Wes Leonard, Remembered and Honored
February 12, 2012
Nearly a year after his unexpected and tragic death, Wes Leonard's memory lives on as his story continues to touch many on a national level.
Fennville High School added to his legacy Friday, inducting the former all-state basketball standout into its athletic Hall of Fame in a ceremony one Michigan sportswriter described as both somber and proud.
Check out his report and links to additional coverage of Friday's induction by clicking the links below, and also one for the Wes Leonard Heart Team and its efforts in preventing sudden cardiac arrest:
Wes Leonard's Fennville Hall of Fame induction one of 'deep sadness' and 'deep pride' (Kalamazoo Gazette)
Wes Leonard inducted into Fennville Hall of Fame (Holland Sentinel)
Wes Leonard inducted into Fennville Hall of Fame (The Associated Press, via Detroit Free Press)
Wes Leonard Heart Team (blog most recently updated Jan. 31)
Our MHSAA Network cameras were there for the ceremony and a feature with thoughts from his mom, coach and teammates.
Also, check out this ESPN video from May.
PHOTOS courtesy of Al LaShell Photography.
Moment: Rouge Runs Title Streak to 5
April 16, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
After setting the Lower Peninsula record the season before, River Rouge completed the streak that remains the standard for boys basketball programs with a fifth-straight MHSAA Finals title in 1965.
The Panthers won Class B for the fifth-consecutive season by downing South Haven 87-65. Rouge led only 54-52 after three quarters, but scored 33 points during the final period to seal the clincher.
The 87 total points also broke a Rouge Class B Final record set the year before (86) and remained the record (tied in 2003 by Grand Rapids South Christian) until Class was replaced by Division for basketball tournament classification in 2019.
Frank Price led with 28 points. Sam Campbell added 16. Rouge finished the season 24-2. (Side note: Price's daughter Franthea led Rouge to its first MHSAA girls basketball title, in 1984.)
Only Crystal Falls (now Forest Park), with six straight championships from 1938-44, has won more consecutive MHSAA titles in boys basketball, and that streak came during a time when separate tournaments were conducted by peninsula. Crystal Falls’ streak skips the 1943 season, when Finals weren’t played because of World War II.
