Coach of the Year
COUGARS ARE KINGS
COMSTOCK PARK — They’ve been setting records all season. They’ve overcome injuries and disqualifications. And on Saturday, the Lansing Catholic boys track and field team realized a dream — the Division 3 team state championship.
Even before the final scores were announced on the track at Comstock Park High School, Cougars coach Tim Simpson got a cooler of water dumped on his head. He didn’t seem to mind.
“Every one of our guys that ran today has finished second in the state in some other sport,” Simpson said. “Every one of them knows what it’s like to be second, and they all got to win today. It’s the first time we’ve won (a track state title) at our school and we don’t even have a track.”
The Cougars knew they would need strong performances and they got plenty of them.
Senior Dan Liesman took first in the shot put with a throw of more than 54 feet right and helped the Cougars take third in the 400-meter relay.
Cedric Lee overcame a strained hamstring to anchor the Cougars in the 400 and 800 relays.
Bolstered by standout senior leaders Zachary Zingsheim, Matt Macksood, Conner Caporale and Jimmy Hicks, the Cougars also won the 1,600 and 3,200 relays and the 800.
Also, freshman Keenan Rebera took fifth in the 3,200, earning key points for the Cougars.
When it was all over, the Cougars had dominated, finishing with 68 points — well ahead of second-place Union City with 45 and Frankenmuth with 31.
Excerpt from Tim Staudt column 6/17/12
Track team a success: Lansing Catholic’s state championship boys track team numbered 10 runners and eight will compete in some sport in college. Jimmy Hicks will run cross country and track at Georgia; Zach Zingsheim, both sports at Georgetown; Austin Winter will run both at Xavier; Cedric Lee track at Tuskegee; Conner Caporale track at Michigan State; Matt Macksood football at Michigan State, Dan Liesman football at Michigan, the latter two as preferred walk ons; and Joe Marrah will run both sports at Lansing Community College.
