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: 2/19/18
February 19, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
Today's Top 10
1. Wrestling: Top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central qualified all 14 of its competitors for Finals weekend at its Division 1 Individual Regional – Observer & Eccentric
2. Competitive Cheer: No. 2 Gibraltar Carlson won its 10th straight District title in Division 2, ending No. 5 Southgate Anderson’s District title run at nine straight – Southgate News Herald
3. Girls Basketball: Marysville handed St. Clair Shores Lakeview its first loss, 53-44, to win the Macomb Area Conference Blue/Gold championship – Port Huron Times Herald
4. Hockey: Division 2 top-ranked Livonia Stevenson shut out No. 3 Hartland 3-0 to win the Kensington Lakes Activities Association title – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
5. Boys Swimming & Diving: Houghton claimed the last event of the Upper Peninsula Finals to edge Marquette for the overall title – Second Half
6. Girls Swimming & Diving: Gladstone claimed its second Upper Peninsula Finals championship in three seasons – Second Half
7. Competitive Cheer: Division 4 No. 2 Sanford Meridian Early College won its first District title since 2000, finishing ahead of Shelby and No. 7 Pewamo-Westphalia – Midland Daily News
8. Competitive Cheer: No. 3 Muskegon Mona Shores posted a school-record Round 3 score to secure its Division 2 District title just ahead of No. 4 Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills – Muskegon Chronicle
9. Girls Basketball: Bloomfield Hills Marian downed Dearborn Divine Child to claim the Detroit Catholic League A-B championship – Oakland Press
10. Competitive Cheer: Reigning Division 2 champion and top-ranked Allen Park claimed its District title ahead of No. 9 Dearborn Divine Child – Southgate News Herald
Also of note …
Boys Basketball: Class D Southfield Christian handed Class B River Rouge its first defeat, 68-45, in a matchup of teams that made MHSAA Semifinals last season – MLive-Detroit
Boys Basketball: Haslett edged DeWitt 43-40 to claim the Capital Area Activities Conference Red championship – Lansing State Journal
Girls Basketball: Petoskey downed Gaylord 38-25 to clinch the Big North Conference title for the first time in six years – Petoskey News-Review
Wrestling: Division 4 No. 2 Clinton qualified a school-record 11 athletes from its Individual Regional – Adrian Daily Telegram
Boys Basketball: Holland West Ottawa clinched its second straight Ottawa-Kent Conference Red title with a 46-43 win over Grandville – FOX17
Competitive Cheer: Sturgis cleared the field by more than five points to win its Division 2 District – JoeInsider.com
Girls Basketball: Muskegon, Kent City and Muskegon Western Michigan Christian clinched at least shares of league titles – Muskegon Chronicle
Hockey: Traverse City Bay Reps’ co-op downed Petoskey 2-1 to claim a third straight Northern Michigan Hockey League title – Traverse City Record-Eagle