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Program Builder Boyd Honored by Our Lady

October 12, 2016

By Keith Dunlap
Special for Second Half

WATERFORD – Mike Boyd always had a grand vision how his last home game as head coach at Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes would play out.

As it got into the later stages of a nearly 50-year tenure as football coach, athletic director and so much more at the school, Boyd had one specific idea for how he wanted to go out.

“I always said that the last game I coached before I retired, I was going to play it here under the lights,” said Boyd, referring to the field at the school that doesn’t have permanent lights. “I didn’t get a chance.”

Boyd did not, since in April 2013 he decided to retire as football coach from WOLL after a 46 year-career in order to move full-time to Sarasota, Florida.

However, last Friday proved to be the next best thing for Boyd and the Our Lady of the Lakes community.

In a ceremony that was more than three years in the making after he made his retirement official, Boyd was brought back for the honor of having the entire athletic complex at Our Lady of the Lakes named after him.

To top it all off, the ceremony took place under portable lights in what doubled as the first night game ever at the school.

The game was against Royal Oak Shrine, which is not only the biggest rival for Our Lady of the Lakes, but coached by Boyd’s longtime best friend in coaching, John Goddard.

All anyone needs to do is look at MHSAA record book for evidence that it was a no-brainer for Our Lady of the Lakes to name the athletic complex after Boyd, one of the state’s all-time greatest prep athletic figures.

As football coach, Boyd won 357 games in his 46 years, which currently is good for fourth place on the all-time wins list for coaches in that sport.

He led the Lakers to three appearances in MHSAA football championship games, with the zenith of his coaching career on the gridiron coming in 2002 when his Our Lady of the Lakes team won its only Finals title in school history with a 13-10 overtime win over Gaylord St. Mary in Division 8.

Facing a 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line that day, Boyd didn’t hesitate in sending his offense out to go for the win on a do-or-die running play, and the decision paid off when running back Murray Percival broke the goal line to give Boyd his long-awaited title.

The jubilation was apparent on Boyd with how high he jumped over and over again in celebration following the handshake line.

While that was the only time Boyd celebrated an MHSAA championship in football, he did so plenty of times on the softball diamond.

Boyd led Our Lady of the Lakes to what remains a team state-record eight MHSAA championships in softball, going a perfect 8-for-8 in title game appearances and finishing with 703 career wins before retiring from that sport in 2007.

During his tenure, Boyd also coached two games for the hockey team, track & field and started the baseball program by coaching it for its first year of existence.

When not on a playing surface, Boyd was a principal, bus driver, the athletic director and overall face of not only what has become one of the state’s best small-school athletic programs, but the school as a whole.

One of Boyd’s big contributions was creating the home football field at Our Lady of the Lakes behind its school in stunningly quick fashion after some unexpected news.

Our Lady of the Lakes used to play home games at other high schools or middle schools in Waterford, but that changed suddenly in 2001 before a scheduled home game against Royal Oak Shrine.

“They got a new school board one year,” Boyd said. “We used to pay like $250 a game. They came back and said ‘We want $1,200 a game.’ The Dads club got together and put (the press box) up on one week and got the field ready.”

Indeed, in a matter of days a three-story press box was built (fully furnished later in the season) and space for a football field was created (the right side of it through the infield of the baseball diamond) to allow Our Lady of the Lakes to play games on its campus.

It was fitting that the first home game in 2001 was against Shrine and that the ceremony last week was against Shrine, given his nearly 50-year friendship with Goddard.

The two had a nice chat on Shrine’s bench before the game last Friday, and one can only imagine the stories that were re-hashed.

In fact, when Boyd announced his retirement in 2013, he said how much he would miss playing against “that old turkey” in Goddard.

No doubt, Goddard misses competing against Boyd just as much.

“One year he had a kid that got hurt during practice during that week and he shows up at our place for a game, and after kickoff he comes out and starts running a single-wing,” Goddard said. “I go, ‘What the heck is this offense he is running?’ We beat them, but it took us half a game to figure what he was doing. He made it up on Saturday and we played on Sunday. He was a great coach.”

Boyd still follows the Our Lady of the Lakes program from Florida, watching film online and communicating regularly with current Our Lady of the Lakes head coach Josh Sawicki, a player on that 2002 title team – although Boyd was quick to point out he wants no part in decision-making with the Lakes team. “He’s his own coach,” Boyd said of Sawicki.

Boyd also returns to Michigan every August to help out with preseason practices for Lake Orion, which is coached by his son-in-law, Chris Bell, and he visits Sawicki at his preseason practices while in the area.

Before the game last Friday, Sawicki spoke about how little the topic of the ceremony came up with Boyd during conversations in the days leading up to the game.

“He was talking to me Wednesday or Thursday night, and there was not one question about (the ceremony),” Sawicki said. “It was all about the game plan. ‘What have you got? What have they got? What will you do if they do this? Watch out for Goddard because he likes to do this and likes to do that.’ Still to this day, that was all he was talking about.”

Sawicki said doing things without fanfare is who “Coach” has always been, and it’s a legacy that will be carried on in name now that the athletic complex is named after Boyd.

More importantly, it will also be carried on in spirit.

“He built that brand,” Sawicki said. “It’s the responsibility of the coaches and the players to continue that brand on. That is what we are focused on doing.”

PHOTOS: (Top) Our Lady of the Lakes football coach Mike Boyd hoists the Division 8 championship trophy in 2002 after his team defeated Gaylord St. Mary at the Pontiac Silverdome. (Middle) Boyd (left) receives a plaque from Rev. Lawrence Delonnay, Our Lady’s pastor, on Friday to recognize the naming of the school’s athletic complex in Boyd’s honor.

Drive for Detroit: Week 1 in Review

September 3, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Four of last season’s 10 MHSAA football champions began 2019 over the weekend 0-1. Ten teams that didn’t win a game last season stand 1-0 – and the two longest losing streaks in the state came to an end.

How's that for a new season and fresh start? And that's not even mentioning the storms that pushed many games to finish near or after midnight Thursday and roughly 40 to be completed later in the holiday weekend. 

Below is our weekly review at some of the results that popped off the page most from every region of the state, with a little perspective on wins and losses that might mean even more as we get into late September and October.

"Drive for Detroit" is sponsored by MI Student Aid..

Bay & Thumb

HEADLINER Beaverton 16, Breckenridge 6 The Beavers are coming off two straight eight-win seasons and just missed catching Breckenridge on opening night last year, falling 20-19. This time they outpaced the Huskies, last season’s Division 8 runners-up, to take a 2-1 lead in their recent opening-night series. Click for more from the Midland Daily News and see highlights below from MI Sports Now.

Watch list Port Huron 33, Flint Carman-Ainsworth 6 Although Carman-Ainsworth is coming off a down season, expectations are always high – and Port Huron’s should be now too after avenging last season’s 38-22 defeat and as the Big Reds seek their first playoff berth since 2014.

Remember this one Montrose 16, Cass City 14 These two both could be on the way to big things; after last year’s 48-22 Montrose win, the Rams went on a Division 6 Semifinal run and Cass City won its league.

More shoutouts Freeland 27, Marshall 26 (OT) A blocked extra point and then a fumbled extra point attempt snap were part of a wild overtime that saw the Falcons defeat the Redhawks by three points or fewer for the second straight season. Davison 54, Fenton 27 The Cardinals came out best in a matchup of likely league contenders, scoring 50+ points against a Tigers program that hadn’t given up that many since 2016. 

Greater Detroit

HEADLINER Detroit Catholic Central 24, Detroit Martin Luther King 22 These two met for the first time since the 2001 playoffs, and the result was the most exhilarating of an exceptional weekend of games at the Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic at Wayne State. DCC didn’t score during the second half but held off a potential King scoring drive late in the fourth quarter to edge the reigning Division 3 champion. Click for more from MLive-Detroit and see below for highlights from State Champs Sports Network.

Watch list Southfield Arts & Technology 28, Clarkston 14 These two will meet again in league play in Week 6, and it might be the statewide game of that week after the Warriors began their rebound from two straight sub-.500 seasons with a massive win over the reigning Division 1 runner-up.

Remember this one Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 7, Utica Eisenhower 0 It’s “six wins and in” the playoffs for one more season, and with these teams representing two of the strongest leagues statewide – Brother Rice the Detroit Catholic League Central and Eisenhower the Macomb Area Conference Red – every win counts that much more.

More shoutouts Clinton Township Chippewa Valley 35, Saline 21 Reigning Division 1 champion Chippewa Valley graduated a ton on offense but found enough against another 2018 semifinalist in Saline. Lake Orion 17, Lapeer 7 The Dragons are 1-0 for the first time since 2013 after handing the Lightning its first regular-season loss since Week 8 of 2017.

Mid-Michigan

HEADLINER Pewamo-Westphalia 14, Reading 0 The Pirates handed reigning Division 8 champion Reading its first defeat since the end of 2017, but more impressively P-W locked down an offense that a year ago posted the 10th-most points in MHSAA 11-player history. The Pirates haven’t lost a regular-season game since their 2017 opener. Click for more from the Hillsdale Daily News.

Watch list Lansing Eastern 35, Owosso 0 One win meant a million for the Quakers, who broke a 38-game losing streak – and with one more victory would equal their best finish since 2010.

Remember this one New Lothrop 54, Lake City 7 Only a game of the P-W/Reading magnitude could bump this rematch from last season’s Division 7 Semifinals out of the headlining spot, as the reigning champion Hornets again put up 50+ points on the Trojans after winning last November 51-22.  

More shoutouts DeWitt 31, Traverse City Central 26 The Panthers traveled to Thirlby Field and hung on for a nice win over an annual playoff qualifier. Central Montcalm 22, Morley Stanwood 20 After a winless 2018, Central Montcalm broke a 13-game losing streak with its first victory over Morley Stanwood since 2014.

Northern Lower Peninsula

HEADLINER Maple City Glen Lake 26, Millington 7 The Lakers’ nonleague schedule is loaded, and they almost couldn’t have hoped for better against a Millington team coming off its 15th straight playoff season. Glen Lake enjoyed three touchdown passes from Reece Hazelton in scoring all of its points during the first half. Click for more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

Watch list Evart 20, Frankfort 3 The Wildcats have made the playoffs once over the last five seasons and won a combined six games over the last two – but if opening night is an indication, they could match all of that this fall after downing a Frankfort team that’s made the playoffs five straight seasons and beat Evart in their last meeting 30-0 to open the 2016 playoffs.

Remember this one Grayling 22, Roscommon 6 The Vikings have made the playoffs seven times this decade, but finished only 3-6 a year ago – while Roscommon came into this season off a league title and 10-2 finish to 2018.

More shoutouts Alcona 16, Tawas 14 The Tigers went from two straight nine-win seasons to one victory in 2018, but the bounce-back has begun with this avenging of a 48-24 last-season loss. Kingsley 36, McBain 6 These teams combined to go 18-5 a year ago, and this result matched the second-best by the Stags’ defense from 2018.

Southeast & Border

HEADLINER Blissfield 33, Ottawa Lake Whiteford 14 The Royals broke a seven-game opening-night losing streak against Whiteford, in the process handing the Bobcats their first regular-season defeat since Week 9 of 2015. Whiteford also hadn’t given up 30 points in a game since the 2016 Division 8 Final. Click for more from the Toledo Blade and see highlights below from BCSN.

Watch list Erie Mason 58, Petersburg Summerfield 40 After four straight seasons of finishing 1-8, Erie Mason is 1-0 for the first time since 2003, the last time the Eagles made the playoffs.

Remember this one Jackson Lumen Christi 14, Kalamazoo United 12 The Titans ran their state-best winning streak to 24, but hardly with ease against a United team with some key new faces.

More shoutouts Homer 18, Michigan Center 0 The Trojans got off to the right start coming off their first sub-.500 season since 2009 by beating the reigning Cascades Conference runner-up. Ann Arbor Huron 63, Ecorse 14 The River Rats won for the first time in 40 games, putting up 63 points after scoring 98 over the entirety of 2018.

Southwest Corridor

HEADLINER Berrien Springs 28, Grand Rapids West Catholic 3 The Shamrocks are riding a string of five straight playoff seasons into the fall, but it’s hard to argue they’ve had a better start during this run. West Catholic has made the playoffs 16 straight seasons and is coming off a 2018 that saw respectable defeats to two eventual MHSAA champions. Click for more from the St. Joseph Herald-Palladium.

Watch list Paw Paw 42, Three Rivers 0 Edwardsburg tends to own the Wolverine Conference, and Three Rivers has been its biggest challenger the last few seasons – but that role could fall to Paw Paw coming off this big win and an 8-3 finish last year that also included a playoff victory over Three Rivers.

Remember this one Mendon 14, Decatur 7 Two of the best in the Southwest 10 Conference and also at least regionally in Division 8 saw each other right away with the Hornets running their recent winning streak over the Raiders to three straight.  

More shoutouts St. Joseph 32, Battle Creek Central 19 The Bears avenged last season’s 34-27 loss to the Bearcats, a meeting that led things off for two eventual playoff qualifiers. Coldwater 47, Haslett 30 The Cardinals also evened the score against their opening night opponent after falling to Haslett 28-7 a year ago and going on to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2012.

Upper Peninsula

HEADLINER Iron Mountain 17, Negaunee 14 These teams have proven to be just about even over two straight openers, with the Mountaineers now winning both by three points. Last year the same result previewed an 8-3 season for Iron Mountain and a 5-4 by the Miners, who are looking to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Click for more from the Iron Mountain Daily News.

Watch List Lake Linden-Hubbell 32, Norway 14 The Lakes are coming off their first back-to-back sub-.500 seasons since the early 1970s, but they’re hoping that breaking a three-game losing streak to Norway is the start of a turnaround. 

Remember this one Bark River-Harris 56, Gwinn 50 (OT) The Broncos are another team seeking a comeback after falling to 2-7 in 2018, and avenging last season’s 36-20 loss to Gwinn may have them on the way.

More shoutouts Sault Ste. Marie 22, Cheboygan 16 The Blue Devils went 5-4 last season while averaging just 15 points per game, and this week’s 22 would’ve been their second-highest total last fall. West Iron County 32, Munising 6 Beating Munising on opening night has been good to the Wykons, who made the playoffs all four previous seasons this decade after they won that matchup. West Iron missed the playoffs in 2015 after falling to the Mustangs in Week 1.

West Michigan

HEADLINER Muskegon 41, Warren De La Salle Collegiate 7 After closing last season with a tough defeat in the Division 3 Final, the Big Reds opened this fall with a second straight win over two-time reigning Division 2 champion De La Salle. During the first half alone, Muskegon quarterback Cameron Martinez ran 13 times for 109 yards and three scores. Click for more from the Muskegon Chronicle.

Watch List Grand Rapids Catholic Central 17, River Rouge 14 GRCC is coming off a third straight trip to at least the Division 4 Semifinals and is back in the swing after winning this one on a field goal with 2:15 to play.

Remember this one Hart 48, Holton 40 (2OT) Hart hasn’t had a winning season since 1997 and didn’t have a varsity at all in 2015, but started this fall with this victory over a 2018 Division 8 semifinalist.

More shoutouts Montague 42, Reed City 0 Last season’s Division 6 runner-up avenged a 34-13 loss to the Coyotes while handing them only their second regular-season defeat over the last five years. Zeeland West 28, East Grand Rapids 21 Surprisingly, this was the first meeting between these perennial Division 3 powers – so although they’d never met before, it’s not hard to anticipate them possibly meeting again in the playoffs.

8-Player

HEADLINER Brimley 24, Rapid River 12 Simply put, this was the Bay’s biggest win during a decade of 8-player football. Rapid River is the reigning 8-Player Division 2 champion and had beaten Brimley 80-55 in last year’s regular-season finale. Click for more from the Escanaba Daily Press.

Watch List Pickford 48, Crystal Falls Forest Park 16 A junior-heavy Pickford team finished 8-Player Division 1 runner-up last season and opened its return by nearly doubling up on last season’s 18-point win over the always-powerful Trojans.

Remember this one Climax-Scotts 16, Wyoming Tri-unity Christian 12 The Panthers’ 8-player debut was as good as expected, and they quickly will have more chances to show what they can do with Lawrence, Bellevue and Camden-Frontier coming up over the next three weeks.

More shoutouts Powers North Central 66, Cedarville 12 The Jets lasted only a week in last season’s Division 2 playoffs, but opened this fall with a win over a 2018 semifinalist. Martin 20, Bellevue 12 The Clippers are another new 8-player team and coming off a playoff season in 11, and they should be excited after this debut against one of the state’s best in 8 over the last two seasons.

Second Half’s weekly “Drive for Detroit” previews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter@mistudentaid.

PHOTO: Davison put 54 points on the scoreboard to win its season opener against Fenton. (Photo by Terry Lyons.)