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: 11/11/24

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

November 11, 2024

1. VOLLEYBALL Bay City Western came back after losing the first set to defeat Saginaw Heritage in Division 1 and clinch its first District title in this sport since the final winter season in 2007 – Bay City Times

2. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Allen Park clinched the outright championship in the Downriver League with a victory at the conference meet – Southgate News-Herald

3. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Grosse Pointe South – No. 4 in Lower Peninsula Division 2 – in the Red, Fraser in the White, Clinton Township Chippewa Valley in the Blue, Utica Ford in the Gold and Warren Cousino in the Silver claimed Macomb Area Conference championship meet titles – Macomb Daily

4. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD1 No. 3 Northville cruised to the win at the Kensington Lakes Activities Association meet – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

5. VOLLEYBALL Hancock came back from two sets down to defeat Lake Linden-Hubbell in five in a Division 4 District Final – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

6. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD1 top-ranked Ann Arbor Pioneer won seven individual titles in claiming the Southeastern Conference Red meet championship – Ann Arbor News

7. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Traverse City Tritons claimed their fourth-straight Coastal Conference title – Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. VOLLEYBALL Honorable mention Essexville Garber downed honorable mention Freeland in four sets to earn a Division 2 District title – Bay City Times

9. VOLLEYBALL No. 6 Traverse City St. Francis claimed a Division 3 District Final sweep over No. 7 Elk Rapids – Traverse City Record-Eagle

10. GIRLS SWMMING & DIVING LPD3 No. 8 Chelsea claimed its fourth-straight SEC White championship – Chelsea Sun Times News

Also of note …

GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD2 No. 6 Midland Dow claimed another Saginaw Valley League meet championship – Midland Daily News

GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD1 No. 4 Rockford was first and No. 10 Grand Haven second at the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red meet – Grand Haven Tribune

GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Bay City John Glenn clinched the championship in the Independent Swim Conference – Bay City Times

GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD1 honorable mention Kalamazoo Loy Norrix won the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference meet title – Battle Creek Enquirer

GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD3 honorable mention Allegan edged Sturgis to win the Southwestern & Central Conference meet – Sturgis Journal

GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD3 No. 5 Hudsonville Unity Christian finished first in the O-K Lakeshore, and LPD2 No. 2 Jenison won the O-K White meet – Holland Sentinel