Coldwater's McGuire Focused on Final Goal

February 21, 2019

By Wes Morgan
Special for Second Half

Four year ago, Gage McGuire sat down with his mother, Carrie, and made a list of high school basketball goals. That piece of paper is still hanging on his bedroom wall, and nearly all the items have been checked.

“Looking back on it, I can’t thank her enough,” said the 6-foot-6 Coldwater senior forward. “Once you set a goal, you know you can chase it.”

Except for hitting a bit of turbulence earlier this month that resulted in a three-game skid, the Cardinals (14-5) have been flying high. The cast includes starters Dylan Targgart, a 6-2 junior center who has won an individual Division 2 Finals championship in the shot put as well as a team state title. Damon Beckhusen, a junior guard who helps set the tone for everything the Cardinals do on the court, was an all-Interstate 8 Athletic Conference football selection. And underclassmen Ethan Crabtree (freshman guard) and Spencer Rodesiler (sophomore guard) have played more like veterans.

But it’s undeniably McGuire’s team, and his list of accomplishments is quite impressive. The small forward set an all-time scoring record for the Cardinals back in December when he hit 1,180 points — a tally that will be significantly higher once the season ends. McGuire was an Associated Press Class A all-state honorable mention last year, and his sophomore season, as well as the Interstate 8 Most Valuable Player last winter.

Averaging around 20 points, 12 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 blocks and steals per game, the future Emporia State University player has one last thing to check off that list.

“One of my goals was to become the all-time leading scorer,” McGuire said. “When I got it, it was pretty exciting. But I’d much rather have a state championship than an individual record.”

Noticeable improvement on defense and rebounding the ball this year has made McGuire one of the more complete players in the state.

“He has gotten a lot better,” first-year Coldwater coach Aaron Bucklin said. “He has really bought into the kind of system we want to play. That’s something he has added to his game, and his rebounding numbers are up a ton from the previous year.

“He is able to do so much. If we are being pressed, he can be the guy to bring the ball up the court as well. We just kind of try to exploit any mismatch. Defensively, he does a pretty good job on the ball and can guard all five positions as well. He causes problems for guards with his length and centers with his athletic ability.”

McGuire’s actions off the court, including a work ethic in the classroom and a willingness to speak up in the locker room have equally influenced the program.

“I think it’s just his sense of leadership and his ability to add that part to the game and the mental toughness he can bring to this game,” Bucklin said. “I think in years past he has kind of gone with the flow and done very good things on the basketball court. But his senior year he has really stepped up and become a leader. He gets everybody else involved, whether it’s offseason workout stuff or getting into the gym extra times. He’s that guy. He wants to be in the gym 24/7. That’s been big for us.”

Emporia State, a Division II school in Kansas that competes in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, believes McGuire can do the same there. But McGuire is focused on closing out his prep career strong.

After losing three straight, McGuire and fellow captains called a players-only meeting to get things sorted out as the regular season winds down and the Cardinals prepare for their Division 1 District Semifinal game Feb. 27 against either Battle Creek Lakeview or Battle Creek Central.

“We called everybody out — just kind of a man-to-man conversation to see what we’re doing wrong,” McGuire explained. “The past couple games we had averaged like 20 turnovers per game. You’re not going to win the game with 20 turnovers. We have a special team, and we needed to figure it out to make the deep run in the playoffs that we know we’re capable of.

“Everybody took it like a man, and I think it worked out really well. I asked everyone if they truly believed we could win state. Everyone said yes.”

Wes Morgan has reported for the Kalamazoo Gazette, ESPN and ESPNChicago.com, 247Sports and Blue & Gold Illustrated over the last 12 years and is the publisher of JoeInsider.com. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Coldwater’s Gage McGuire (standing, fourth from left) and his teammates celebrate his becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer this winter. (Middle) McGuire goes for a block against Jackson Lumen Christi. (Photos courtesy of the Coldwater boys basketball program.) 

Record-Setting Scorer Kerby Eager to Take Frankfort on Another Tournament Run

By Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com

February 7, 2025

Three months ago, Carter Kerby’s football season ended by injury – and it left him and his coaches wondering about his basketball future. 

Northern Lower PeninsulaBut now everyone clearly knows the outcome – and it’s everything they could have desired.

Kerby immediately underwent surgery following the practice injury that prevented him from fulfilling his role as the starting quarterback for Frankfort in the MHSAA Football Playoffs. The injury was a clean break of his left collarbone. Seven pins and a plate were implanted into his shoulder. 

He was told he could start shooting a basketball four weeks after surgery. Fast-forward to today, and the right-handed Kerby is shooting with surgical precision – and with high hopes of leading Frankfort to Breslin Center for the Divisions 4 Final.

Frankfort, which plays at Gaylord on Saturday, sports a strong supporting cast for Kerby, and younger players have gained invaluable experience.

“We have a pretty well-stacked team, and we have some young sophomores and juniors,” Frankfort coach Dan Loney said. “They’re getting a ton of experience, and I think that’s going to pay off down the stretch for us.”

Kerby, a 6-foot-3 guard, is ready to finish off the regular season and begin his fourth postseason run with the Panthers. Last year Frankfort fell 44-42 in the District Final to Maple City Glen Lake, which went on to reach the Quarterfinals. In Kerby’s sophomore year, the Panthers reached the Semifinals, and his freshman season ended in the Regional.

“The goal is to go back to the Bres,” said Kerby, who tied the single-game school record of 46 points last month. “I try not to look too far ahead. We have finish off the regular season before anything, and it’s all going to come down to defense, rebounding and just grit.”

Frankfort is 9-7 and out of the Northwest Conference race this season. But the Panthers are well-known for their ability to make a playoff run.

They’re coming off a 49-37 win over Brethren on Thursday during which Kerby had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Tristin Griffin, who averages 12 points per game, added eight and collected 10 rebounds as well.

“It’s the same thing that happens most years, if I am being honest,” acknowledged Kerby, who is averaging 21 points per game.  “We’re not always a regular-season team.”

Kerby (24) launches a jump from the top of the key against Lake City.Loney, in his seventh season as the Panthers head coach, agrees with his senior star.  Win-loss records don’t accurately show the strength of his team, he notes.

“Our conference is tough,” Loney said. “I think we have the pieces to string together some postseason wins.”

Frankfort’s tournament run will begin and possibly end in Suttons Bay. The Panthers’ District features Buckley and Leelanau St. Mary – teams with similarly-strong histories of recent postseason runs. Add in Traverse City Christian, which is eyeing a potential first District championship, and the ever-improving host Norsemen.

The Panthers are anxiously awaiting the Feb. 16 release of District pairings.

“It’s a tough District,” Looney noted. “We’re definitely going to have to come to play. That’s why we’re trying to work the kinks out, get on a roll and figure out what we have to do to win these tight games.”

Four of Frankfort’s losses were by six points or fewer, including two four-point setbacks to Benzie. The Panthers won one and lost one to Glen Lake. St. Mary topped Frankfort by 10. The other loss was a lopsided one courtesy of Division 2 Grand Rapids South Christian December after the Panthers had started 5-0.

“Our record doesn’t quite show what we really are,” Loney said. “We need to find a way to win those close games down the stretch.”

Kerby, who would trade his individual school record for another deep postseason run, hasn’t ruled out topping his 46-point effort. He’s had 43 in a game this year as well.

“I would love to go for more, and it feels great putting in the time and effort and seeing things come out of it,” said Kerby, who also reached 1,000 points for his career in late January. “But I just want us to get rolling and get in a good groove – I’d give anything up for that.”

Kerby scored 28 points in a 62-52 season-opening win over Suttons Bay after being cleared the night before. He hadn’t even seen the practice floor.

The injury happened as the Panthers were practicing a potential trick play prior to their football playoff opener. Kerby was hurt attempting to catch a pass. He had surgery two days later, on his birthday.

“The ball was just a little overthrown, and the ball hit me in the hands and hit the ground,” Kerby recalled. “I stepped on the ball and flipped, landing shoulder first.”

The Panthers faced Beal City, a familiar football postseason opponent, but without their starting QB. Beal City won that matchup 47-0 and went on win the Division 8 championship four weeks later.  

Loney recalls getting the message his star shooter had been injured in football practice, and that his ability to play basketball this winter had become uncertain.

“It’s definitely not the text message I wanted to see the last week of football,” Loney said. “After surgery, we started sizing up when he would be back, and we were at peace with it.”

Tom SpencerTom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.

PHOTOS (Top) Frankfort’s Carter Kerby throws down a dunk against Leland. (Middle) Kerby (24) launches a jump from the top of the key against Lake City. (Photos courtesy of the Frankfort boys basketball program.)