Westwood Runs Title Streak to 5
October 2, 2013
By Craig Remsburg
Special to Second Half
ISHPEMING — His team has now won five straight MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 2 championships. But coach Chris Jackson isn’t about to call his Ishpeming Westwood High School girls tennis program a dynasty.
“We just have good player participation,” he said after his Patriots totaled 14 points to beat runner-up Iron Mountain by one Wednesday. “This is the biggest ‘team’ victory out of all of them, though.”
West Iron County placed third with 10 points followed by Ishpeming (7), Ironwood (6), Munising (4) and Gwinn (1).
“I’m just drained,” Jackson said. “This was the most tense finals out of all of them.”
Westwood’s No. 3 doubles team of Lacey Pietro and Olivia Derocher, its No. 4 doubles tandem of Emily Carlson and Jamee Ferris, and Rachel Anderson at No. 4 singles all won titles.
Jackson said his No. 4 doubles unit, which rallied to knock off Hannah Hakamaki and Grace Hansen of Iron Mountain by a 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 count, was a key to the win.
“They were our last group on the court. If they win, we win by one point,” he said. “They were down 5-2 in the second set and won 7-5, In one stretch, they won 10 of 11 games.”
Anderson added a No. 4 singles crown to her resume after winning at No. 4 doubles last season.
“At first, I was shaky,” she said of her 6-3, 6-0 win over Jessie Prudhomme of West Iron. “But after a few games, I got into my rhythm.
“It was great to be a No. 4 doubles champ, but this one is better because I did it on my own.”
Jackson said his team’s victory came from other factors as well.
“Our No. 3 doubles are both seniors and got our finals started,” Jackson said. “It was our first finals win (of the day).
“Megan Chapman got into the semis and got us a point, and Caitlin Hewitt (at No. 2 doubles with Gabby Hebert) picked up points playing with a leg injury. Caitlin had been playing No. 1 singles until her injury three weeks ago. She was able to contribute at No. 2 doubles, and it’s a case of a senior sacrificing for the better of the team.”
Iron Mountain claimed wins at No. 1 singles with Katie Brule, No. 2 singles with Olivia Truscott and No. 2 doubles with twins Katie and Emily Bugni.
“It was a very hard match,” Brule said of her 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 win over Ironwood’s Katie Piispanen. “She hit the ball well, placed it well and made me run. But my overheads were good and so were my serves.
“I stayed consistent in the tiebreaker and didn’t get frustrated. I felt better about things after winning that.” she added, noting she won a U.P. title at No. 2 singles in 2012.
Truscott, meanwhile, beat Jaime Olson of Ishpeming, 6-0, 6-4.
“My ball placement was good, my serves were ‘on’ today and I came to the net a lot,” Truscott said. “(Olson) hits everything back to you and my approach shots had to be good. I just had to attack.
“In the second set,” Truscott added, “I had to slow it down and just try to get my shots in.”
Said Iron Mountain coach Greg Stegall: “Olivia’s a sophomore with a good work ethic. She’s a competitor.”
The Mountaineers’ Bugni sisters, who won a peninsula crown at No. 3 doubles last season, knocked off Westwood’s Hebert and Hewitt, 6-1, 6-3.
“We had to get each other’s confidence up. Those (Westwood) girls are good,” said Emily, 45 minutes older than her twin.
Added Kate: “We hit the ball well, and communicated well. I was also good at the net.”
Iron Mountain placed second to Westwood last year by two points.
“It seems to be our scenario: we come up one match short of making everyone happy,” Stegall said. “It’s disappointing to come up one point short.
“But I have a good group of sophomores — five are coming back. It’s a pleasure to work with them.”
Ironwood’s Rachel Pallin and Danielle Begalle defeated Adelle Gendron and Alex Paquette of Munising, 6-4, 7-5, at No. 1 doubles.
“We had to fight for it,” Begalle said. “This was only our second time playing together.
Added Pallin: “We took our time and placed our shots well. We weren’t rushing.
“What a way to end our senior year. This was (coach Annette Burchell’s) first time with a flight winner in the U.P. Finals (in her 10 years of coaching).”
Click for full championship match results.
PHOTOS: (Top) Westwood's Rachel Anderson returns the ball to her West Iron County opponent during their championship match. (Middle) Iron Mountain’s Katie Brule runs to return the ball to her Ironwood opponent during a championship match of the Upper Peninsula Division 2 Finals on Wednesday. (Photos by Adelle Whitefoot for Second Half.)
Vicksburg's Offord Jr. Beginning 50th, Final Season Coaching Teams to Net Gains
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
March 26, 2025
VICKSBURG — Warner Offord Jr.’s was hardly impressed the first time he played tennis.
That was 55 years ago, when he was heading into his sophomore year at Paw Paw High School.
Still, he continued to play with neighbor boys all that summer, and figured it would end there – until the following spring sports season, when he joined the tennis team.
“I go, it’s not a bad sport after all,” he laughed.
Offord ended up at No. 1 singles his final three years at Paw Paw, graduating in 1973.
Now, at age 70, he is ready to retire at the end of the upcoming Vicksburg’s girls season after 50 years of coaching tennis.
After graduating from Paw Paw, Offord stayed in the area, helping the basketball team and coaching boys and girls tennis there. He coached at his alma mater 28 years, first as an assistant before taking over the tennis programs.
When he heard about a basketball coaching opening at Vicksburg 22 years ago, he applied for the job.
He did not get the head hoops gig, but athletic director Mike Roy offered him a job coaching the girls tennis team.
“I said I’ve got to talk to my wife (Linda Connor-Offord),” Offord said. “I don’t do nothing without talking to my wife, or I’ll be in the doghouse.”
Two days later, the boys tennis coach resigned and Roy offered Offord that job as well.
Once again he consulted his wife, who he gave him the thumbs up.
Offord soon discovered there is a bit of a difference between coaching boys and girls.
“Girls are feisty,” he said. “Girls listen to you. Boys, sometimes they want to do their own thing. When they do that, I say ‘end zone to end zone’ and then they get back to, ‘OK, we’re going to listen to our coach now.’”
He also has rules on the court.
“I believe in discipline. If you curse on the court, it’s an automatic two miles,” he said. “If you throw your racket, it’s an automatic two miles.
“No matter what, we’re going to run. I try to get the kids in shape for the third set.”
With the girls season just underway, Offord has some definite goals.
“We’re going to try to win (Wolverine) conference for the first time in school history,” he said. “The boys did it last year for the first time.
“Before I leave, I’d like to bring home that Regional trophy for the girls. It would be nice to bring home that trophy my last year.”
He is also challenging the girls not only to get back to the MHSAA Finals, but to improve on last year’s finish.
“Two years ago we finished 18th (in Lower Peninsula Division 3). Last year, I told the girls, let’s get up to 15th of 24 teams, and we got 14th.
“This year, if we go to state again, I’m going to tell then, let’s get down to 10.”
Game changer
Offord said today’s high school players are faster and stronger than when he picked up tennis because they use the weight room and do conditioning.
The equipment also has evolved.
“If I had the racket they have now and I could take that back in the ’70s, the racket is so big,” he said. “I had an Arthur Ashe (wooden) racket, I had a Wilson T3000 racket, I had a Kramer and I had a Davis.
“The technology now is unbelievable.”
Offord, who is affectionately called “Doctor O” or the abbreviated “Doc O” by the Vicksburg community, has changed with the times.
“Dr. O’s unwavering passion and exceptional dedication have transformed the program,” Roy said. “His deep understanding of the game, paired with his ability to teach strategy at an elite level, sets him apart.
“Beyond his technical expertise, Dr. O instills a culture of excellence by holding athletes to high standards while maintaining fairness, consistency, and approachability – earning the trust and respect of his team.”
Roy noted that Offord has support around him.
“Since taking the reins, Dr. O has cultivated a winning culture, building on the foundation laid by coach Scott Wills, who continues to lead our summer youth programs,” Roy said.
“Recognizing the importance of strong leadership, Dr. O brought in Nick Foley, a former standout at Sturgis, as his assistant. Together these three men have ignited a culture shift, elevating the team to compete at an exceptional level. Their collective vision, tireless work ethic and commitment to growth has positioned the program for sustained success.”
Offord said he learned from the coaches he had growing up, who instilled not only a competitive spirit but confidence in playing and acceptable conduct on the court.
He mentioned retired Allegan tennis coach Gary Ellis as a mentor.
“Anytime I needed to know anything about tennis, I’d call him and he always had the answer,” Offord said. “I thought the world of him and what he did for that program. I’m trying to do the same thing at Vicksburg.”
Ellis said that Offord “definitely got the kids excited about playing tennis for Vicksburg and enjoying the sport. His kids get better and better during the season.”
The players at Vicksburg and Paw Paw are not the only ones who blossomed under Offord’s coaching.
His son, Warner Offord III, is an assistant to Matt Boven at Mattawan and has been a certified tennis pro for 20 years.
One final run
Offord Jr.’s decision to retire after half a century came at a perfect time, said senior Scarlett Hosner, the Bulldogs’ No. 1 singles player.
“I feel it’s a good ending point because he coached my sister (Josephine, a 2016 grad), too, and he saw me growing up playing tennis,” Hosner said. “It’s like a full-circle moment because it’s my last year and his last year.
“He brings really positive energy. He’s such a nice, fun guy. He makes us enjoy the game, but he can also be serious at times. When we’re not doing what we’re supposed to be doing, he’s like getting on us.”
In retirement, Offord and his wife plan to do some traveling because “we want to enjoy life while we’re young,” he said.
“It’s been a wonderful 50 years coaching tennis, and it’s going to be sad. It hasn’t hit me yet for the boys, and once the girls season is over, then it will probably really hit me.
“I take great pride in seeing my players excel professionally, academically and as an athlete. I feel good knowing I played a part in that person’s success.”
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at pamkzoo@aol.com with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Vicksburg girls tennis coach Warner Offord Jr. talks with his team at the start of this spring season. (2) Offord and son Warner Offord III hold up their Regional championship trophy won for Paw Paw in 2003. (3) Offord hits with his players during practice. (4) Scarlett Hosner headshot. (Current photos by Pam Shebest; 2003 photo courtesy of Warner Offord Jr.)