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#TBT: Marysville Domination Unmatched
August 20, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The Marysville volleyball program built a pair of incredible streaks at the turn of this century, one that was equaled last season – and a second that likely won’t be approached.
Battle Creek St. Philip enters this fall with a chance to break Marysville’s record of eight straight MHSAA championships won from 1997-2004 – the Tigers tied that streak by again winning Class D a year ago. But no team in MHSAA history has come within 90 wins of Marysville’s incredible 192-match winning streak from 1996 into 2000.
The 192-match winning streak also remains fourth nationally – Amherst’s Sweet Home Central won a ridiculous 292 straight matches from 1978-87.
The photos above and below are from the 2000-01 Class B Final, a sweep of Fruitport 15-2, 15-9, that left the Vikings a mere 60-1 on the season after suffering that streak-breaking loss. Four players – Karen Conger with 19, Megan Harrison 15 and Kelly Thomas and Brittny Godlewski with 14 apiece – had double-digit kills in the match, and Thomas also had 22 assists. Marysville faced and defeated Fruitport in three straight Class B Finals from 2001-2003.
This summer, longtime Marysville coach John Knuth was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He led the program from the 1983-84 season through 2007, then came back as co-coach for 2011, and finished with a record of 1,135-84-38 to rank fourth on the MHSAA coaching wins list in his sport.
PHOTOS: (Top) Marysville players celebrate match point against Fruitport in the 2001 MHSAA Class B Final at Western Michigan University. (Middle) Longtime Marysville coach John Knuth remains fourth in MHSAA history for volleyball wins with 1,135.
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Pair of Michigan School Sports' Best Receive National Accolades
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
August 4, 2021
A pair of longtime and significant contributors to school athletics in Michigan have been recognized nationally as the best in their respective fields by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association.
Battle Creek St. Philip volleyball coach Vicky Groat was named national Coach of the Year in her sport, while recently-retired administrator Fred Smith was named national Athletic Director of the Year by the NHSACA.
Both were nominated for the national recognition by the Michigan High School Coaches Association. They received their awards at last week’s NHSACA Annual Conference in Lincoln, Neb.
Groat last season led St. Philip to the Division 4 championship, the program’s 11th Finals title with her as head coach. She ranks sixth in MHSAA history with 1,177 coaching wins (1,177-275-93) over 22 seasons. She also serves as principal and athletic director at her school.
Smith served 38 years total as a teacher, coach and administrator with stops at St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic, Comstock, Buchanan and Benton Harbor before retiring in 2017. He received a Citation from the National Federation of State High School Associations in 2019 for his various contributions not only in Michigan but nationally, especially in athletic director education and development.
Both Groat and Smith, coincidentally, are graduates of Battle Creek St. Philip. Both also have served on the MHSAA Representative Council, including Smith four years as vice president.
Additionally, Temperance Bedford volleyball coach Jodi Manore and longtime Warren De La Salle Collegiate lacrosse coach and athletic director Mike Jolly were inducted into the NHSACA Hall of Fame. Manore is the winningest coach in MHSAA volleyball history and all-time nationally as well with a record of 2,128-369-59 at Bedford from 1980-83 and again from 1990-2020. Jolly led the Pilots lacrosse program to a 215-105 record and also coached football, basketball and baseball.