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: 5/14/24

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

May 14, 2024

1. SOFTBALL Cheboygan swept Newberry to complete a three-peat in the Straits Area Conference – Cheboygan Daily Tribune

2. GIRLS SOCCER Trenton finished a third-straight outright Downriver League championship run with a 2-0 win over Brownstown Woodhaven – Southgate News-Herald

3. GIRLS SOCCER Division 3 No. 12 Traverse City St. Francis downed Grayling 5-3 to secure its first Lake Michigan Conference title in this sport – Traverse City Record-Eagle

4. GIRLS SOCCER Grand Haven dealt Division 1 top-ranked Hudsonville its first defeat in a shootout – FOX 17

5. SOFTBALL Division 3 No. 5 Pinconning’s Geena Gauthier struck out 20 batters in her team’s 5-2 win over Saginaw Swan Valley, and also had a home run, while Swan Valley won the second game – Saginaw News

6. BASEBALL Division 4 No. 15 East Jordan ran its no-hitter streak to three with a pair against Boyne City – Petoskey News-Review

7. BOYS GOLF New Boston Huron won the Monroe County Championship tournament on a tie-breaker – Monroe News

8. GIRLS SOCCER Hadley Fox scored five more goals to lead Big Rapids past Remus Chippewa Hills in the Central State Activities Association Tournament – Big Rapids Pioneer

9. BASEBALL Midland swept Saginaw Heritage, with Jacoby Lind throwing a perfect game in the latter of the doubleheader – Midland Daily News

10. BASEBALL Okemos downed Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 9-3 - WILX

Also of note …

GIRLS SOCCER Division 1 No. 9 Midland Dow claimed a third-straight Saginaw Valley League title outright thanks to Davison’s 1-0 win over Division 3 No. 3 Flint Powers Catholic – Midland Daily News