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: 10/27/17
October 27, 2017
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 Soccer: Division 2 No. 7 Coldwater handed No. 2 Dexter its only loss this season in claiming a Division 2 Regional title – Coldwater Daily Reporter
2. Boys Soccer: Division 4 No. 8 Buckley won its first Regional title in boys soccer with a shootout victory over No. 2 Leland – Traverse City Record-Eagle
3. Boys Soccer: No. 8 Holland upset No. 4 Grand Rapids Christian to claim a Division 2 Regional title – Holland Sentinel
4. Wrestling: The National Wrestling Hall of Fame announced its 2018 class Thursday, including longtime Michigan official James McCloughan, who will be inducted as the Medal of Courage recipient – Stillwater (Okla.) News Press
5. Boys Soccer: No. 3 Flint Powers Catholic downed No. 9 Lansing Catholic 3-0 to win a Division 3 Regional title – Lansing State Journal
6. Boys Soccer: Farmington Hills Harrison scored the game’s lone goal against No. 17 Gibraltar Carlson in Division 2 to advance to its first Semifinal since 1987 – Oakland Press
7. Boys Soccer: Auburn Hills Oakland Christian took two-time reigning Division 4 champion and current No. 14 Burton Genesee Christian to overtime before the Soldiers took a 2-1 Regional Final win – Oakland Press
8. Boys Soccer: No. 16 Ludington moved on in Division 3 with a 2-0 win over Big Rapids in their Regional Final – Local State Journal
9. Boys Soccer: No. 4 Grand Rapids South Christian continued its impressive second half run this fall with a Division 3 Regional title win over Dowagiac – Grand Rapids Press
10. Volleyball: Class B honorable mention Cadillac and Traverse City West will share the Big North Conference championship after Cadillac’s sweep of Traverse City Central – Cadillac News
Also noted:
Boys Soccer: Stevensville Lakeshore downed No. 9 Plainwell 2-1 in overtime in a Division 2 Regional Semifinal – St. Joseph Herald Palladium
Boys Soccer: Petoskey emerged with a 1-0 shootout win to move on to Saturday’s Division 2 Regional Final in East Lansing – Petoskey News-Review
Volleyball: Trenton swept Wyandotte Roosevelt to finish an outright championship run in the Downriver League – Southgate News Herald
Volleyball: Jenison swept Class B honorable mention Fruitport to claim the O-K Black championship – Grand Haven Tribune
Volleyball: From Tuesday, Port Huron Northern came back from two sets down to defeat Sterling Heights Stevenson and win an outright Macomb Area Conference White championship – Port Huron Times Herald
Baseball: From Monday, former longtime Brownstown Woodhaven baseball coach and basketball official Robert Kloss tied after a fight with leukemia – Detroit News