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: 1/7/19

January 7, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

The first weekend of 2019 saw statewide powers meet in gymnastics, wrestling, swimming & diving, hockey and basketball, with the following 10 just a sample of headlining action from across the state.

1. Gymnastics: Reigning MHSAA team champion Farmington United edged host Rockford to win the Rams’ annual Flip Flop Invitational – Coldwater Daily Reporter

2. Wrestling: Reigning Division 1 champ and top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central took first, and 2018 Division 1 runner-up and current No. 2 Brighton was second at the 55th Annual Catholic Central Wrestling Invitational – Oakland Press

3. Boys Swimming & Diving: Saline, No. 7 in Lower Peninsula Division 1, edged LPD2 top-ranked Dexter to win the Battle Creek Lakeview Spartan Invitational – Chelsea Sun Times News

4. Hockey: Division 3 No. 5 Calumet scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period to get past Division 1 No. 5 Brighton 2-1 – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

5. Hockey: Division 2 No. 4 Livonia Stevenson improved to 10-1-1 with a 5-1 win over Division 1 No. 3 Salem – Observer & Eccentric

6. Girls Basketball: Greenville’s Adele Kemp broke her school’s career scoring record with 35 more points in a 48-41 win over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern – Grand Rapids Press

7. Wrestling: Division 2 No. 6 Gaylord improved to 14-0 with wins over Croswell-Lexington, formerly Division 1-ranked Grand Ledge and Hudsonville, Division 3 No. 10 Lake Odessa Lakewood and Portland at Grand Ledge’s invitational – Gaylord Herald Times

8. Wrestling: Division 4 No. 2 New Lothrop took first among 26 teams at its Hall of Fame Tournament – Owosso Argus-Press

9. Hockey: Division 3 No. 12 Midland Dow defeated No. 14 Sault Ste. Marie and then No. 8 Alpena to go 2-0 at the Sault Lions Cup Invitational – Midland Daily News

10. Boys Basketball: Detroit Martin Luther King edged Kalamazoo Central 45-43 in a thriller at the Muskegon Basketball Showcase – FOX 17