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: 1/22/19

January 22, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The weekend was filled with county and league championship competition and highly-anticipated invitationals – plus scroll to the bottom of today’s list for a number of basketball achievements, including an MHSAA record setter.

1. Wrestling: Division 3 No. 1 Dundee finished half a point ahead of Division 2 No. 8 St. Johns to win the Hudson Super 16 Invitational – Adrian Daily Telegram

2. Girls Basketball: Detroit Edison downed Pewamo-Westphalia 54-39 in a rematch from last season's Class C Semifinals – The Bleacher Denizen

3. Wrestling: Division 1 No. 2 Brighton took first at the 41-team Maumee Bay Classic, six points ahead of Ohio power Elyria – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

4. Bowling: Lapeer’s girls finished ahead of Flint Kearsley to win the Flint Metro Invitational, but Kearsley’s Imari Blond rolled a 300 and a 749 series – Flint Journal

5. Boys Swimming & Diving: East Grand Rapids, No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 3, finished first and LPD1 honorable mention Grand Haven second at the EGR Invitational – Grand Haven Tribune

6. Wrestling: Division 3 No. 3 Whitehall won its 13th straight Greater Muskegon Athletic Association championship – Muskegon Chronicle

7. Bowling: The undefeated Traverse City West girls clinched their ninth straight Great Northern High School Bowling Conference championship with a win over previously undefeated Cadillac Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. Boys Swimming & Diving: Midland Dow, No. 4 in LPD2, won its 17th straight Tri-Cities Championship, finishing ahead of runner-up and LPD2 honorable mention Saginaw Heritage – Midland Daily News

9. Bowling: Utica Ford’s boys and St. Clair Shores Lake Shore’s girls won Macomb County championships – Macomb Daily

10. Bowling: South Lyon’s girls and Farmington-Harrison’s boys won Oakland County titles – Oakland Press

Also of note …

Boys Basketball: From Thursday, Romeo Weems scored 30 points against Grosse Pointe South to break the New Haven record of 1,840 career points set by Eli Sims in 1971 – Port Huron Times-Herald

Girls Basketball: Elie Smith scored her 1,000th career point Friday in Fowlerville’s win over St. Johns – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Boys Basketball: Coldwater’s Gage McGuire set his school’s scoring record Friday, breaking the previous mark of 1,179 set by Rick Gates – Coldwater Daily Reporter

Girls Basketball: Posen’s Brooke Ciarkowski also went over 1,000 career points Friday, in a win over Hillman – MI Sports Now

Girls Basketball: Kent City made 25 3-pointers in an 89-33 win over Holton to break the MHSAA single-game record for long-distance shots – Local Sports Journal

Girls Basketball: The Monroe News caught up with 98-year-old Marie Kinne to talk about her high school basketball career at Petersburg High School during the late 1930s – Monroe News