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: 12/19/16

December 19, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Sports will slow down over the next two weeks as schools go on break and we roll in 2017. But in advance, take a look at a ton of coverage from the busiest weekend of this winter season so far.

Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.

Girls Basketball

Galesburg-Augusta improved to 5-0 with a 33-29 win over previously-undefeated Schoolcraft – Kalamazoo Gazette

Cedarville earned what could become a key win in the Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference, 43-40 over Pickford – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News

Boys Basketball

Levi Lehman had a monstrous 25 points and 31 rebounds in Ithaca’s 73-49 win over St. Louis – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Sturgis remained undefeated with a league-opening 44-41 win over Dowagiac – Sturgis Journal

Luke Morrell’s basket at the buzzer gave Plainwell a 60-58 win over Paw Paw – Kalamazoo Gazette

Beaverton remained undefeated with a 43-37 comeback win over Sanford Meridian thanks to 31 points from Carter Johnston – Saginaw News

Saginaw Heritage downed neighbor Saginaw Arthur Hill for the first time since 2000, 46-38 – Saginaw News

Ann Arbor Skyline sent a powerful statement with a 95-92 triple-overtime win over Ann Arbor Huron, last season’s co-champion in the Southeastern Conference Red – Ann Arbor News

East Lansing started on avenging last season’s only loss, to Lansing Everett, with a 59-53 victory – Lansing State Journal

Competitive Cheer

Adrian Madison won the Onsted Invitational with a score of 691.52, only four points shy of its Regional score from a year ago – Adrian Daily Telegram

Hockey

Jake Crespi scored with 15:12 to play to give Division 1 top-ranked Brighton a 1-0 win over Division 2 No. 4 Livonia Stevenson – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Alpena won the Blue Line Tournament with a 2-1 win over East Kentwood – Alpena News

Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard scored four goals in the third period to down Division 2 No. 10 Saline 8-6 in a matchup of Washtenaw County powers – Saline Post

Wrestling

DeWitt, No. 2 in Division 2, won the Brighton Invitational just ahead of the Division 1 No. 8 Bulldogs – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

Addison downed a group including a number of larger schools to win the Ypsilanti Lincoln Invitational – Adrian Daily Telegram

Division 3 No. 4 Remus Chippewa Hills earned championships at seven weights in winning its invitational – Big Rapids News

Macomb Dakota, No. 4 in Division 1, won the Macomb County Classic ahead of Warren Woods-Tower – Macomb Daily

Oxford, No. 6 in Division 1, was Oakland County champion, ending Detroit Catholic Central’s seven-year hold on the trophy (although the Shamrocks’ top-ranked A team was at an event in Ohio) – Oakland Press

Petoskey went 5-0 against Upper Peninsula teams to win the annual Bridge Brawl at Rudyard – Petoskey News-Review

Sand Creek won its invitational, taking three of four matches by double figures – Adrian Daily Telegram

Gaylord, No. 7 in Division 2, won the Marquette Challenge with three individual champions to remain undefeated – Gaylord Herald Times

Coloma won the South Haven Invitational with a seven-point victory over Niles’ B team – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

Good Read

From Brooklyn, N.Y., to East Lansing, from helping build the World Trade Center after dropping out of high school to becoming the Trojans’ boys basketball coach, Steve Finamore’s story is truly fascinating – Lansing State Journal