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)

Michigan Fall Previews (update 9/3/13)

August 26, 2013

Seasons have begun but we're still adding to our mighty list of links to statewide media team and league preview. 

This update contains some from five sports, but mostly football from the Battle Creek, Port Huron, Livingston County and Traverse City areas. 

See a preview for any fall sport that's been published by Michigan media that we missed? Send the link to Geoff Kimmerly at [email protected]

Football

Battle Creek Enquirer: Battle Creek Central - Battle Creek St. Philip - Marshall - Battle Creek Pennfield - Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East - Kalamazoo Valley Association - Southern Central Athletic Association - Big 8 Conference - Bronson/Tekonsha

Bay City Times: North Star League - West Branch Ogemaw Heights - Bay City John Glenn/Pinconning/Standish-Sterling/Tawas - Jack Pine Conference 

Detroit Free Press: Detroit Catholic High School League - Oakland Activities Association - Downriver League - Michigan Independent Activities Conference - Macomb Area Conference - Huron League

Detroit News: Detroit Public School League - Detroit Catholic High School League - Macomb Area Conference - Kensington Lakes Activities Association - Oakland Activities Association - Western Wayne Athletic Conference - Downriver League - Huron League - Michigan Metro Athletic Conference - Michigan Independent Athletic Conference - Charter School Conference 

Flint Journal: Flint Metro League - Saginaw Valley League South - Genesee Area Conference Red - Genesee Area Conference Blue - Kensington Lakes Activities Association West 

Gaylord Herald Times: Sky Valley South - Big North Conference

Grand Rapids Press: O-K Red - O-K White - O-K Blue - O-K Gold - O-K Black - O-K Green - O-K Bronze - O-K Silver

High School Sports Scene: Saginaw, Lansing and Grand Rapids areas

Holland Sentinel: Holland Christian - Hamilton

Ionia Sentinel-Standard: Ionia - Portland St. Patrick - Lake Odessa Lakewood

Kalamazoo Gazette: Wolverine Conference - Kalamazoo Valley Association - Southwestern Athletic Conference - St. Joseph Valley League - Southern Central Athletic Association

Lansing State Journal: Greater Lansing and mid-Michigan area

Livingston County Daily Argus & Press: Howell - Brighton - Hartland - Pinckney - Novi - MilfordFowlerville - Kensington Lakes Activities Association West

Marquette Mining Journal: Negaunee - Ishpeming - Marquette - Gwinn - Munising - Ishpeming Westwood

MLive Detroit: Macomb Area Conference - Oakland Activities Association - Detroit Catholic High School League

MLive Lansing: Lansing area

Oakland Press: Kensington Lakes Activities Association - Oakland Activities Association White - Oakland County schools in MIAC/MAC/Flint Metro/independent

Port Huron Times Herald: Port Huron Northern - St. Clair - Port Huron - Marysville - Marine City - Armada  

Saginaw News: Saginaw Valley League North - Tri-Valley Conference Central - TVC West - TVC East - Greater Thumb Conference West - Saginaw Nouvel/Kingston/Akron-Fairgrove/Coleman/Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart

Traverse City Record-Eagle: Big North Conference - Northwest Conference - Ski Valley Conference - Lake Michigan ConferenceTraverse City Christian - Traverse City Central - Traverse City St. Francis - Traverse City West

Boys Cross Country

Adrian Daily Telegram: Adrian and Lenawee County areas

Lansing State Journal: Greater Lansing and mid-Michigan areas

Port Huron Times Herald: Eastern Thumb area

Girls Cross Country 

Adrian Daily Telegram: Adrian and Lenawee County areas

Battle Creek Enquirer: Battle Creek area

Escanaba Daily Press: Manistique

Port Huron Times Herald: Eastern Thumb area

Girls Golf

Battle Creek Enquirer: Battle Creek area

Lansing State Journal: Greater Lansing and mid-Michigan areas

Monroe Evening News: Monroe area

Muskegon Chronicle: Muskegon area

Boys Soccer

Battle Creek Enquirer: Battle Creek area

Bay City Times: Bay City area - Bay City John Glenn

Escanaba Daily Press: Big Bay de Noc

Gaylord Herald Times: Gaylord

Midland Daily News: Midland area

Monroe Evening News: Monroe area

Muskegon Chronicle: Muskegon area

Petoskey News: Petoskey

Port Huron Times Herald - Port Huron and Thumb areas

Girls Swimming and Diving

Battle Creek Enquirer: Battle Creek area

Monroe Evening News: Monroe area

Port Huron Times Herald: Eastern Thumb area

Boys Tennis

Lansing State Journal: Greater Lansing and mid-Michigan areas

Petoskey News: Petoskey

Girls Tennis

Escanaba Daily Press: Gladstone

Iron Mountain Daily News: Kingsford - Iron River West Iron County

Volleyball

Battle Creek Enquirer: Battle Creek area

Bay City Times: Bay City area

Escanaba Daily Press: Rock Mid Peninsula 

Gaylord Herald Times: Gaylord - Gaylord St. Mary - Johannesburg-Lewiston

Hillsdale.net: Hillsdale

Holland Sentinel: Holland and Zeeland areas

Houghton Daily Mining Gazette: Houghton - Calumet - Baraga 

Iron Mountain Daily News: Kingsford

Lansing State Journal: Greater Lansing and mid-Michigan areas

Port Huron Times Herald: Port Huron and Thumb areas