Did You See That? (April 29-May 5)
May 7, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The resignation of one of Michigan's winningest boys basketball coaches made arguably the biggest headlines during a week that also saw sad news about two more coaches who will be remembered fondly in their respective communities.
But before we get to those, here's also a look at the story of another coach making his way back from a challenging situation:
Good Read of the Week
DeWitt welcomed back by his teams: Last Monday's Holland Calvary vs. Holland Freedom Christian baseball doubleheader at Fifth Third Ballpark was more than just a chance to play some big games on a bigger-than-usual stage. The teams also welcomed coach Lanny DeWitt, who coaches basketball at Calvary and baseball and Freedom Christian and is recovering from a stroke suffered March 20. (Holland Sentinel)
Boys Basketball/Volleyball
Keener leaves for Arizona: Detroit Country Day boys basketball coach Kurt Keener – whose 678 victories are second in MHSAA history only to legendary River Rouge coach Lofton Greene – announced he was leaving Country Day after 35 years Friday to move to Arizona, where he will coach a high school team in Scottsdale. Keener led Country Day this winter to its ninth MHSAA boys hoops title. (Oakland Press)
Mona Shores hires veteran leaders: Muskegon Mona Shores announced Wednesday that it hired former Muskegon Community College athletic director and men’s basketball coach Gene Gifford to take over its boys hoops program, and former Fruitport coach Dan Potts to take over the volleyball program. Potts led Fruitport to the 2005 MHSAA Class B championship. (Muskegon Chronicle)
Girls Basketball
Detroit mourns Knott: The Detroit Public School League and its basketball community are mourning the death of recently-retired Detroit Cody girls hoops coach Charles Knott, who was reportedly shot and killed Tuesday. Knott – hired at Cody in 1988 – was a graduate of Detroit Southeastern and also coached softball during his tenure. (Detroit News)
Softball
D2 powers split: Division 2 No. 4 Coloma and honorable mention Portland split a doubleheader Wednesday. Portland won the first 1-0 before Coloma handed the Raiders their first loss this season, 2-1. (Ionia Sentinel-Standard)
Stevenson surges: Sterling Heights Stevenson moved up to No. 1 in Division 1 this week in part because of a split Saturday against previously top-ranked and now No. 5-Mattawan. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
Boys Golf
Lansing Catholic dominates: The Cougars, keyed by senior Jacob Johnson and junior Brent Marshall, won Friday’s Capital Area Activities Conference Open by nine strokes over East Lansing. The event matches the teams from all four divisions of the CAAC, which currently includes four top 10-ranked teams including Division 2 No. 1 Haslett and Lansing Catholic – which is No. 1 in Division 3. (Lansing State Journal)
Lakeview cards record: Battle Creek Lakeview shot a 290 during the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Association Championships last week at Island Hills Golf Club in Centreville, breaking the previous team record of 295 shot in 2010. Lakeview is ranked No. 5 in Division 1. (Battle Creek Enquirer)
Girls Track and Field
Bark River-Harris reigns in Central U.P.: The Broncos – who finished ninth at last season’s MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 3 Final – clinched their second Central Upper Peninsula Conference title in three seasons Tuesday by edging Rapid River by nine points and Eben Junction Superior Central by 43. Superior Central was runner-up at that MHSAA Division 3 Final last spring. (Escanaba Daily Press)
Boys Track and Field
Algonac tops at Muskrat Classic: Algonac not only won the Division 2 portion of its annual invitational, but scored 100 points to top all of the Division 1 schools as well. (Port Huron Times-Herald)
Baseball
Hessbrook throws third no-hitter: Ithaca’s Logan Hessbrook threw not only his third no-hitter of the season Thursday, but his second straight as the Yellowjackets downed St. Charles 15-0 and then 4-0 in a doubleheader. He had seven strikeouts in seven innings. (Saginaw News)
DCC gains big split: Unranked Detroit Catholic Central earned a 9-8 win over No. 3 Birmingham Brother Rice on Thursday before falling 4-1 in the second game. (Mlive Detroit)
Football
Williams heads to Ypsilanti: Lamanzer Williams – who played at the University of Minnesota and also has served as football coach at Kalamazoo Central and Inkster – has resigned as Holland High football coach after one season to become athletic director at the new Ypsilanti Community High School. (AnnArbor.com)
Grand Rapids mourns Julian: Former Grand Rapids West Catholic and Grand Rapids Community College football coach Fred Julian died Saturday after a battle against prostate cancer. The Detroit Pershing grad taught and coached at West Catholic for 16 seasons and also played professionally for the old American Football League’s New York Titans. (Grand Rapids Press)
Wrestling
Boyer nears end at Pennfield: Larry Boyer, who led Battle Creek Pennfield's wrestling team to a 1992 MHSAA title, will retire from the school after this spring and 36 years including the last 13 as athletic director. He also has coached football and track and field. (Battle Creek Enquirer)
Today in the MHSAA: 11/20/24
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 20, 2024
1. VOLLEYBALL No. 2 Detroit Country Day will play in its first Semifinal after coming back to defeat No. 4 North Branch 3-2 in a Division 2 Quarterfinal – Hometown Life
2. VOLLEYBALL No. 8 St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake earned its first Semifinal trip with a five-set win over No. 10 Concord in Division 4 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
3. VOLLEYBALL Honorable mention Essexville Garber earned its first trip to the Semifinals with a sweep of honorable mention Fruitport in Division 2 – Bay City Times
4. VOLLEYBALL Unranked Hancock moved on to the Division 4 Semifinals with a sweep of Atlanta – Upper Michigan’s Source
5. VOLLEYBALL No. 3 Battle Creek Harper Creek earned a trip just down the road with a Division 2 Quarterfinal win over No. 6 Grand Rapids South Christian in four sets – Battle Creek Enquirer
6. VOLLEYBALL No. 7 Tecumseh will play in its first Semifinal since 2011 after defeating Dearborn Divine Child in four sets in Division 2 – Adrian Daily Telegram
7. VOLLEYBALL No. 4 Bloomfield Hills Marian advanced in Division 1 with a four-set win over No. 7 Utica Eisenhower – Oakland Press
8. VOLLEYBALL No. 2 Northville is headed to Kellogg Arena for the third-straight season after sweeping honorable mention Temperance Bedford – MLIVE-Detroit
9. VOLLEYBALL Top-ranked Clarkston Everest Collegiate continued its Division 4 repeat pursuit with a sweep of No. 9 Ubly – Oakland Press
10. VOLLEYBALL No. 3 Kalamazoo Christian won a repeat Division 3 Quarterfinal matchup, sweeping honorable mention Pewamo-Westphalia – Kalamazoo Gazette
Also of note …
VOLLEYBALL No. 5 Cass City earned a trip to the Division 3 Semifinals with a sweep of Saginaw Valley Lutheran – Saginaw News
VOLLEYBALL Honorable mention Fenton swept Battle Creek Lakeview to advance in Division 1 – WNEM
VOLLEYBALL No. 6 Traverse City St. Francis is headed back to Battle Creek after a 3-1 win over honorable mention Roscommon – Up North Live
VOLLEYBALL No. 6 Rockford advanced in Division 1 with a sweep of honorable mention Traverse City Central – MI Sports Now
VOLLEYBALL No. 2 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart earned a return in Division 4, sweeping Traverse City Christian – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
VOLLEYBALL Top-ranked Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central swept honorable mention Hanover-Horton to advance in Division 3 – Monroe News