Did You See That? (April 29-May 5)

May 7, 2013

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The resignation of one of Michigan's winningest boys basketball coaches made arguably the biggest headlines during a week that also saw sad news about two more coaches who will be remembered fondly in their respective communities. 

But before we get to those, here's also a look at the story of another coach making his way back from a challenging situation: 

Good Read of the Week

DeWitt welcomed back by his teams: Last Monday's Holland Calvary vs. Holland Freedom Christian baseball doubleheader at Fifth Third Ballpark was more than just a chance to play some big games on a bigger-than-usual stage. The teams also welcomed coach Lanny DeWitt, who coaches basketball at Calvary and baseball and Freedom Christian and is recovering from a stroke suffered March 20. (Holland Sentinel)

Boys Basketball/Volleyball

Keener leaves for Arizona: Detroit Country Day boys basketball coach Kurt Keener – whose 678 victories are second in MHSAA history only to legendary River Rouge coach Lofton Greene – announced he was leaving Country Day after 35 years Friday to move to Arizona, where he will coach a high school team in Scottsdale. Keener led Country Day this winter to its ninth MHSAA boys hoops title. (Oakland Press)

Mona Shores hires veteran leaders: Muskegon Mona Shores announced Wednesday that it hired former Muskegon Community College athletic director and men’s basketball coach Gene Gifford to take over its boys hoops program, and former Fruitport coach Dan Potts to take over the volleyball program. Potts led Fruitport to the 2005 MHSAA Class B championship. (Muskegon Chronicle)

Girls Basketball

Detroit mourns Knott: The Detroit Public School League and its basketball community are mourning the death of recently-retired Detroit Cody girls hoops coach Charles Knott, who was reportedly shot and killed Tuesday. Knott – hired at Cody in 1988 – was a graduate of Detroit Southeastern and also coached softball during his tenure.  (Detroit News)

Softball

D2 powers split: Division 2 No. 4 Coloma and honorable mention Portland split a doubleheader Wednesday. Portland won the first 1-0 before Coloma handed the Raiders their first loss this season, 2-1. (Ionia Sentinel-Standard)

Stevenson surges: Sterling Heights Stevenson moved up to No. 1 in Division 1 this week in part because of a split Saturday against previously top-ranked and now No. 5-Mattawan. (Kalamazoo Gazette)

Boys Golf

Lansing Catholic dominates: The Cougars, keyed by senior Jacob Johnson and junior Brent Marshall, won Friday’s Capital Area Activities Conference Open by nine strokes over East Lansing. The event matches the teams from all four divisions of the CAAC, which currently includes four top 10-ranked teams including Division 2 No. 1 Haslett and Lansing Catholic – which is No. 1 in Division 3.  (Lansing State Journal)

Lakeview cards record: Battle Creek Lakeview shot a 290 during the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Association Championships last week at Island Hills Golf Club in Centreville, breaking the previous team record of 295 shot in 2010. Lakeview is ranked No. 5 in Division 1. (Battle Creek Enquirer)

Girls Track and Field

Bark River-Harris reigns in Central U.P.: The Broncos – who finished ninth at last season’s MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 3 Final – clinched their second Central Upper Peninsula Conference title in three seasons Tuesday by edging Rapid River by nine points and Eben Junction Superior Central by 43. Superior Central was runner-up at that MHSAA Division 3 Final last spring.  (Escanaba Daily Press)

Boys Track and Field

Algonac tops at Muskrat Classic: Algonac not only won the Division 2 portion of its annual invitational, but scored 100 points to top all of the Division 1 schools as well. (Port Huron Times-Herald)

Baseball

Hessbrook throws third no-hitter: Ithaca’s Logan Hessbrook threw not only his third no-hitter of the season Thursday, but his second straight as the Yellowjackets downed St. Charles 15-0 and then 4-0 in a doubleheader. He had seven strikeouts in seven innings. (Saginaw News)

DCC gains big split: Unranked Detroit Catholic Central earned a 9-8 win over No. 3 Birmingham Brother Rice on Thursday before falling 4-1 in the second game. (Mlive Detroit)

Football

Williams heads to Ypsilanti: Lamanzer Williams – who played at the University of Minnesota and also has served as football coach at Kalamazoo Central and Inkster – has resigned as Holland High football coach after one season to become athletic director at the new Ypsilanti Community High School. (AnnArbor.com)

Grand Rapids mourns Julian: Former Grand Rapids West Catholic and Grand Rapids Community College football coach Fred Julian died Saturday after a battle against prostate cancer. The Detroit Pershing grad taught and coached at West Catholic for 16 seasons and also played professionally for the old American Football League’s New York Titans. (Grand Rapids Press)

Wrestling

Boyer nears end at Pennfield: Larry Boyer, who led Battle Creek Pennfield's wrestling team to a 1992 MHSAA title, will retire from the school after this spring and 36 years including the last 13 as athletic director. He also has coached football and track and field. (Battle Creek Enquirer)

Today in the MHSAA: 3/23/23

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

March 23, 2023

1. BOYS BASKETBALL Romulus Summit Academy earned its first Semifinal trip with a 68-62 win over Chelsea in a Division 2 Quarterfinal – Southgate News-Herald

2. BOYS BASKETBALL Niles Brandywine also will play in its first Semifinal thanks to a 71-62 Division 3 win over Pewamo-Westphalia – Niles Daily Star

3. BOYS BASKETBALL Ecorse handed Laingsburg its lone loss, 57-46 in a Division 3 Quarterfinal – Southgate News-Herald

4. BOYS BASKETBALL Munising advanced to its first Semifinal since 1954 with a 52-43 win over Painesdale Jeffers in Division 4 – Marquette Mining Journal

5. BOYS BASKETBALL Flint Beecher downed Detroit Loyola 55-49 to advance in Division 3 – Mid-Michigan Now

6. BOYS BASKETBALL Saginaw is headed back to the Semifinals in Division 2 thanks to a 61-57 win over Cadillac – Saginaw News

7. BOYS BASKETBALL Detroit Cass Tech is Breslin bound thanks to a 55-49 win over Ann Arbor Huron – MLIVE-Detroit

8. BOYS BASKETBALL Frankfort edged Hillman 59-57 in a Division 4 Quarterfinal – Benzie County Record-Patriot

9. BOYS BASKETBALL Orchard Lake St. Mary’s advanced in Division 1 with a 55-44 win over Warren De La Salle Collegiate – Oakland Press

10. BOYS BASKETBALL Marine City Cardinal Mooney earned a Division 4 Semifinals berth with a 59-56 win over Taylor Trillium Academy – Port Huron Times Herald

Also of note …

BOYS BASKETBALL Grand Blanc advanced in Division 1 with a 64-44 win over Rochester Adams – WJRT

BOYS BASKETBALL Muskegon will return to Breslin thanks to a 59-43 Division 1 win over East Lansing – MuskegonSports.com

BOYS BASKETBALL Ferndale is moving on in Division 2 with a 71-66 victory over Goodrich – Oakland Press

BOYS BASKETBALL Grand Rapids South Christian advanced with a 61-38 win over Hudsonville Unity Christian in Division 2 – Grand Rapids Press

BOYS BASKETBALL Traverse City St. Francis will be returning to the Semifinals for the first time in more than a decade thanks to a 72-47 win over St. Ignace in Division 3 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

BOYS BASKETBALL Reigning champion Wyoming Tri-unity Christian will return to Finals weekend thanks to a 54-41 win over Kalamazoo Phoenix in Division 4 – Grand Rapids Press