Mourning Those Who Contributed Much
April 14, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
This weekend was a sad one for those who work in Michigan high school athletics or have appreciated the contributions from three who gave significantly to our games but died after long fights with cancer.
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart's Keisha Brown, Grand Haven's Robin Bye and Haslett's Jamie Gent left memorable legacies in their passing – Brown on Thursday, Gent on Friday and Bye on Saturday.
Following are just a few details of their contributions to schools and sports, followed by a handful of Twitter posts celebrating their commitments.
- Brown in 2006 became the first and only female coach to lead a boys team to the MHSAA Basketball Finals, guiding the Irish to the Class D Final before they fell to Wyoming Tri-unity Christian. She also served as principal and athletic director at Sacred Heart and coached the boys basketball team to a 114-30 record before taking over the Alma College women’s program, which she coached through this season. Click to read the memorial column from the Mount Pleasant Morning Sun’s Jim Lahde.
"RIP Keisha Brown. What a truly inspiring human being that battled cancer with courage and strength. My thoughts are with her family.” – Oakland Press reporter Drew Ellis, formerly of the Morning Sun
“Rest in Peace Keisha Brown #TrueWarrior. Words cannot express my sadness #HeartBroken.” – Alma College Sports Information Director Mike Hanson
- Bye worked in the Grand Haven school system for 34 years, including the last two-plus as athletic director after formerly serving as an assistant and a girls basketball coach. He also had been a middle school art teacher in the district, and last year received its “Spirit of Grand Haven” award for commitment and dedication to Grand Haven schools. Click to read the story on his passing from the Muskegon Chronicle’s Scott Brandenburg.
“Thinking of the Bye family tonight. Robin will be missed. As a person and an AD, he made me want to be better a person/coach. God Bless.” – Grand Haven boys basketball coach Steve Hewitt.
“I will miss Robin Bye. He made a big difference for the youth in our town, more than an athletic director; an inspiration.” – Grand Haven parent Pat McGinnis
- Gent began his career at Haslett in 1967 as a middle school teacher and high school coach in three sports. He was head coach of the track and field, boys basketball and football varsity teams at different times and began his second stint as the school’s athletic director in 1991. He also was an MHSAA registered official for more than 15 years and a mentor to many both in the Lansing area and statewide through his contributions to the Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. He received the MHSAA’s Charles E. Forsythe Award in 2008. See below for a video posted that year in honor of Gent as he retired as athletic director, and click for Dick Hoekstra's piece in the Lansing State Journal posted today.
“Sad to hear of the passing of Jamie Gent, long time Haslett HS athletic director. Really great guy, very kind hearted.” – former Haslett athlete, current White Pigeon teacher/coach Kurt Twichell
“Jamie Gent was one of the best ADs I had the privilege to know. A great loss tonight for the Haslett community.” – Chelsea football coach Brad Bush
PHOTOS: (Clockwise from left) Former Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart boys basketball coach Keisha Brown comforts one of her players after the Irish fell in the Class D Final in 2006. Jamie Gent, left, receives his Charles E. Forsythe Award from Negaunee's Jim Derocher during the 2008 Boys Basketball Finals. Grand Haven athletic director, Robin Bye, is recognized as an assistant coach on the 1981 girls basketball team inducted into the Grand Haven sports Hall of Fame.
Reigning Division 4 Champion Munising Eager to Begin Next Tournament Run
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
February 27, 2024
MUNISING — The Munising boys basketball team is primed for what the Mustangs hope will be another deep run into the MHSAA Division 4 Tournament.
The reigning champion is 17-4 this season and drew an opening-round bye in its District, and will visit Newberry (5-16) to open its run at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
“There was a little more pressure as defending state champion early in the season,” Munising coach Terry Kienitz said. “We could tell we had a target on our back, but once we got some games in we were fine. Expectations are to get back to the Breslin Center (at Michigan State) and defend our title. You do the mapping and look at who might win the other Districts. It will be a lot harder road to get there this year.
“Norway and Pickford beat us, and we had close games with Crystal Falls (Forest Park) and Rudyard. It was nice to beat Forest Park because they’re so deep. They have a real good team. The new foul rule I think will help the deeper teams. We have to focus on staying out of foul trouble and staying healthy.”
Junior point guard Trevor Nolan reached the 1,000-point mark on the last shot in an 86-44 victory over Rapid River on Feb. 13.
“It was an amazing feeling to see the team come together,” Nolan said. “It was also great for the community and took a little pressure off me doing it as a junior. We’ve definitely had some adversity, but have gotten through it and I think we’re better for it.
“Both Regionals are tough in the U.P. There’s so much competition. Whoever gets to the Breslin will be battle-tested. Our District will also be challenging. Newberry is well-coached. They have good athletes who play very hard. There’s always a chance for an upset. You always have to be at your best, because it’s one loss and you’re done.”
Senior Tyler Nelson noted the Mustangs’ experience. Nolan, Carson Kienitz and Jack Dusseault all started as sophomores in Munising’s 39-37 championship game win over Wyoming Tri-unity Christian.
“The District will be a challenge,” Nelson said. “There’s a target on our back and we know it, but we have three starters back and a lot of experience. The whole tournament run last year was a bit of a highlight. We had a great group of guys.
“Basketball is such a great sport, and we definitely have a great group of guys again this year. We certainly have our work cut out. Nobody’s going to just give it to us. There’s a lot of competition, but we’re looking forward to it. It’s definitely going to be a fun tournament. I’m glad to see basketball is on the upswing in the U.P. Many of our teams are getting recognition.”
The Mustangs are taking a four-game winning streak into the postseason since dropping a 52-48 decision to Escanaba on Feb. 6. Total, they’ve won 13 of their last 14 games.
“The season is going real well so far,” junior guard Carson Kienitz said. “We had a couple unfortunate losses, but records don’t matter once you get into the tournaments. The game at Escanaba was tough. It seemed like it was all there for us. Our offense is better than it showed in that game. I think we can definitely win our District, although it’s not like we're looking past anyone. Newberry will be a challenge. The most improvement I’ve seen is the way we’re playing as a team, and we need to do that to win the bigger games.”
The Mustangs defeated Newberry 51-29 in their lone regular-season meeting Jan. 24.
“I think Newberry will be tough in our District,” Coach Kienitz said. “They’ve got talent. That was a good test. Everybody’s 0-0 once you get into the tournaments. We made a lot of adjustments which is something we needed on offense.”
If they win their opener, the Mustangs will visit Big Bay de Noc (14-4) or Rapid River (7-15) for Friday’s District Final.
“I think the bye will help us,” Nolan said. “No matter who comes out of the other bracket, you have to be ready. We have very good coaches. We always believe we’re well prepared.”
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
PHOTOS (Top) Munising's Carson Kienitz (2) and Ishpeming's Caden Luoma go after a loose ball during the Mustangs’ 54-48 win Dec. 28. (Middle) Munising's Trevor Nolan (5) is defended by Ishpeming's Hunter Smith. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)