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Let's Not Forget These Winning Coaches

December 15, 2015

By Ron Pesch
Special for Second Half

Buried deep within the MHSAA’s list of coaches with 200 career football wins is the name Oscar Johnson. Sharp eyes will note that Johnson began his coaching career in 1925 – 90 years ago.

Following graduation from Western State Normal School (today, Western Michigan University) in Kalamazoo, Oscar E. Johnson coached two seasons at Mount Pleasant High School before moving on to Muskegon Heights in 1927. Known by his nickname, like most from the time period, “Okie” coached multiple sports including football, basketball and baseball. After 37 years (1927 to 1963) and six mythical gridiron championships (as well as three Class A basketball titles), he retired and moved to Baldwin.

During a teacher’s strike in 1979, Johnson, now in his 70’s, came out of retirement to coach Baldwin’s football team for four contests, earning three wins against a single loss. In 40 seasons, Johnson’s teams posted 209 victories against 106 defeats and 28 ties.

In 1975, his was the lone name that would have appeared on the MHSAA’s list of coaches with 200 football wins.

In 1980, Bill Maskill, a graduate of Michigan State University and head coach for six seasons at Sheridan, then Galesburg-Augusta for 29 years, was the second to join the list. Jack Castignola, who started his coaching career in Ohio before becoming varsity coach at Monroe Catholic Central and then Trenton, was added to the list in 1981.

They were followed by Dick Mettlach, long of Crystal Falls and that school’s successor, Crystal Falls Forest Park, Jack Streidl who led Plainwell for 37 seasons, and Dick Soisson, who coached for a combined 41 seasons at Owosso St. Paul, Kalamazoo St. Augustine and Kalamazoo Hackett. Each posted his 200th win in 1984. Leo “Smokey” Boyd, who coached 40 years at Standish-Sterling, Saginaw Sts. Peter and Paul and Saginaw Nouvel, notched his 200th win in 1985, becoming only the seventh coach to accomplish the task in 90-plus years of high school football in Michigan.

Only two additional names were added over the next five years. Walt Braun, long of Marysville, joined the exclusive group in 1986. Al Fracassa, who spent a combined 46 seasons coaching at Royal Oak Shrine and Birmingham Brother Rice and turned down the chance to join Muddy Waters’ coaching staff at MSU in 1980, picked up his 200th win in 1988. That brought the list to nine total.

Twenty five years later, the list totals 58 names. So what changed?

Of course, it was the addition of the MHSAA football playoffs, which debuted in 1975.

A look at two coaches helps illustrate the issue.

Fracassa, the list’s current leader in all-time wins with 430, took 29 seasons to tally his first 200 victories. It took only 23 more seasons for him to gain the next 200. Farmington Hills Harrison’s John Harrington took 24 years to total 200 wins, but picked up his 400th after only 20 more.

Between 1960, Fracassa’s first season, and 1988, Fracassa’s teams played an average of 8.30 games a season.  Between 1970, Herrington’s first year and 1993, the year of his 200th, his teams averaged 9.64 games per season.

Between 1988 and 2011, when Fracassa won his 400th game, his teams played an average of 11.61 games a season. Between 1994 and 2013, Herrington’s 400th, his teams played an average of 11.09 games per year. Fracassa’s teams compiled 68 victories in the MHSAA postseason. Herrington’s teams lead the state with 87 victories in the state playoffs.

Simply put, with the arrival of the postseason, it became easier to get to 200.

While no one would debate the accomplishments of any of the 58 gentlemen on the list, all but a few benefit from a baseline that few others who coached only 40 years before them were unlikely to reach.

Of course, those previous years included an amazing array of mentors. In hindsight, perhaps the list should include a mark for coaches from who assemble 150 varsity wins during the regular season only.

Johnson, and many others on the current list, certainly fall within such a category. But so would people like Ted Sowle, who, according to extensive research by former state historian Dick Kishpaugh, compiled a combined 171-47-10 mark between 1937 and 1963 as varsity coach at Grant, Algonac, Cathedral Prep in Erie, Pa., and Grand Rapids Catholic Central. At the time of his retirement from coaching in 1963, he ranked second in the state on the career wins list, behind only Johnson.

Ray Rynberg, a Grand Rapids Union and Central Michigan graduate, began his coaching career at Cedar Springs in 1939. After 12 years, he stepped away from the coaching ranks to pursue a degree in school administration from the University of Michigan. In the fall of 1955 he returned to the sidelines at Grant. He remained for 21 years, compiling a record of 189-62-9 (including seven unbeaten seasons) surpassing Sowle on the list upon retirement following the 1975 season.

Elmer Engel, who is honored in Bay City with his name attached to the city’s beautiful football stadium, also would appear on such a list. A three-year starter at the University of Illinois, Engel arrived in 1950 and installed the T-formation. He worked the sidelines for the Wolves through the 1972 season, compiling a 165-34-8 record and mythical Class A state titles in 1958, 1965, 1967, 1969 and 1972 according to the Associated Press polls ranking the state’s top teams.

Traverse City’s Jim Ooley led the Traverse City Trojans to a 164-56-4 regular season record (and a 179-60-4 record overall). Muskegon’s C. Leo Redmond led the Big Reds to a 156-29-13 record and six mythical Class A state titles between 1923 and 1946. 

Certainly, there are others, many long-forgotten by most to the sands of time, who would qualify for the list. But who are they?

Incredibly successful coaches, like Flint Northern’s Guy Houston, would still fall shy. Playing in the incredibly tough Saginaw Valley Conference, Houston’s teams posted a remarkable 148-41-13 mark in 24 seasons as head coach of the Vikings. Nick Annese, who rolled up a 55-29-2 mark (including 38 straight victories) in 10 seasons at New Lothrop, then led Corunna to a 91-32-3 mark over 14 seasons but falls several games short.

So will many other of the state’s more well-known names, like Lloyd Carr, best known for his years at the University of Michigan, (who served as an assistant at Detroit Nativity and Belleville, before becoming head coach at Westland John Glenn for a few years), University of Nebraska’s Bob Devaney (who spent years 14 years coaching in Birmingham, Keego Harbor, Saginaw, and Alpena) and Colorado’s Bill McCartney (who assisted under his brother Tom at Detroit Holy Redeemer, then served as varsity football and basketball coach at Dearborn Divine Child). All moved on to the college game as assistants before reaching 150 high school wins.

Nick Annese’s son, Tony, who coached at Montrose, Ann Arbor Pioneer, Jenison and Muskegon tallied 169 regular season wins (and 195 victories overall) at the prep level before moving on to the college ranks at Grand Rapids Community College, then Ferris State University.

Can you name others, missing from the list of 200-game winners, with 150 varsity victories in the regular season? If so, contact me at the e-mail address below. 

Ron Pesch has taken an active role in researching the history of MHSAA events since 1985 and began writing for MHSAA Finals programs in 1986, adding additional features and "flashbacks" in 1992. He inherited the title of MHSAA historian from the late Dick Kishpaugh following the 1993-94 school year, and resides in Muskegon. Contact him at [email protected] with ideas for historical articles.

PHOTOS: (From left) Longtime Bay City coach Elmer Engel with a player from the 1968 Bay City Central yearbook, legendary Grant coach Ray Rynberg from the Muskegon Chronicle and championship-winning coach Jim Ooley of Traverse City.

A Lansing Everett receiver pulls in a pass during the Vikings' Week 4 32-0 win over Lansing Waverly.

1st & Goal: 2025 Week 4 Review

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 22, 2025

The Week 4 football schedule gave us an idea of what was coming. But it's fair to say this weekend's statewide slate of games even exceeded expectations.

MI Student AidMetro Detroit matchups Detroit Catholic Central/Orchard Lake St. Mary's and Detroit Cass Tech/Martin Luther King were predictably notable. But we also saw our first league champion crowned, impressive winning streaks broken and another extended, and a pair of programs reach successes they haven't enjoyed in multiple decades. Saline's Tommy Carr threw eight touchdowns passes, and Holland receiver Finn Galloway scored a combined seven rushing and receiving. 

And that was just the start. 

Bay & Thumb

HEADLINER Cass City 17, Millington 14 (OT) Cass City has reached the playoffs 11 straight seasons and is a regular league title contender. But this still had to be unexpected given reigning Division 7 champion Millington’s 25-game regular-season winning streak and the Red Hawks’ 1-2 record entering the night. Cass City’s overtime field goal – and stifling defense – played lead roles in dealing the Cardinals (3-1) their first loss since a 2023 Division 7 Semifinal. Click for more from the Bay City Times.

Watch list Richmond 24, Armada 17 The Blue Devils (4-0) are back – and tied for the early lead in the Blue Water Area Conference after defeating Armada (3-1) for the first time since 2019 and after losing this matchup 42-0 a year ago. Dominic Bonnetti scored the go-ahead touchdown with 45 seconds to play.

On the move Clio 26, Owosso 21 After finishing 0-9 last year, Clio (4-0) has its most wins in a season since 2001. This one came against an Owosso team (3-1) that hadn’t lost entering the evening. Gladwin 28, Clare 26 The Flying Gs (1-3) earned their first win, but it definitely is one they won’t forget as they avenged last year’s loss to rival Clare (3-1). Linden 42, Holly 6 The Eagles (4-0) are off to their best start since 2012, and Holly (2-2) already has more wins than a year ago after avenging 2024 losses in Weeks 2 and 3.

Greater Detroit

HEADLINER Detroit Catholic Central 29, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 14 The Shamrocks (4-0) have a notable lead atop the Catholic High School League Central with this win joining a Week 2 victory over Toledo Central Catholic to give DCC an impressive over the other expected main contenders this fall. Samson Gash starred, and the Shamrocks’ defense held OLSM (3-1) to 30 points fewer than the Eaglets’ season average. Click for more from the Oakland Press.

Watch list Detroit Cass Tech 27, Detroit Martin Luther King 22 These two have met a second time the last five seasons, and the first round this time went to the Technicians (4-0) as they held on after building an early lead on three CJ Sadler scores. King is 2-2 with two losses by a combined seven points.

On the move Ecorse 18, Warren Michigan Collegiate 16 The Red Raiders are (4-0) after winning four games all of last season, and this effort ended Michigan’s Collegiate’s 42-game Charter School Conference winning streak going back to 2016. Macomb Dakota 28, Sterling Heights Stevenson 14 Dakota (4-0) remains one of two teams tied atop the Macomb Area Conference Red standings after handing Stevenson (3-1) its first loss. Redford Union 8, Dearborn Heights Robichaud 0 Union (3-1) and its 32-game winning streak in the Western Wayne Athletic Conference turned away one of its toughest challenges during the streak, from a Robichaud team (3-1) seeking a third-straight playoff appearance this fall.

Mid-Michigan

HEADLINER Haslett 21, Mason 14 (OT) Add this to a one-point Week 2 win at Fenton decided during the final minute, and Haslett has claimed two key nail-biters with this avenging an overtime loss that decided the Capital Area Activities Conference Red title a year ago. Kory Amachree ran for the go-ahead score, and the Vikings (3-1) then closed out the win with an interception to send Mason to 1-3. Click for more from the Lansing State Journal.

Watch list Beal City 42, McBain 7 The Aggies (4-0) continued a defensively-dominating start by avenging last season’s 29-25 loss to McBain (2-2) that ended up deciding the Highland Conference title. Beal City has given up 17 points total over four games.

On the move Stockbridge 25, Union City 18 Although the Panthers (1-3) have had a rough start, this certainly could get things rolling as they ended Union City’s 21-game winning streak in the Big 8 Conference and handed the Chargers (3-1) their first loss overall this fall. Grand Ledge 30, Holt 24 The Comets (4-0) are shaping up as contenders again in the CAAC Blue with this their fourth-straight win over the rival Rams (2-2). Mount Pleasant 28, Traverse City Central 13 The Oilers (4-0) faced another tough challenge in the Saginaw Valley League North but held on for a key road victory at Central (2-2).

Lansing Catholic defenders close in on a Charlotte ball carrier during the Orioles’ 35-17 win.

Northern Lower Peninsula

HEADLINER Kingsley 38, Boyne City 6 The Stags (3-1) played arguably their best game this season in advance of this week’s matchup with Traverse City St. Francis. Those two and Boyne City (3-1) shared the Northern Michigan Football League Legends title a year ago, and Kingsley also with this win avenged last year’s District Final loss to the Ramblers. Click for more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

Watch list Gaylord 19, Petoskey 13 It’s difficult to not come back to the Blue Devils (4-0) who defeated the reigning Big North Conference champ Northmen (1-3) and did so with their fourth win this season by seven points or fewer.

On the move Maple City Glen Lake 24, East Jordan 22 Glen Lake (3-1) has opened NMFL Legacy play with three wins, while East Jordan (2-2) has lost two heartbreakers the last two weeks by a combined six points. Mancelona 32, Frankfort 6 The Ironmen (3-1) join Glen Lake as undefeated through the start of NMFL Legacy play, with this breaking a three-game losing streak against the Panthers (2-2). Ogemaw Heights 49, Shepherd 14 The Falcons (3-1) earned what could end up a key win in their repeat drive in the Jack Pine Conference I as Shepherd (3-1) was 3-0 for the first time since 2009 and hadn’t given up a point in its two games prior.

Southeast & Border

HEADLINER Saline 61, Dexter 34 Tommy Carr approached perfection, completing all but four passes and throwing for eight touchdowns – tied for second-most in MHSAA history for a single game – as the Hornets (4-0) scored their most points since Week 8 of 2023 and became one of only two teams still undefeated in Southeastern Conference Red play after dealing Dexter (3-1) its first. Click for more from the Ann Arbor News.

Watch list Monroe Jefferson 39, Riverview 8 We featured Jefferson (4-0) on MHSAA.com last week, and the Bears continued to generate excitement by breaking an eight-game losing streak against Riverview (2-2) and avenging last year’s 61-0 defeat.

On the move Vandercook Lake 17, Addison 16 The last six seasons have seen Vandercook Lake navigate 8-player, an abbreviated schedule and return to 11-player last fall, and the Jayhawks (3-1) with this win eclipsed last year’s total while also avenging a 44-7 loss from last season to Addison – which is 0-4 but with three defeats by a combined nine points. Michigan Center 43, Manchester 8 Michigan Center (4-0) has looked nothing short of powerful so far and opened Cascades Conference play by avenging a 46-35 loss from 2024. Chelsea 35, Tecumseh 6 Chelsea moved to 4-0 and extended its SEC White winning streak to 13 since Tecumseh (2-2) won their 2022 meeting.

Southwest Corridor

HEADLINER Paw Paw 35, Edwardsburg 7 Paw Paw’s first three opponents this season are a combined 12-0, and the Red Wolves (1-3) showed they belong in the conversation too by handing the Eddies (3-1) their first defeat. Ben Miller ran for 171 yards and four touchdowns and made 12 tackles.

Watch list Coloma 60, Saugatuck 42 The Comets didn’t have a team three years ago and had lost both meetings with Saugatuck (2-2) by an average of 35 points since returning. But Coloma is up to 2-2 after also finishing last season strong to make the playoffs.

On the move Dowagiac 41, Marshall 22 Dowagiac (3-1) has been building some nice momentum over the last three seasons and is off to another solid start as it seeks a second-straight playoff berth. White Pigeon 46, Centreville 0 The Chiefs (4-0) earned their third shutout this season as they extended their Southwest 10 Conference winning streak to 13 games going back to a loss to Centreville in 2022. Three Rivers 21, Plainwell 7 The Wildcats also are up to 4-0 overall with the other Wolverine Conference co-leaders Vicksburg and Niles up next over the next two weeks, respectively.

Upper Peninsula

HEADLINER Menominee 25, Calumet 15 The Maroons (4-0) earned the first of what may be three necessary key wins to lock up a Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Copper title after they finished second to Kingsford a year ago. The Copper Kings (3-1) will remain in the mix as well as both must still see the Flivvers and Calumet already has a win over Negaunee. Click for more from the Houghton Daily Mining Gazette.

Watch list L’Anse 46, Manistique 16 The Purple Hornets (4-0) have taken another step during an amazing start after the program had won once over its previous two seasons – a run that had included 44 and 37-point defeats against the Emeralds (1-3).

On the move Kingsford 35, Negaunee 21 This was another key matchup in the West-PAC Copper, which left the Flivvers (3-1) tied with Menominee for first. Houghton 46, Ishpeming Westwood 44 The Gremlins (2-2) have won four straight in this annual series with this their closest meeting since a three-point victory in 2022. Marquette 20, Saginaw United 12 Coming off a tough one-point loss to Gaylord, the Sentinels (2-2) made a trip downstate for the second week in a row and came back with what could be an important victory over a Division 2 opponent.

West Michigan

HEADLINER Grand Rapids Northview 35, Holland Christian 28 Northview had to defeat Holland Christian (3-1) last season to finish a perfect run through the Ottawa-Kent Conference Black, and this year the Wildcats (4-0) hope they’ve started another one. Northview went ahead late on the first night of league play.

Watch list Rockford 21, East Kentwood 14 The emerging Falcons (3-1) have given the O-K Red yet another power program, but the Rams (3-1) remain just a step ahead after holding on in this matchup.

On the move Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills 49, Cedar Springs 35 Kenowa Hills is 4-0 for the first time since 1992, according to Michigan-Football.com, after avenging last season’s seven-point loss to Cedar Springs. Grand Rapids Catholic Central 10, East Grand Rapids 7 The Cougars (4-0) opened O-K Black play by avenging last season’s three-point loss to EGR (2-2). Muskegon 46, Byron Center 17 Last season’s Week 8 loss helped end Muskegon’s playoff hopes, but the Big Reds (2-2) avenged in a big way as Byron Center (1-3) continued to navigate a loaded early schedule.

Ishpeming's Josh Wojie is able to break a couple of tackles and get past Munising’s MJ Bell for a touchdown during the Hematites 52-14 victory.

8-Player

HEADLINER Portland St. Patrick 48, Fulton 6 These two shared the Mid-State Activities Conference Red title with Morrice last season in part because of a Fulton win over the Shamrocks. But St. Patrick (4-0) has defeated both this season and already clinched the league championship. Click for more from WLNS.

Watch list Deckerville 33, Brown City 20 Reigning Division 1 champion Deckerville (4-0) has won 17 straight games and pulled away in this one after defeating Brown City (3-1) by just two points a year ago.

On the move Felch North Dickinson 62, Ontonagon 42 The Nordics (4-0) have scored 38, then 52, then 58 and now 62 points over the last four weeks as their offense is on pace to far surpass last year’s 425 over nine games. Martin 52, Gobles 6 While North Dickinson is scoring more and more points every game, Martin is giving up fewer and fewer and held the Tigers (3-1) to their fewest since the teams met to decide a Regional title in 2023. Bay City All Saints 49, Peck 12 All Saints (3-1) is a one-point Week 1 loss to Deckerville from a perfect start after handing Peck (3-1) its lone defeat.

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PHOTOS (Top) A Lansing Everett receiver pulls in a pass during the Vikings' Week 4 32-0 win over Lansing Waverly. (Middle) Lansing Catholic defenders close in on a Charlotte ball carrier during the Orioles’ 35-17 win. (Below) Ishpeming's Josh Wojie is able to break a couple of tackles and get past Munising’s MJ Bell for a touchdown during the Hematites' 52-14 victory. (Everett/Waverly photo by Larry Arreguin/Team Arreguin Photos. Lansing Catholic/Charlotte photo by Tom Pierson/TCP Photography. Ishpeming/Munising photo by Cara Kamps.)