Did you see that? (May 20-26)
May 28, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Last week for many was one for getting in the final regular-season games and competitions of this spring – and for the most fortunate, a week for winning the first of what they hope will be many championships.
Here's our look at some of the most notable headlines from those seven days. Click on the links for full coverage.
Good Read of the Week
Spangler wins 500: Whether it be painting out the baselines an hour before game time or showing up to turn off the sprinklers in the middle of the night, Randy Spangler’s been doing it all as Coldwater’s baseball coach over the last 25 years – and Gary Baker explains what has gone into becoming a 500-win baseball coach. (Coldwater Daily Reporter)
Girls Soccer
Cadillac celebrates first title: Cadillac and Traverse City West are co-champions of the Big North Conference this spring. But Cadillac’s share is its first BNC title. (Cadillac News)
Softball
Another memorable first: Croswell-Lexington clinched its first Blue Water Area Conference title Tuesday and ended the night's doubleheader sweep with a perfect league record as well. (Port Huron Times-Herald)
Boys Lacrosse
Holland Christian moves on: The ranked Maroons got a scare from Mattawan in their Division 2 Regional game Thursday, but scored eight second-half goals to continue on. (Grand Rapids Press)
Track and Field
Cass Tech, Renaissance clinch PSL titles: The Cass Tech boys and Renaissance girls won big to finish the regular season at the Detroit Public School League’s championship meet. (Detroit News)
Seminary coach finishes: Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary boys track and field coach Robert Schroer will retire from coaching after this weekend’s Division 4 Final – and 40 years running his program. (Saginaw News)
Girls Golf
Houghton sweeps league final: The West Peninsula Athletic Conference individual championship went to a three-person playoff before Megan Kelly needed just one hole to claim the title. She helped key Houghton’s team championship as well, and Houghton’s boys also won their West PAC tournament. (Houghton Mining Gazette)
Baseball
Bath wins big: In something of a stunner at the 52-year Capital Area Diamond Classic, Bath defeated Holt 9-1 in a quarterfinal Friday night behind the 11-strikeout performance of pitcher Ryan Orr. Only twice before in the tournament’s history had a Class C or D school won a game. (Lansing State Journal)
Wounded Warrior Project: DeWitt vs Portland
December 16, 2011
DEWITT -- The meeting of two state-ranked teams always will ratchet up a typical football night. Both communities, naturally, want to see which is better on the field.
But during the hour before the opening kickoff Oct. 14 of DeWitt’s game against Portland, those teams and their supporters together recognized a grander cause. The night was dedicated to the Wounded Warrior Project, which aids U.S. soldiers (and their families) who have suffered service-related injuries and illnesses.
Rain washed out some planned attractions, but the evening certainly was memorable. Both teams wore camouflage jerseys and each sent its captains to the pre-game coin toss with an honorary captain representing the military. A number of other service personnel were involved – including a local color guard that presented a 30-foot flag for the national anthem.
It’s understandable if people’s visions of wars and our military are focused an ocean away. But connections hit close to home. DeWitt’s honorary captain, Lansing’s U.S. Army Spc. Jacob Shumway, recently returned from a deployment and has been in the service for two and a half years. He’s a 2003 Lansing Everett graduate, and his mother Susan Land is the principal at Lansing Eastern. His cousins Ethan and Collin Rennaker start for DeWitt, and he walked alongside them for the pregame flip. Shumway plans to attend Lansing Community College and study digital graphic design.
Both teams are considered contenders for their respective state titles next month; DeWitt is ranked No. 7 in Division 3, while Portland is No. 4 in Division 5. And they played like it – Portland prevailed 22-20 in overtime.
A great game, no question. But similarly significant was a preliminary figure of more than $11,000 raised for the WWP.
For more about the Wounded Warrior Project visit http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org.