Johnson Family Reunion: Tuesday will Bring Together Officiating Brothers, Coaching Cousins

By Mike Dunn
Special for MHSAA.com

December 12, 2025

GAYLORD – What a night it will be.

The Big North Conference game this Tuesday between visiting Traverse City Central and host Gaylord has a coaching connection that will be a draw in itself. Central is led by former Gaylord hoops standout Luke Johnson, while Gaylord is coached by Luke’s cousin Justin Johnson – another past Blue Devils hoops standout who graduated in 1995 with school records for single-game, single-season and career 3-pointers.

Luke graduated in 1997 as Gaylord’s all-time leading scorer with 1,571 points and went on to play four years at Central Michigan University. He coached the boys at Elk Rapids for 14 seasons and is now in his second year coaching in Traverse City, where he is also an assistant principal at Traverse City East Middle School. Justin, owner and operator of the local Bulldog Painting business, is in his first year as the Blue Devils’ head coach after serving previously as the JV coach.

Cousins Luke Johnson, left, and Justin Johnson are the varsity coaches for Traverse City Central and Gaylord, respectively. The cousins were Gaylord teammates on the storied 1994-95 team that captured the District title with a thrilling come-from-behind victory at the old Petoskey gym. They will be facing each other as head coaches on the hardwood for the first time – and Justin’s son Carter, a junior wing, is in his first year on the Gaylord varsity.

On top of that, the Johnson cousins will be coaching against each other in the gymnasium named after Luke’s grandfather Jim Mongeau. Ironically enough, the Jim Mongeau gymnasium was dedicated on December 16, 1994, the same day 31 years before.

If that was solely the storyline for Tuesday’s game, it would make for a memorable occasion.

But there is more to this story … much more.

Three brothers with whistles

As it turns out, the biggest storyline of this memorable night is the officiating crew.

Not only will Luke and Justin be facing off Tuesday with Justin’s son also competing on the floor, but the three men wearing the striped shirts with whistles around their necks will be Johnson brothers Tommy, Steve, and Dave. Tom is Luke’s dad, and Steve is Justin Johnson’s father.

Between them, there is more than 125 years of hardwood officiating experience: Tom is in his 50th year, Steve is in his 45th, and Dave in his 32nd season.

The brothers have worked together more times than they can count over the decades, though not as much in recent years. Tom has had his own crew of officials for a while. Steve and Dave have teamed with Charlie Lovelace to form their own crew.

Tuesday’s game in Gaylord will be the first time any of the brothers have worked a game coached by Luke or Justin.

And it very well could be the final time the three brothers officiate a game together. In fact, this is quite likely given the present circumstances.

Tom’s battle with cancer

Tom has inoperable pancreatic cancer and is undergoing regular chemotherapy treatments. Just the fact that he is still actively officiating this season is remarkable in one way, given his prognosis, and yet not remarkable at all for anyone who knows Tommy and the inner drive and mental toughness that is so much a part of his make-up – character traits he has exhibited since the glory days in the late 1960s when he was a star student-athlete competing for Gaylord in football, basketball, and baseball.

That inner drive and willingness to persevere continue to serve Tom well, especially during this challenging season of life.

The Johnson brothers, here during their younger days, have a combined 127 yards of officiating to their credit.As Steve said, “Tommy definitely has the Johnson gift of stubbornness.”

And Dave agreed: “Tommy is fighting this with everything he has. He’s gonna go down swinging, because that’s just who he is.”

Tom has been very open about his battle with cancer. He was diagnosed Nov. 13, 2023, and at one point his weight was down to 138 pounds.

Tom was at home in his favorite chair in February with wife Jenni tending to him – “My wife’s been a saint through all this and the best nurse I’ve ever had,” he noted – when he made a decision.

“I told my wife if I just sit here in this chair, I’m gonna die and I don’t want to just give in to this,” Tom said.

“I made up my mind right then that I’m gonna take the proactive approach to this. I’m gonna live till I die. People think I’m being funny when I say that, but I’m serious. I’m gonna live till I die. I’m not gonna sit out the rest of my life. It’s all in the hands of the good Lord, and He’s the One who’s gonna let me know when my time comes.”

Tom retired as a physical education teacher at Gaylord in 2007 but has continued to coach as well as officiate volleyball, basketball and baseball. Because of recent developments, Tom was initially going to give up coaching the Gaylord boys golf team last spring but opted to stay on, extending his coaching career that dates back 49 years at Gaylord and includes a long stint as the varsity boys hoops coach from 1987-97 and then 2003-07 in addition to being the freshmen football coach for a stint, the baseball coach, and, for the past 16 years, the boys golf coach.

“The golf kids were great to work with,” Tom recalled. “I had some limitations, and they accepted and adapted and it was actually a fun season.”

‘I want to be out there’

Fast forward to the present school year. It would have been easy for Tom to lay down his whistle, but he’s not ready for that. He officiated about 30 nights during the volleyball season, and that went pretty well. Now he plans to continue officiating basketball as long as he is physically able and knows he can still call a good game.

“I just want to be out there doing one of the things God has designed for me to do,” he said. “I still enjoy it. We set a goal at the start of the school year to get through the volleyball season first and make it to Thanksgiving, and we’ve met that goal. The next goal is Christmas. And we’ll set other goals after that. But in the meantime, I plan to stay as active as I can doing things I love doing.”

Tom plans to officiate the full basketball season, as God enables him. The one date he is especially looking forward to, though, is Tuesday, Dec. 16.

Tom Johnson is in his 50th season officiating, a run filled with many memories including refereeing his grandson’s game at Elk Rapids (lower left).“It’ll be a great night,” Tom said. “I’ve reffed numerous games at ‘The Mong’ since it opened in 1995, but this will be a very special night not just for me but for all the Johnson family.

“I only hope in the midst of it I can communicate in some way how much I have appreciated the Gaylord community over the years and how much I’ve loved being a part of this community along with my family, and especially being part of Gaylord schools for so many years.”

Tom has quite a unique history with Gaylord basketball as a player and a coach. Tom played in the final high school game in the old community center during his junior year and played in the first game at the old gym that now serves as the middle school gym. He also coached the final high school game at the old gym during the 1994-95 season and coached the first game played at the newly-dedicated Jim Mongeau Gymnasium in January of 1995 against St. Ignace.

He also coached the amazing District championship game against favored Petoskey in its old gym packed to the rafters that March of 1995, a game that many still talk about to this day. The Blue Devils, with Justin knocking down the long ones and Luke distributing and driving through the lane, narrowly edged the excellent Petoskey team that featured Trevor Huffman and John Flynn.

Brennan Fitzek hit what proved to be the game-winning shot in the waning seconds, and Gaylord made a final stop on defense to secure the hard-earned trophy.

"We had some epic battles with Petoskey in those days," Tom said. "Petoskey had some great teams with Huffman and Flynn and a great coach in Dennis Starkey, who is still a friend to this day. It was tremendous competition."

‘I was just mowing’

It was Dave Johnson, the youngest of the brothers, who first had the idea of officiating the Dec. 16 game together.

“I was just mowing my grass one day soon after Justin was hired as the varsity coach and thinking ahead about the night when Luke comes from T.C. Central to play Gaylord,” Dave recalled. “Here you have the two coaches who are cousins from Gaylord facing each other in the gym named after their grandfather and Justin’s son playing for Gaylord on top of that. Wouldn’t it be cool if we three brothers could officiate the game that night?”

Dave dismounted the mower then and there and made phone calls to Steve and Tommy to see what they thought about the possibility. Then they contacted Luke and Justin and, before very long, everything was set in motion.

“The stars all aligned,” Dave said with a chuckle. “Justin and Luke were both on board with it, and they got the approval of their ADs. Everything that needed to happen for this to come together happened. It’s gonna be a great night and a historic night.”

When the family got together for a meal in September to celebrate Tom’s birthday, all the details about the Dec. 16 game were discussed. By the time the meal was over, everything was ironed out and everyone was in agreement.

“There’s so much nostalgia and history wrapped up in this one night,” Dave noted. “You have Tommy, the son-in-law of Jim Mongeau, in his 50th year officiating. To me, this night is really a tribute to Tommy and Jen and their lives revolving around Gaylord athletics.”

It will be a milestone night in another way.

This collage, from top left, includes longtime coach Jim Mongeau speaking with a Gaylord player during the 1960s, Tom Johnson coaching a player during the 1990s, and Luke now coaching.“This will probably be the final time we three brothers have the chance to officiate a game together,” Dave said. “Steve is working through a knee injury right now, and my health is not what it used to be either. But if this is our final game as an officiating crew, we couldn’t have picked a better one.”

Steve’s knee has been giving him fits lately and, for the first time in 45 seasons, has caused him to miss some games because of an injury. He is hoping to recover well enough to return to the floor in January and resume a normal schedule.

There is only one game Steve will officiate in the whole month of December, and it’s the one game he wouldn’t miss for anything.

“I know it’ll be one of the best nights of my life,” Steve said. “How great it’ll be for Dave and I to get to work with Tommy again and to see all the people there. It’ll be a night for reflecting on so many memories and making some new ones.”

Looking forward

“I’m thrilled with how this has all come together,” Luke said. “This night will not only be a great tribute to my dad but to a family that’s been involved in Gaylord athletics for 50-plus years.

“If you include my grandfather, then you’re going back 70 years or more with Gaylord. I know my dad impacted a lot of lives as a teacher and a coach over the years, and my grandfather had the same kind of legacy before him.”

Luke is naturally excited for the game itself but more excited for the moment, especially given his dad’s health challenges.

“Obviously, the circumstances with my dad create a different perspective for the night,” he added. “My hope is we can just soak in the history and enjoy the moment and not let it rush by. We likely won’t have another night like this one.”

PHOTOS (Top) Brothers, from left, Steve, Dave and Tom Johnson – here at Gaylord High School – will referee the varsity boys basketball game Tuesday between Gaylord and Traverse City Central. (2) Cousins Luke Johnson, left, and Justin Johnson are the varsity coaches for Traverse City Central and Gaylord, respectively. (3) The Johnson brothers, here during their younger days, have a combined 127 yards of officiating to their credit. (4) Tom Johnson is in his 50th season officiating, a run filled with many memories including refereeing his grandson’s game at Elk Rapids (lower left). (5) This collage, from top left, includes longtime coach Jim Mongeau speaking with a Gaylord player during the 1960s, Tom Johnson coaching a player during the 1990s, and Luke now coaching. (Photos courtesy of, in part, RD Sports Photo and Photography by Joanie Moore, with others collected by the Weekly Choice and Charlevoix County News.)

Hayes Continues to Cultivate Growth of Lacrosse, Generations of Officials

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

May 18, 2022

This spring, more than 60 years after she graduated from high school, Pat Hayes is officiating five and sometimes six girls lacrosse games a week.

The sport has grown significantly especially over the last 20 years, and there are games at all levels to be played. And Hayes, who has helped guide that growth from the sport’s start in Michigan, has helped make sure those games do get played whether as the assigner of officials to work them, trainer of officials build up the ranks or often as the umpire herself.

Pat Hayes“I played four sports in high school; that’s all we had back then – basketball, swimming, field hockey and tennis,” Hayes said. “And (my coach) said to me, ‘Just remember the last time you didn’t have officials on one of your field hockey games, or basketball games.’ I said, ‘Well, we always had umpires.’ And she said, ‘When you leave here, that’s your time to give back to the next girls. And I’ve been doing that ever since.”

A knowledgeable leader and valued voice for girls lacrosse from its start in Michigan, Hayes’ dedication to the sport began long before its eventual sponsorship by the Michigan High School Athletic Association began with the 2004-05 school year. A longtime coach and official, Hayes has helped guide the growth of the sport most recently as one of the most respected umpires, officials assigners and trainers in the state – and she is being honored for those contributions with this year’s MHSAA Vern L. Norris Award.

The Norris Award is presented annually to a veteran official who has been active in a local officials association, has mentored other officials, and has been involved in officials’ education. It is named for Vern L. Norris, who served as executive director of the MHSAA from 1978-86 and was well-respected by officials on the state and national levels.

Hayes is in her 22nd year as an MHSAA-registered official, a tenure which has included eight years of soccer, five of volleyball and one of basketball – and every season of lacrosse since it became an MHSAA-sponsored sport nearly two decades ago. She also has built a legendary international career as an official for field hockey, which while not an MHSAA-sponsored sport is played by more than 30 of the state’s high schools.

Hayes has officiated both field hockey and lacrosse since graduating from Detroit Western High School in 1958. She also has more than three decades of coaching experience across multiple sports, and is best-known by the most recent generations in her sports as a prized trainer and officials assigner especially in lacrosse and field hockey.

“My reward, when I train somebody, is watching them excel, and my real reward is if they get picked to do a (MHSAA) Final, and there have been several of them that I have trained that have done that,” she said. “And several of them now are doing college lacrosse, which is even more of a reward for me. Watching them go and excel and move on to the next level is my reward.”

While still a student at Wayne State University in 1960-61, Hayes coached field hockey and started the lacrosse program at Grosse Pointe Sacred Heart Academy. After two years there, she moved to Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart, where she remained until 1970 teaching chemistry and biology, coaching field hockey, lacrosse, basketball and volleyball and serving as athletic director as well.

She then left teaching with the birth of her second of three daughters, but continued to officiate. When her daughters reached high school at Birmingham Seaholm, she returned as a coach of the Maples’ freshman boys and then junior varsity girls basketball teams. In 1985 she began a 22-year stint at Detroit Country Day coaching girls lacrosse with five years also coaching freshman boys basketball. She coached the Yellowjackets girls lacrosse team to the first Division 2 championship game and a runner-up finish in 2005.

Hayes currently assigns lacrosse officials for 28 schools as part of the Lacrosse Zebras Organization of Michigan. She has worked seven MHSAA Girls Lacrosse Finals and also officiated college lacrosse at the Division II and III levels. She is retiring this spring after 35 years assigning girls soccer officials as well.

Perhaps her most legendary work has come in field hockey. She played on the U.S. national team and over the last half-century has been considered among the top field hockey officials in the world. She has officiated that sport at the college level for 45 years, with an NCAA Championship assignment in 1986, and she also officiated three World Cup tournaments and the 2004 Olympics as a technical official. She assigns officials for all of Michigan’s high school field hockey games during the sport’s fall season.

Hayes has been recognized numerous times for her extensive service to school sports. She was inducted into the U.S. Lacrosse Michigan Chapter Hall of Fame in 2009 and was named an honorary member of the USA Field Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004. She was named to the Bloomfield Hills Roeper School Hall of Fame in 2016 and Detroit Catholic High School League Hall of Fame in 2018. She received the Oakland County Athletic Director Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.

"Pat has been a leader and pioneer in officiating, especially creating opportunities for female officials. She has been a true leader for years in lacrosse, soccer and field hockey," MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. "She has that perfect combination of compassion, toughness, grace and grit. Michigan's officiating community is fortunate to have Pat Hayes." 

Hayes graduated from Detroit Western High School in 1958 and with a bachelor’s degree in education from Wayne State University in 1962.

In addition to her continued service to athletics, Hayes has received the Good Neighbor Award for volunteering with the Quarton Lake Neighborhood Association in Birmingham.

Hayes and husband John Hayes were married 50 years, until his death in 2016. Their three daughters all played college athletics, but not lacrosse or field hockey – instead golf, volleyball and soccer.

Previous recipients of the Norris Award

1992 – Ted Wilson, East Detroit
1993 – Fred Briggs, Burton
1994 – Joe Brodie, Flat Rock
1995 – Jim Massar, Flint
1996 – Jim Lamoreaux, St. Ignace
1997 – Ken Myllyla, Escanaba
1998 – Blake Hagman, Kalamazoo
1999 – Richard Kalahar, Jackson
2000 – Barb Beckett, Traverse City; Karl Newingham, Bay City
2001 – Herb Lipschultz, Kalamazoo
2002 – Robert Scholie, Hancock
2003 – Ron Nagy, Hazel Park
2004 – Carl Van Heck, Grand Rapids
2005 – Bruce Moss, Alma
2006 – Jeanne Skinner, Grand Rapids
2007 – Terry Wakeley, Grayling
2008 – Will Lynch, Honor
2009 – James Danhoff, Richland
2010 – John Juday Sr., Petoskey
2011 – Robert Williams, Redford
2012 – Lyle Berry, Rockford
2013 – Tom Minter, Okemos
2014 – Hugh R. Jewell, West Bloomfield
2015 – Sam Davis, Lansing
2016 – Linda Hoover, Marshall
2017 – Michael Gentry, Shelby Township
2018 – Jill Baker-Cooley, Big Rapids
2019 – David Buck, St. Joseph
2020 – Hugh Matson, Saginaw
2021 - Lewis Clingman, Grand Rapids

MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
20, 30, 40, 45, 50, 55 & 60-YEAR OFFICIALS

The officials on this list are receiving their 20, 30, 40, 45, 50, 55 or 60-year service awards.

20-YEAR OFFICIALS

Adrian – Christopher M. Jones
Albion – Matt M. Overweg
Ann Arbor – Brad R. Nevin
Ann Arbor – Luis E. Acosta
Auburn – David J. Radke

Battle Creek – Melvin C. McKnight
Bay City – Thomas E. Barnikow
Bay City – Martin Brown
Bellaire – William J. Johnston
Bellaire – Michael A. Sizen
Belmont – Terrence P. Kerwin
Berrien Springs – Daryl L. Boughton
Beulah – Joe M. Johnson
Birch Run – Joel D. Barnes
Boyne City – Hal G. Price
Brimley – Vincent A. Gross
Bristol – Milan Vuchenich
Burton – Michael J. Vogt
Byron Center – Patrick J. Lane

Canton – Christopher J. Floyd
Canton – Robert R. Maybouer
Canton – Donald W. Mullett
Cassopolis – Charles A. Conner
Cassopolis – Douglas S. Conner
Chesterfield – Erik C. Law
Chesterfield – Ronald G. Masters
Clinton Township – Richard G. Croci
Coldwater – Courtney J. Dean
Coloma – James G. Kalinowski
Commerce Township – James J. McGuigan

Davison – Scott McConnelee
Davison – Edward D. Rodden
Dearborn – Ralph D. Capler
Dearborn – Oliver H. Fragoso
Dearborn – Joseph M. Salmassi
Detroit – Hershell Bell Jr.
Detroit – Rayford Evans
Detroit – Donald F. Gay Jr.
Detroit – Andrew Hill Jr.
Detroit – Herman Pierce
Detroit – Sherell S. Stanley Esq.
Detroit – Gregory Williams
Detroit – Richard A. Hughes
DeWitt – Bret J. Wegenke
Dryden – Mark E. Stevens

Farmington Hills – Jeffrey E. Dornseifer
Farmington Hills – Rob T. Holmes
Farwell – James C. Betts
Fenton – Donald G. Lougheed
Flat Rock – Patricia L. Brodie
Flint – Chris R. Daly
Flushing – Angela Del Morone
Flushing – William J. Furno
Flushing – Thomas F. Theile
Freeland – Bob Diekman
Fremont – Ty Miller
Fruitport – Chad J. Vanderstelt

Gaylord – Michele R. Curtis
Gladwin – Kevin S. Krenzke
Gobles – Michael R. Spencer
Grand Haven – Michael E. Keith
Grand Haven – Ben Wieringa
Grand Ledge – Matthew R. Allen
Grand Rapids – Marquese T. Allen Sr.
Grand Rapids – Kecia Y. Bennett
Grand Rapids – Charles F. Ely III
Grand Rapids – Brett A. Lambert
Grand Rapids – Jay Spencer
Grand Rapids – Gregory S. Yarhouse
Grosse Pointe – Lisa Favors
Grosse Pointe Woods – Michael A. Zilli
Gwinn – Kathy G. Foulks
Gwinn – Steven M. Foulks

Hamtramck – Thomas A. Habitz Jr.
Hartland – Steven P. Tannar
Hillsdale – Bruce A. Britton
Holland – Michael D. Costello
Holland – Vincent L. Duckworth
Holland – Karl Z. Nadolsky
Holland – Heather M. Tietze
Holland – Matt B. Vanderhulst
Holland – David M. Zessin
Howell – Ryan E. Decker
Hudsonville – Bruce Ritsema

Ironwood – Dan L. Meyer
Ironwood – Jeffrey R. Wasley
Ishpeming – John L. Burke

Jackson – Todd R. Sonnenberg
Jackson – Justin D. Ward
Jenison – Mark K. Lundvick

Kalamazoo – Bruce Beery
Kalamazoo – Kris M. Brown Jr.
Kalamazoo – Alan E. Clark
Kalamazoo – William S. Wilkinson
Kaleva – Michael Phillips
Kentwood – Gerry Erb

Lake Orion – Debra L. Bunker-Plasters
Lambertville – Tom M. Condon
Lambertville – Steven M. Rechsteiner
Lansing – Joseph Bard Jr.
Lansing – Donald Childs
Lansing – Natalie J. Queen
Lapeer – Peter S. Haggadone
Litchfield – Mickey J. Rowe
Livonia – Dennis O. Betts
Livonia – Kevin J. Kashat
Ludington – Genevieve M. Knudsen
Ludington – J. R. Schoon

Macomb – Marc W. Sonnenfeld
Manistique – Kelley L. Spettel
Marinette – Jim Kostura
Marquette – Blaine M. Barabas
Marquette – Roxin Zhang
Mason – Heidi S. Hopper
Mason – Robert D. Manes
Midland – Stephen A. Kamin
Milan – Ryan P. Chadderton
Millington – Glen W. Reinert
Monroe – Terrance E. Leabhart
Monroe – Thomas M. Malik
Mount Pleasant – Audie S. Hawkins Sr.

Newport – Kenneth H. Trimiew
North Branch – Luke D. Reynolds
North Muskegon – Anthony T. McBride
Novi – Rick A. VanDerVeer
Novi – Jeffrey S. Woodbury

Okemos – Matthew D. Wilcox
Ontonagon – Patrick A. Pestka
Oxford – Elizabeth A. Cilfone

Petoskey – John F. Tompkins
Portage – Curtis D. Messing
Portage – William L. Rutledge
Portage – David W. Steinmiller

Reese – Kent A. Houghtaling
Reese – Kris K. Shoemate
Richland – Glenn R. Bushouse
Rochester – Luis J. Arellano
Rochester Hills – Peter L. Olson
Rockford – Todd J. Frazier
Royal Oak – James V. Stockel
Rudyard – Steven T. May

Saginaw – Luke S. Schmiege
Sault Ste. Marie – Mike Heyboer
Scotts – David J. Blough
Shelby Township – Gregory J. Lefevre
Shelby Township – Denise L. Roeschke
Southfield – Joel E. Moore
Springport – Steven B. Keeler
St. Helen – Donald L. Hancock
Standish – Steven J. Stodolak
Sterling Heights – David R. Krellwitz
Stevensville – Daniel S. Barz
Swanton – Paul Ramirez
Swartz Creek – Mike Gomez
Swartz Creek – Timothy M. Mowry

Taylor – Cedric Binns
Toledo – Jeremy L. Petroff
Trenton – Eric A. Towe
Trenton – Jason J. Towe
Troy – Peter R. Bucheli

Vanderbilt – John W. Bifoss Jr.
Vicksburg – Carl E. Keller

Wakefield – Peter W. Yon
Warren – Kevin S. Kitka
Washington – William B. Pochinco
West Bloomfield – Kenneth M. Bertin
Westland – Calvin E. Denson
Wolverine – Daniel D. Ashenfelter
Wyoming – Darryl M. Dillard

Ypsilanti – Eva L. Bower

Zeeland – Ted C. Patrick

30-YEAR AWARDS

Albion – Arthur E. Kale

Battle Creek – Laurie S. Mueller
Bay City – Gary L. Merrill
Beverly Hills – Thomas I. Prysby
Bonita Springs – Bryan R. Wild
Byron Center – Todd A. Powell

Cambridge – Mark D. Dooley
Capac – Tom R. Mailloux
Carleton – Geno R. Walker
Cedar Springs – Shane P. Wood
Charlotte – Ron W. Bristol
Charlotte – Michael K. Sumner
Cheboygan – Thom L. Wissner
Columbiaville – Russell M. Cossaboom

Davisburg – Leo P. Flynn
Dearborn Heights – Kenneth E. Butler
Detroit – Damon M. Brown
Detroit – Rich J. Plackowski
DeWitt – Jeffrey R. Spedoske
DeWitt – Mark R. Uyl
Dowagiac – Larry G. Brewer
Dowagiac – Don East

East China – Kirk A. Seibert
East China – Michael J. Welser
East Tawas – Kenneth C. Baker
Escanaba – Kevin P. Ayotte
Essexville – David A. Lovely

Falmouth – Don L. Blue Jr.
Fennville – Philip R. Bard
Ferndale – Mose F. Smith Jr.

Gaylord – Vern W. Collins
Grand Blanc – Dean P. Tondreau
Grand Haven – Lori L. Spelde
Grand Ledge – Daniel P. West
Grand Rapids – Pete M. Cool
Grand Rapids – Geoffrey Henderson
Grand Rapids – Dwayne W. Moore
Grass Lake – Daniel S. Trudell

Harbor Beach – Darryl J. Wehner
Hartland – Larry A. Mach
Hemlock – James R. La Grow II
Holton – Joseph M. Stine

Indian River – David M. Reeb
Iron Mountain – Bruce M. Tapio
Iron Mountain – Hans E. Wienke

Jackson – Paul A. McDonald

Kalamazoo – O'Neal Ollie

Lake City – Richard A. Bradley
Lake Orion – Michael K. Sopko
Lakeport – Kenneth E. Marzka
Lansing – Scott Barnes
Lansing – Lloyd Richard Kieft
Leslie – Juan P. Zamora Jr.
Livonia – Sharon E. Harris-Agrusa
Ludington – Aaron R. Condit

Mesick – Daniel L. Cochrane
Monroe – James T. Beck
Monroe – Brian A. Lamour
Morrice – Andrew P. Flynn
Mount Clemens – Shawn C. Dinkfelt

New Baltimore – Thomas L. Hebben
Norton Shores – Brian R. Holman
Novi – Ron S. Angell

Oakland Township – John C. Bowie
Ortonville – Stephen M. Hendershott
Owosso – Thomas F. Rau

Paw Paw – David P. DeCou
Petersburg – David J. Szenderski
Pinckney – Charles F. Krochmal
Pinconning – Denny M. Wiltse
Port Huron – Tyrone T. Christmas
Portage – William F. Louthan

Reese – David H. Selden
Riverview – Gary E. Kulchar
Rockford – Angela C. DeVito

Saginaw – Michael W. Clark
Saginaw – Brian J. Weaver
Saint Charles – Larry G. Graf
Shelby Township – David J. Roeschke
South Haven – Timothy J. Rediess
South Rockwood – James E. Martin
Southfield – Wayne C. Smith
Spring Lake – David C. Gross
St Clair – Dale R. Kaufman
St Ignace – Eric J. Danielson
St Ignace – Robert J. Lee
St Johns – Daniel J. LeVeque
St Joseph – John W. Ruddell
Stevensville – Larry L. Ward
Swartz Creek – Terry L. Scrivener
Sylvania – Shawn R. Glass

Traverse City – Kevin A. Novorolsky

Waterford – Marc J. Cooper
West Bloomfield – Donald C. Brewer
West Bloomfield – Barry E. Yett
West Branch – Anthony J. Buckett
Whitehall – Warren F. Kent III
Wyandotte – John P. Rzeppa

40-YEAR AWARDS

Adrian – Brenda Betz
Allen Park – Brett S. Davis

Bay Harbor – Peter C. Fitzsimons
Berrien Springs – Michael B. Emerson
Boyne City – Jeffery A. Grice
Buckley – Charles E. Bott
Burton – Gibbon J. Goulish

Chesterfield – James P. Lewis

Dearborn – Gary J. Trocino
Dearborn Heights – Alan Kevwitch
Dearborn Heights – Shaun P. Soraghan
Decatur – Daniel K. Benson

Farmington – Gerald G. Potter
Farmington Hills – Peter Beer
Fenton – Mark D. Larson

Gladwin – Rick C. Stone
Goshen – Stephen V. Grinczel
Grand Rapids – William J. Wagner
Grand Rapids – Brian M. Zdanowski
Grandville – Peter J. VanGessel
Greenville – Thomas W. Kohn
Grosse Pointe – Michael J. Peltz

Holly – Dale M. Smith
Howell – Thomas J. Guilmette
Howell – Kenneth G. Wikle

Jackson – Tim E. Hoffman
Jackson – Phillip T. Westheimer
Jackson – Dennis V. Whitehead

Kalamazoo – Trent J. Anderson
Kalamazoo – Michael T. Aumack
Kalamazoo – Carol Willson

Lake Worth – Russell D. Johnson
Livonia – David J. Askew
Livonia – James M. Gibbons

Mason – Mark R. Sefcik
Monroe – Michael T. Knabusch

Newport – George S. Harvey

Oak Park – Robert L. Czech
Owosso – Michael Selleck
Oxford – Michael L. Dunn

Paw Paw – Horace M. Turner
Plainwell – John R. Martin
Portage – Gary A. Therrian
Posen – Mary E. Wozniak

Quinnesec – David R. Soderbloom

Saginaw – Rudy T. Kocsis
Saginaw – Ray Powers
Shelby Township – Helmut Egger
St. Clair Shores – Ross Klein
St. Ignace – Martin J. Spencer

Troy – Ramiro J. Bucheli

Weidman – Eric E. Gronda
West Bloomfield – Brian W. McKenna
Wolverine – Stephen M. Johnson

45-YEAR AWARDS

Adrian – Don C. Fry
Alma – Bruce M. Moss

Bristol – David J. Blough
Brooklyn – Thomas W. Crampton
Brown City – Richard Lee

Climax – Wayne C. Patterson
Crystal – Robert A. Youngs

Davison – Douglas C. Dillon
Davison – Randy Hutton
Detroit – Patricia E. Jones
Detroit – Bertha M. Smiley
DeWitt – John C. Hoekje

Farmington Hills – John D. Scott
Fenton – Richard D. Massa
Frankenmuth – Dennis Krafft

Gladstone – David P. Gagnon

Hazel Park – Ronald R. Nagy
Highland – Deborah S. Heck

Imlay City – Jeff M. Weingartz
Ionia – Paul D. Carmichael
Iron Mountain – John J. Sacchetti
Iron Mountain – Doug A. Schupp
Ironwood – Jeff D. Haapoja

Kalamazoo – Kirk G. Hart

Lansing – Bryan L. Smith
Linden – Reed W. Johnson

Manistee – Tom L. Guenthardt
Muskegon – Jeffery A. Burr

Negaunee – Philip M. DeGabriele
Norton Shores – Richard L. Anderegg
Norton Shores – Jim Tate

Plymouth – Thomas J. Poma
Posen – Frank Wozniak

Rapid River – Jeffrey A. Schram

Saginaw – Charles S. Sherman
Saginaw – Suzanne R. Swanton

Shelby Township – Michael L. Hessen
St. Clair – Garth E. Jones
Sturgis – David R. Cherry

Trenton – Max Monas
Troy – Joseph E. Thilman

Warren – Larry R. Leeper
Warren – Stephen Stuckey
Williamston – Michael A. Nestell

50-YEAR AWARDS

Battle Creek – Charles M. Hobbs
Brighton – Bruce D. Ritter

Davison – Patrick J. McKenna

Farmington – Raymond A. Cranston

Grand Rapids – Tom J. Essenburg

Howell – James L. Downs

Iron Mountain – Kenneth E. Marchetti

Ludington – Ronald E. Mousel

Plymouth – Brian F. Foust

Saginaw – John B. Musulin
Spruce – Leslie L. Miller
St. Clair Shores – George Mihalic
St. Joseph – Frederick A. Fenrick
Sunrise – Thomas J. Lieckfelt

Taylor – Alphonse P. Ruffner
Tekonsha – Brian C. Briegel

Westland – James J. McPartlin
Wyoming – Robert L. Stewart

55-YEAR AWARDS

Clarkston – Tony Malinowski
Comstock Park – Paul L. VanOveren

Grand Rapids – Kenneth H. Terpstra

Haslett – Rodney H. Horton

Negaunee – Roland K. Koski

Owosso – Jim G. Niemiec

Rochester Hills – Walter E. Popyk

West Bloomfield – Alan K. Kaczander

60-YEAR AWARDS

Mount Pleasant – Norman R. Sorenson

St. Clair Shores – Diane M. Johnson

PHOTO Official Pat Hayes sets up the opening faceoff for the 2009 Division 2 Final. (MHSAA file photo.)