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: 1/16/18
January 16, 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. Boys Swimming & Diving – Holland West Ottawa, No. 4 in Lower Peninsula Division 1, emerged as the best among titans with wins over No. 3 Birmingham Brother Rice and No. 1 Ann Arbor Skyline in a tri-meet – Holland Sentinel
2. Wrestling: Four of Michigan’s best tested themselves against Ohio power Lakewood St. Edward, which finished 4-0 with wins over Division 1 No. 1 Detroit Catholic Central, No. 4 Davison, Division 2 No. 1 Lowell and Division 3 No. 1 Dundee – Observer & Eccentric
3. Wrestling: Division 2 No. 4 DeWitt claimed the Ada Forest Hills Eastern Invitational title, handing No. 10 Niles its first loss in the process – Niles Daily Star
4. Girls Basketball: Stanton Central Montcalm moved to 11-0 this season with a 48-39 win over Big Rapids, which also entered undefeated – Greenville Daily News
5. Wrestling: Division 2 No. 7 Stevensville Lakeshore won the Holland West Ottawa Invitational, downing Rockford in the final, and coach Bruce Bittenbender won his 900th career match during the run – St. Joseph Herald Palladium
6. Wrestling: Division 1 No. 2 Brighton finished the Kensington Lakes Activities Association Gold Duals 5-0 on Saturday and defeated No. 3 Macomb Dakota on Sunday to finish off a strong weekend – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
7. Boys Basketball: Marine City Cardinal Mooney’s Daniel Everhart scored 23 points in a 70-44 win over Allen Park Cabrini to become the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,423 over his career – Port Huron Times Herald
8. Wrestling: Sparta placed 11 wrestlers to win its invitational, with Grandville second and Division 4 No. 10 Springport third – Grand Rapids Press
9. Hockey: Kingsford won a high-scoring road game at Division 3 No. 5 Houghton, 6-5 – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
10. Cheer: Preparation paid off for Bay City Central as it won its Wolfpack Cheer Challenge by more than 50 points – Bay City Times
Also of note …
Boys Swimming & Diving: Just more than a week ago, Corunna’s Xavier Staubs and Grant Warner were the biggest winners during a meet against Owosso; they pulled an unresponsive Owosso competitor from the water so others could then revive him – Detroit Free Press