoo Gazette

7. SOFTBALL Rylee Limberger’s homer sent No. 10 Lake Orion past White Lake Lakeland 9-7 in Division 1 – Oakland Press

8. SOFTBALL No. 3 South Lyon will return to the Division 1 Semifinals thanks to a 6-0 win over honorable mention Hartland – Hometown Life

9. SOFTBALL No. 8 Clare advanced in Division 3 with a 5-0 win over honorable mention New Lothrop – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

10. SOFTBALL No. 3 Buchanan also moved on in Division 3 with a 3-1 win over No. 5 Ravenna – Niles Daily Star

Also of note …

GIRLS SOCCER No. 6 Rochester Adams edged Salem 2-1 to advance to the Division 1 Final – Oakland Press

SOFTBALL No. 5 Holton is headed to the Division 4 Semifinals after a 12-9 win over No. 8 Beal City – CatchMark SportsNet

GIRLS SOCCER Jackson Lumen Christi advanced in Division 4 with a 3-1 win over No. 8 Auburn Hills Oakland Christian – Jackson Citizen Patriot

GIRLS SOCCER No. 11 Hartland earned a trip to East Lansing in Division 1 with a 2-1 Semifinal win over Grand Haven – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

SOFTBALL North Branch got off to a fast start in an 8-1 Division 1 Quarterfinal win over St. Clair – WJRT

SOFTBALL No. 4 Evart moved on in Division 3 with a 9-0 win over honorable mention Gladstone – Cadillac News

SOFTBALL Last season’s Division 4 runner-up and current No. 3 Mendon will play to reach the Final again after a 12-0 win over Dansville – Sturgis Journal

SOFTBALL Reigning champion and top-ranked Gaylord advanced in Division 2 with an 18-1 win over honorable mention Muskegon Oakridge – Petoskey News-Review

SOFTBALL Milan in Division 2 and Ottawa Lake Whiteford in Division 3 earned Semifinal berths; they are honorable mentions in their respective divisions – Monroe News