2005

Jeff Barnett was the first area athlete to earn All-State honors in three sports: basketball, cross country and track. His performance in the 1986 Class C State Track and Field Finals at Bangor has never been equaled, let alone surpassed. On an unseasonably warm day, Barnett won the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter races and was the anchorman on the winning 3,200-meter relay team for Mason County Cent ...Read More...

Free Soil was a small community, but the success of its basketball program under the tutelage of Max Carey was large. In Carey's 26 years as their coach, the Pirates won or shared 15 Western Michigan D League championships, 11 Class D district titles and five regional championships. His record in the state quarterfinals was 3-1 and his overall record was 476-177. His 1961 and 1971 Free Soil teams ...Read More...

George Michael Hankwitz made his mark in athletics as a participant at Mason County Central High School, as a member of the University of Michigan's football team and as a long-time assistant college football coach. In his 40 years of coaching, his teams have recorded 34 winning seasons. He has also coached in 25 bowl games, including every major New Year's Day bowl game including the Rose, Sugar, ...Read More...

As she enters the Mason County Sports Hall of Fame, Maria (Shoup) Holbrook has won more individual track and field state championships, ten, than any other female in Michigan. A 1981 Mason County Eastern High School graduate, Maria's high school career accomplishments went like this: 1978 - Won the 880-yard run in a state record time of 2 minutes, 20.1 seconds; won the 440 in 58.7 1979 - Won the 8 ...Read More...

Growing up in Ludington, Luke went with his mother, Patricia, to East Grand Rapids, where he became a state champion tennis player during his high school years. He attended the University of Southern California and was an All-American in singles and doubles. During his playing career he was known as "Dual Hand Luke" for his ability to serve with either hand. Known for his competitiveness and tough ...Read More...

Ludington High became the first team in Mason County to reach the state finals in basketball. With Pete Tillotson at center, Joe Kowatch coached the Orioles to a 21-2 record and a state runner-up finish in 1952. In 1953, the Orioles were 18-4 and a state semifinalist. Tillotson was the Orioles' leading scorer and an all-stater in both seasons. At Ludington, the 6 foot 6 inch tall Tillotson set the ...Read More...

Taryn Ezdebski, a Ludington High School graduate, lettered three times in three sports: basketball, volleyball and soccer. She was a key member of the basketball team which advanced to the Class B state semifinals for the first time ever and compiled a best-ever record of 24 wins against three losses. Ezdebski started at guard. In soccer, she was a starter on defense and the Orioles were 17-8-1, a ...Read More...

Mason County Central's football team was 7-4 in 2004 and advanced to the Division V district finals for the first time, due in large part to the quarterbacking of Matt Flutur. The senior athlete of the year at MCC, Flutur played football for four years, basketball for four years, baseball for one year and track and field for three years. He won his school's "Mr. Spartan" Award in basketball and fo ...Read More...