In Memoriam: Tony Coggins (1971-2023)
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 24, 2023
The MHSAA and Holly school communities are grieving this week after the sudden loss of Tony Coggins, a shining light in his educational community and an enthusiastic supporter of school sports as a public address announcer for several of our largest championship events.
But while that cheerful tone has been quieted, it surely will not be forgotten by the many fortunate to enjoy an event in the presence of that voice and the joyfulness he brought into every arena, press box and classroom.
Coggins, 51, died Saturday. He is survived by his wife Kristy and children Emma and Bradlee, among several family and friends from his local and greater sports communities.
His career as a PA announcer began during his freshman year of high school in 1985, when his father Dale Coggins – Flushing’s athletic director at the time – couldn’t find anyone else to announce middle school football games. That was 39 years ago, and this fall Tony Coggins was in his 24th announcing at Holly, where he taught and served as an administrator in addition to his role as “Voice of the Holly Bronchos” for football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, competitive cheer and swimming & diving over the years.
Coggins has been a mainstay among MHSAA Finals PA announcers over the last decade in football, basketball, softball and most recently volleyball. He lent his voice to college sports at University of Michigan as well. “Tony was a huge part of our Finals events. It’s hard to imagine it being the same without him,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said.
As part of the run-up to the MHSAA public address announcers clinic in 2018, Coggins said this about what drew him to the microphone:
“I have zero athletic ability whatsoever, which is interesting because my father was an all-state running back. But I enjoy being involved, and I've always been the one for history and statistics and knowing what's going on,” Coggins said. “This is a way for me to be involved. It's a way for me to use a talent I've been given; public speaking has always come pretty naturally for me.
“So I worked at my craft to get better. I got better from watching the people around me, from studying the people I like, and the people – if I saw someone I didn’t care for – I'd make a note and say to myself, ‘Don't do that.’ I take feedback from people very personally, and I mean that in a good way. If somebody takes the time to come up and say, ‘You did this well; I think you should change this,’ that means they care about the program also. We all have the same goal in mind, and that's to make the experience good for the high school student and the parents, the fans, that come there.”
Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at St. John Vianney, 2415 Bagley Street in Flint. There will be visitation from 2-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, at the Swartz Funeral Home, 1225 West Hill Road, and at the church from 10 a.m. Saturday until the time of the Mass.
The Holly volleyball team played for something bigger tonight
Beloved PA announcer Anthony Coggins died on Friday night from a heart attack
Tonight v. Carman-Ainsworth, the Broncho community wore his favorite colors: maize & blue🟡🔵@HollyHighSchool|@BronchosAD
⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/lPCRjjdmyL— Brandon Green🍀 (@BGreenReports) October 24, 2023
Warren Lincoln Turns to Shutdown Defense to Lock Up Repeat Opportunity
By
Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com
March 14, 2025
EAST LANSING – It wasn't the first time Warren Lincoln had to push aside a sluggish first half to eventually meet the goals the Abes have for themselves.
In fact, they turned to an old friend to thrust themselves into a second-straight Division 2 Final.
Lincoln was all about defense in knocking off Grand Rapids Catholic Central 43-39 in Friday's concluding Semifinal at the Breslin Center.
After the Abes mustered only 21 first-quarter points, they turned to their defense to oust the Cougars and become the first Division 2 school since Lansing Sexton in 2011-12 to play for back-to-back titles.
Lincoln is in that position because of defense, coach Wydell Henry said.
"We had to defend," Henry said. "We don't want to give up 50 points, and that's 10 a quarter. We knew we had to come out and rebound, relax and play unselfishly in the second half."
Which is exactly what the Abes did. Aided by committing only four turnovers during the entire game, Lincoln rallied from a 25-21 halftime deficit to win a matchup that saw seven lead changes or ties over the final 11 minutes.
The last came when Lincoln's Geon Hutchins snapped a 35-35 tie on a 3-pointer with 5:18 to go. Two and a half minutes later, Hutchins hit another one to give the Abes a 41-37 lead with 2:24 left. The closest GRCC came after was 41-39 with 1:40 to go on a layup by Jack Bowen.
The Cougars hurt themselves by missing four key fourth-quarter free throws.
"We've been battle-tested all year, and kudos to Catholic Central – they played 32 minutes – but we're used to that," Henry said. "We were standing around offensively (in the first half) and not moving, and that's not basketball. But we won, and that's what it's all about."
The win sent Lincoln (22-4) into Saturday's 6:45 p.m. Division 2 Final against Romulus Summit Academy North, a 52-40 winner over Kingsford in their Semifinal.
Lincoln senior guard Markus Blackwell, who finished with 11 points, said his team never worried about its slow start.
"There are always nerves, but once you get out there you settle down and play your game," he said.
Senior guard Da'Marion Bozeman, who had 10 points and six rebounds, said he knew he had to up his game over the last 16 minutes.
"I had to pick up my game and perform like I wanted, like rebounding better," he said. "I always have to make sure I'm doing something to contribute."
Henry, who has won 114 games in seven years at Warren Lincoln, said it's not particularly rare for his team to survive a game while scoring in the 40-point range. The team held Byron Center to 65 points early in the season and kept 11 opponents under 50.
"I just tell the guys at the end of a game it's a win," he said. "If we're going to be successful, we've got to play together. It's tough to get kids to sacrifice (scoring), but these guys do that.”
Grand Rapids Catholic Central first-year coach Chris Pearl took over a team that had just graduated the 2024 Mr. Basketball Award winner, another Division II college signee, and saw its longtime coach step away. Yet, the Cougars still reached this season’s Semifinals.
"The first three quarters were in our favor. We were ready to compete," he said. "Warren Lincoln for 32 minutes was a tad better. Defense has been our M.O., and I didn't expect it to stop today."
PHOTOS (Top) Warren Lincoln’s Moses Blackwell works to get past Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s Izaya Larthridge (4) during Friday’s second Division 2 Semifinal at Breslin Center. (Middle) The Cougars’ Jack Bowen (24) drives to the basket with Lincoln’s Geon Hutchins moving in to defend. (Photos by Adam Sheehan/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)