SPORTSBEAT, BY PETER JAKEY: Misiak steps down as Posen basketball coach

Any future dreams of returning to the Breslin Center will have to go on without head boys basketball coach Ron Misiak, who had a letter of resignation accepted with regret Monday by the Posen Consolidated Schools Board of Education. Blessed with an array of talent, Misiak guided the Vikings to a Class D final four appearance last March, where Posen lost to the eventual state champion Detroit Rogers. While the season didn?t end with a state title, it certainly was an exciting championship run for the Vikings and Misiak will have his place etched in local basketball history. Misiak?s Posen squad was the first to win a regional title in 38 years and the first to finish the regular season undefeated at 20-0. He?s also the coach that accepted the challenge of the players, that if they won all of their regular season games, he would allow them to shave his head.

MISIAK WAS a steady presence for the Posen basketball team, pacing the sideline with his hands on his hips. He wasn?t a yeller, a towel thrower, or a clipboard smasher. Ron didn?t kick the stands or hop up and down. Steve Hentkowski, who served as Misiak?s assistant coach, and also shaved his head after the Vikings defeated Cedarville to complete the 20-0 season, said Misiak had a ?calm attitude.? Hentkowski attributed that to his many years of basketball coaching experience. Steve could only remember one time Misiak raised his voice and that was during a game against Atlanta when the Vikes were down by 10 at halftime. It got the attention of the players as they went on to pull the game out. He also didn?t let his ego get in the way at a critical moment in the 2004-05 season.

Faced with elimination in the quarterfinal game at Lake Superior State University, Misiak listened to his players in the closing seconds with his club down by two against Watersmeet. The players wanted the ball to go to senior Matt Ponik with the game, and season, on the line. Matt banked it in and sent the game into overtime where the Vikings won the contest and advanced to the Breslin. Misiak would push the team, that didn?t need a lot of pushing at times, when he needed to, and pull back when the situation warranted.

?HE WAS A good coach for us,? said Aaron Hincka. The 2004-05 Posen team, which played with a lot of confidence on the floor, were a loose bunch off of it. The guys had a real good time in the spotlight, but there were occasions when Misiak had to pull the reigns in and have the boys get back to the business of winning basketball games. He did that by having them play tough defense. I remember talking with an older fan in the middle of the regular season, who could not remember a basketball team that could shut down opposing offenses like the 2004-05 team. There were runs of 18-1, 17-1, and 15-0 during games The fan said he had never seen anything like that. ?I thought he was a good coach,? said Richie Kroll. ?I like the guy, he was a good time.? There?s a solid group of players returning from last year?s team and now comes the task of finding a replacement. The job of local coach is probably the toughest in a small town. I don?t think the mayor gets as much criticism as the local coach. No sport is tougher than football or boys basketball. The crowds are bigger and passions run hi

IN WAYS, I believe the basketball job is tougher. If someone is unhappy with the coach the disgruntled fan is a lot easier to hear in a gym than they are on a football field, plus it?s easier to corner a coach. A few years ago, I saw a parent corner Misiak to give him a piece of their mind. It?s a tough job, and there is no way to please everyone. After last year?s remarkable run, the new coach will already will have some pressure to win as the Posen fans are hungry for a return trip downstate. The basketball talent remains strong in Posen, so it can be done. Time will tell.

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HURON LINEBACKER Dylan Centala, bum knee and all, led the Rogers City defense against St. Ignace with 10 solo tackles and earns this week?s Stemcook award. In Posen, it was a tough night for the defense, chasing Au Gres players around, but Richie Kroll led the team with six tackles and is the week?s recipient of the Kromel. ?