Young's Magic Will be Missed in Muskegon
By
Tom Kendra
Special for MHSAA.com
January 10, 2018
Muskegon High School’s historic Hackley Stadium was not an easy place for Gene Young to navigate in recent years, with his hulking 6-foot-6 frame slowed by neuropathy in both feet and worsened this past fall by a nasty infection on his left heel.
But few people have ever been more positive than Young, a giant – literally and figuratively – in the Muskegon area sports, broadcasting and education communities who died on Jan. 2 at the age of 76.
Young was determined to make it up to the Hackley Stadium press box back on that August day last fall, to broadcast the Big Reds’ opening game against Ann Arbor Pioneer with myself and play-by-play man Larry Taylor on Muskegon radio station WMUS-FM 107.9 – kicking off his 39th year as the voice of high school football on the lakeshore.
The first challenge was parking.
“Tommy, pull into that lot across from the gate. I know the people working there,” said Young, who seemingly knew everybody, everywhere.
Gene rolled down his window and I couldn’t hear his exact words, but I know he gave $10 instead of the $5 charge (the proceeds were going to help out Muskegon’s minor sports programs). He also put a smile on that parking lot attendant’s face and made him feel like the most important part of the entire game-day operation.
That’s the Gene Young magic.
The next hurdle was crossing Sanford Street and getting into the stadium.
Back in his heyday, Gene was a fantastic athlete, a standout big man and 1959 graduate of Muskegon Heights High School, who accepted a basketball scholarship to Central Michigan University and played on the varsity basketball team as a freshman. He transferred to Otero Junior College in Colorado for one year, before playing his final two years for Weber State University in Utah, coached by NBA legend Dick Motta.
But this past fall, crossing the street was getting to be a challenge.
The gate attendant spotted him making his way slowly across Sanford with his cane and began undoing the padlocked gate. Young never needed to show a press credential in the Muskegon area, as he and his buddy Jim Moyes had been the voice and the spirit of Muskegon-area high school sports since they first started working together in 1978. The two filled their broadcasts with memories and insights brought in from their deep knowledge of Muskegon’s sports history.
As Gene and I were let in, many of the fans who still had to wait snickered a bit. Gene diffused the situation quickly, as only he could.
“We’re big time; we’re with ESPN,” he deadpanned.
The next part of the journey is walking down the dark tunnel and up a short ramp where you then experience that first glimpse of the hallowed ground at Hackley Stadium – it’s a moment that Muskegon locals would equate with going around “the curve” near Pere Marquette Park and seeing that first view of Lake Michigan, or an 8-year-old’s first visit to Disneyland. As he plopped down on the handicap bench up front to rest, no one knew it would be his final time to experience that thrill.
Shame on me for not appreciating that moment as I should have, because I was nervously scurrying up the bleachers to set up our radio equipment.
When I glanced down, Gene was holding court on that bench as a steady stream of folks stopped by to shake his hand.
Some of them were old education friends like Roger Hoekenga, a retired Muskegon Public Schools administrator who stopped to talk about retirement. Gene began his teaching and coaching careers at Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, but is best known for his 26-year run as the Director of Community Education, Adult Education and Recreation at Fruitport. Upon his retirement, he specialized in helping school boards make good hires for superintendent and other administrative positions.
Terri Clock, the lone woman on the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame board, then stopped to visit for a few moments. One of Gene’s crowning achievements had been his tireless work for the local sports hall, taking over as president in 1994 and serving in that role until his death.
“He is the hall of fame. When Dick Hedges (the first president of the MASHF) passed away, Gene took over and that was his baby,” said Moyes, who delivered a powerful eulogy at Young’s funeral service on Jan. 6. “He put hours and hours into making our hall of fame the best one. Everything was always first class with Gene.”
The equipment was all set up, and I had already done a test call with the station – and my partner was still sitting on that bench.
I just shook my head and smiled. His friends and family (and especially his wife, Sandy) were used to “Gene speed” – whether it was making his way past all of the characters at the bar to get to our table for lunch every Friday, or visiting with each of the workers on his way to the pool at the health club, or shaking everyone’s hand after church on Sunday.
Muskegon head coach Shane Fairfield also stopped quickly to chat, thanking Gene for sending him a note of encouragement all four times his teams lost in MHSAA championship games (Fairfield told me at Gene’s visitation that he received another note this year after the Big Reds won the Division 3 title). Then, finally, Gene had a brief word with Muskegon star quarterback La’Darius Jefferson, who experienced Gene’s handshake grip, which he kept locked on until he was ready to let you go.
Only then did he start his trek up the 28 concrete rows to the Hackley Stadium press box, which included two or three more stops to rest/visit with Muskegon and Ann Arbor Pioneer fans, before he finally got to his spot at 6:25 p.m. – 5 minutes before air time.
“Tommy Kendra, I picked up some good information down there,” he said.
Those words struck me that day, and I learned a valuable lesson. As I sat there alone in the middle of the press box, sweating profusely, bored and isolated, poring over relatively meaningless stats that I already knew by heart, I realized that he was doing it the right way.
I’ve determined that the best way to honor and remember my dear friend and mentor is to never be in too big of a rush to get into the press box, to get a seat at the lunch table or a treadmill at the gym. Take it a little slower. Be interested in other people. Figure out a way to use your God-given gifts to help them. Brighten their day. And, in the process, learn a few things and gain a new perspective.
That’s the Gene Young magic.
Tom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.
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Ludington’s Beckman Came Home, Gave Back
Rod Beckman never really got away from high school sports.
Beckman, who died on Dec. 20 at the age of 69 after a five-year battle with cancer, is remembered as one of the best all-around athletes to ever come out of Shelby High School – good enough to earn a Division I basketball scholarship to Oklahoma State University and later shift gears and play three years of professional baseball in the Detroit Tigers organization.
Then Beckman went back to high school, in a way, as the voice of Ludington High School sports for 40 years, from 1972 to 2012, at radio station WKLA in Ludington, where he worked as a popular disc jockey by day.
Beckman also made an impact on high school sports as a well-known and respected baseball and softball umpire in Mason County for more than 25 years.
Ultimately, Beckman stayed involved in sports throughout his life as an outlet for his competitive nature and a way to spend quality time with family and friends. His passion for basketball and baseball later gave way to fast-pitch softball and golf, but he also did his share of bowling, hockey and racquetball. Beckman is a member of the Mason County Sports Hall of Fame.
Beckman used his popularity and name recognition to help others right up until his death.
In September, Beckman hosted the Rod Beckman Cancer Charity Golf Classic, which raised more than $70,000 for the Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital Cancer Patient Assistance Fund and The Optimist Childhood Cancer Campaign.
Beckman is survived by his wife of 21 years, Traci.
– Tom Kendra
PHOTOS: (Top) Gene Young, left, with his most recent broadcasting team of Larry Taylor (second from left) and Tom Kendra, and halftime guest Justin Abdelkader of the Detroit Red Wings, during a 2016 game. Young was working for iHeart Media station WMUS-107.9 FM in Muskegon. (Middle) The legendary broadcast duo of Young, left, and Jim Moyes, call the Class D championship game in 2002. (Below) Young poses in front of the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame displays at the L.C. Walker Arena in downtown Muskegon. Young served as president of the MASHF for the past 24 years.
1st & Goal: 2025 Week 9 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 23, 2025
This is it – the final football weekend for more than half of Michigan’s high school teams, and also the final opportunity for a few hundred playoff hopefuls to earn their way into this year’s playoffs – or affect who they might play and where on their MHSAA championship drives.
A pair of late Saturday games will conclude this fall’s regular-season schedule. Follow the ever-changing playoff picture as scores are reported on the Football Playoff Point Summary page, which includes playoff-point averages and how teams rank as they hope to reach the fields of 32 teams in 11-player divisions and 16 teams in the 8-player brackets.
The announcement of the qualifiers and first-round pairings for both will take place at 5 p.m. Sunday on the “Selection Sunday Show” on the NFHS Network (no subscription required). The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the show, and times and dates will be added Monday.
Below are several games this weekend that surely will impact where teams will land.
Bay & Thumb
Harbor Beach (8-0) at Millington (7-1) WATCH
This is a meeting of Big Thumb Conference champions with aspirations for more trophies next month. Harbor Beach won the BTC Black and hasn’t ranked lower that sixth on the Division 8 playoff list since at least Week 3. The Pirates also haven’t given up more than 14 points in a game and 62 total over eight, making for an intriguing matchup for the Cardinals – last season’s Division 7 champion, who shared the BTC White title this fall and have scored more than 50 three times but also 14 three times.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Midland (4-4) at Midland Dow (7-1) WATCH, Detroit Edison (7-1) at Almont (8-0) WATCH, Saginaw Valley Lutheran (8-0) at Unionville-Sebewaing (6-2) WATCH, Marysville (6-2) at Marine City (6-2).
Greater Detroit
Detroit Catholic Central (8-0) vs. Detroit Martin Luther King (5-3) at Ford Field, Saturday WATCH
The final kickoff of the 2025 regular season features a pair of teams facing off at Ford Field and hoping to return there for Thanksgiving weekend. This Catholic High School League Prep Bowl matchup will actually be King’s second-straight game on the Detroit Lions’ home field, as they fell in last week’s Detroit Public School League Blue city championship game to Cass Tech – the only in-state team to defeat King this season, and a possible playoff opponent for DCC at some point in the Division 1 bracket. The Shamrocks’ closest games this season have been a pair decided by 13 points.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Howell (7-1) at Belleville (7-1) WATCH, Birmingham Groves (5-3) at Birmingham Seaholm (5-3) WATCH, Utica Eisenhower (5-3) at Clarkston (7-1) WATCH, Grand Blanc (8-0) at Romeo (6-2) WATCH.
Mid-Michigan
DeWitt (8-0) at Lansing Everett (5-3) WATCH
The Capital Area Activities Conference Blue is one of the final leagues still deciding its champion(s) for this season, and DeWitt already has clinched a share as it looks to extend its winning streak over the Vikings to five. Grand Ledge is in second place and would benefit from an Everett upset, but the challenge will be mighty as the Panthers have scored 50 or more points in every league game and given up 14 total over their last five. Everett did break a three-game losing streak last week with a 28-21 win over Holt, and has faced another still-undefeated contender in Grand Blanc.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Durand (6-2) at Bath (4-4) WATCH, McBain (6-2) at Fowler (6-2) WATCH, Beal City (8-0) at Ithaca (6-2) WATCH, White Pigeon (6-2) at Stockbridge (4-4) WATCH.
Northern Lower Peninsula
Charlevoix (8-0) at Kingsley (6-2) WATCH
This should be an excellent playoff primer for both. Charlevoix has won two straight games by three points or fewer to keep its perfect regular season hopes alive and is third on the Division 7 playoff list. Kingsley, with losses only to undefeated Gaylord and rival Traverse City St. Francis by a point, sits 10th on the Division 6 list and one spot ahead of the Gladiators – meaning a home game if they can maintain that advantage and meet again in the playoffs. The Stags won 47-28 when these two met in Week 9 a year ago.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Kalkaska (5-3) at Boyne City (5-3) WATCH, Elk Rapids (4-4) at East Jordan (5-3) WATCH, Maple City Glen Lake (6-1) at Mancelona (5-3) WATCH, Traverse City Central (5-3) at Traverse City West (4-4).
Southeast & Border
Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard (8-0) vs. Allen Park Cabrini (8-0) at Ford Field, Saturday WATCH
For the second week in a row, FGR will puts its perfect record on the line against another undefeated opponent – this time as part of the Prep Bowl at Ford Field. The Irish clinched the CHSL Intersectional 1 championship last week by handing Macomb Lutheran North its lone defeat, 44-19. Cabrini is the champion from the Intersectional 2 and aspiring to complete its first perfect regular season since 1967, when it finished 7-0-1 according the Michigan-Football.com. The Monarchs finished 5-5 a year ago and already have their most wins since 2007.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Linden (6-2) at Chelsea (7-1) WATCH, Bronson (7-1) at Springport (8-0) WATCH. SATURDAY Hanover-Horton (6-2) at Michigan Center (8-0) WATCH, Jackson Lumen Christi (5-3) vs. Center Line (7-1) at Ford Field.
Southwest Corridor
Portage Central (8-0) at St. Joseph (5-3) WATCH
The Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West also is finishing up league play, with Portage Central owning a share of the title but a St. Joseph win tonight creating a three-team share with these two and Portage Northern. The Mustangs may have the most impressive defense in the state with seven shutouts and only 10 points allowed. That said, St. Joseph won last year’s meeting 15-0 to create a shared league title between the two, and has scored 35 points or more every game since a Week 1 loss to last season’s Division 4 runner-up and still-undefeated Niles.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Hudson (8-0) at Berrien Springs (5-1) WATCH, Lawton (6-2) at Constantine (6-2) WATCH, Niles (8-0) at Edwardsburg (6-2) WATCH, Kalamazoo United (6-2) at Schoolcraft (7-1) WATCH.
Upper Peninsula
Kingsford (6-2) at Marquette (5-3) WATCH
These two are now three years removed from being longtime league rivals in the Great Northern Conference, but this game continues to carry significant weight and especially when it comes to Marquette’s playoff future. Kingsford has won the last three meetings, and last year’s 27-17 victory contributed to keeping the Sentinels out of the postseason. Marquette sits No. 27 on the Division 3 list this week with losses to opponents that are a combined 20-4. The Flivvers are No. 16 in Division 5 but coming off a tough league-deciding defeat against Menominee.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Iron Mountain (5-2) at Negaunee (5-3) WATCH. FRIDAY Gladstone (3-5) at Escanaba (7-1) WATCH, Calumet (6-2) at L’Anse (5-3) WATCH, Hancock (1-7) at West Iron County (3-4) WATCH.
West Michigan
Wyoming Godwin Heights (7-1) at Belding (7-1)
This is a winner-take-all for the Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver title, as Belding looks to extend its league championship streak to four and Godwin Heights seeks to add a historic accomplishment to what also will be its first playoff season since 2018 (not counting COVID-shortened 2020, when nearly all teams qualified). Although Belding has won the last three meetings between these two, Godwin did claim it as recently as 2021 – the last time the Black Knights didn’t win the Silver.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Grand Rapids South Christian (4-4) at Grand Rapids Catholic Central (8-0) WATCH, Zeeland West (6-2) at Grand Rapids West Catholic (7-1), Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (6-2) at Hudsonville Unity Christian (8-0) WATCH, North Muskegon (6-2) at Muskegon Oakridge (5-3) WATCH.
8-Player
Indian River Inland Lakes (8-0) at Gaylord St. Mary (7-1)
The Ski Valley Conference title is at stake, and Inland Lakes has won all four of those since joining the league in 2021 – with St. Mary finishing runner-up the last three seasons. They played one-score games against each other in 2022 and 2023 before the Bulldogs won big a year ago. Inland Lakes also has an argument for most impressive defense in the state this season, with its 14 points allowed to Hillman in Week 5 the only points the team has surrendered all fall. The Snowbirds have three shutouts in league play and their only loss came two weeks ago to a likely playoff team in Breckenridge.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Blanchard Montabella (8-0) at Portland St. Patrick (8-0), Marion (6-2) at Kingston (7-1) WATCH, Bridgman (7-1) at Brown City (6-2) WATCH, Climax-Scotts (6-2) at Pittsford (7-1) WATCH.
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PHOTO Detroit Martin Luther King and Cass Tech players contend for a pass in the end zone during last week's PSL Blue city championship game. (Photo by Olivia B. Photography.)