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: 9/16/24

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 16, 2024

1. CROSS COUNTRY The Ann Arbor Pioneer girls and Northville boys were “Elite” race champions at the Spartan Invitational, highlighting several strong performances; Pioneer’s girls are ranked No. 6 in Lower Peninsula Division 1, and Northville’s boys are No. 1 – Saginaw News | Athletic.net

2. CROSS COUNTRY A total of 10 varsity teams won championships at Holly’s Duane Raffin Festival of Races – Midland Daily News | Livingston Daily Press & Argus | Athletic.net

3. VOLLEYBALL Traverse City West swept all three of its opponents to win the Holland West Ottawa Invitational – Traverse City Record-Eagle

4. BOYS TENNIS Grand Haven won the Ada Forest Hills Eastern Invitational, with its 6-3 win over the host its first over LPD3 No. 8 FHE in at least a decade – Grand Haven Tribune

5. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Gaylord won Ogemaw Height’s Stephanie Rice Memorial Invitational, swam this season at Garber – Bay City Times

6. VOLLEYBALL Onekama won all but one set in claiming its invitational championship, sweeping Hart in the finale – Manistee News Advocate

7. CROSS COUNTRY The Ewen-Trout Creek girls and Stephenson boys were champions at the Superior Central Invitational; E-TC’s girls are No. 1 and Stephenson’s boys No. 2 in UPD3 – Escanaba Daily Press

8. BOYS TENNIS Dexter finished first ahead of runner-up Bay City Western to win the Fenton Invitational Chelsea Sun Times News

9. VOLLEYBALL Union City avenged a pool play loss to Napoleon and went on to defeat Colon to win its invitational – Coldwater Daily Reporter

10. GIRLS TENNIS Escanaba was first and the host Flivvers second at the Kingsford Invitational – Iron Mountain Daily News