MCSHOF Inductee

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...