Basketball

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...