2006

On an unseasonably cold day in the spring of 1979, Mason County Central girls track and field coach Gerry Genter thought it would speed things along if the two-mile races for boys and girls were combined in their dual meet with North Muskegon. "Their (athletic director) came up to me and we were talking about doubling up because it was so cold. He said he didn't really want to do that because it w ...Read More...

Joe Kowatch was an outstanding athlete. Born in Ionia, he attended Ionia High School where he participated in football, basketball, baseball and track. He excelled in football as a halfback. Joe's older brother, John, played fullback and his younger brother, Al, was also a halfback. Kowatch attended Michigan State College after graduating from high school in 1929. In 1930, he moved up to the varsi ...Read More...

A two-time all-state basketball player at Ludington High, Mike Larsen set records for the most points scored in a career (1,336) and in a game (45). He also set records for rebounds in a career (1,097), a season (460) and a game (30). Mike led the Orioles to a 19-4 finish and a berth in the Class B state semifinals in 1971. Averaging 23.7 points per game as a junior and 25 as a senior, he earned A ...Read More...

The oldest of three baseball-playing brothers from Free Soil who competed for Central Michigan University, Steve Papes earned All-America honors in 1970, when he was the most valuable player and captain on a 36-4 Chippewa squad. "A great deal of the success we had this season was due to Steve's leadership on and off the field," said his coach, Waldo Sauter. Papes set CMU single-season records for ...Read More...

At 165 pounds, Tim Quinn was well-muscled. At 6-foot-1, he was lean and angular with the kind of physique that would lend itself to any endeavor. Indeed, when he graduated from Ludington High in January 1932, the quick-to-smile, easy-going Quinn was the school's best football player, best basketball player and, oh, yes, its best track runner. His time of 1 minute, 57.2 seconds in the 880-yard run ...Read More...

In the early 1970s when girls' athletics in Michigan were just getting their legs, Free Soil's Helen Shereda was off and flying. With her long arms and legs flapping, she flew like a giant, unstoppable bird across the basketball courts and softball diamonds of West Michigan. At 6-foot, 1 1/2 inches and 150 pounds, she was a dominating force on the inside in basketball. But she was also the best ba ...Read More...

Danielle Drewry earned twelve varsity letters in her four years of high school at Mason County Eastern - one in cross country, three in volleyball, four in basketball and four in track and field. She made the All-Western Michigan D League team in cross country once, in basketball twice, in volleyball twice and in track and field three times. The versatile Drewry was also the recipien ...Read More...

Ludington High School's success in baseball, basketball and soccer over the last four years was due, in no small part, to the contributions of Kyle Gurzynski. He earned three varsity letters in each sport. In baseball, Ludington won three consecutive conference titles and Gurzynski, the starting shortstop and a relief pitcher, was named to the All-Western Waterways team all three years. This sprin ...Read More...