Editorial: Lancer wrestling coach has date with state history

Published 12:39 pm Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009

Tonight, Lakeshore coach Bruce Bittenbender will step into the history books.

The veteran Lancer wrestling coach will become the all-time winningest wrestling coach in state history with a victory over arch rival St. Joseph.

Bittenbender is a legend in the wrestling world. He is both revered and reviled by fans and foes alike.

But one thing neither side can deny is that the man can flat out coach wrestling.

Lakeshore’s program has been the yardstick to which all other southwest Michigan programs measure themselves.

He came to the area from Pennsylvania and began his career as an assistant coach at South Haven.

He took over the reins of the Lakeshore program back in 1971.

Bittenbender has coached multiple individual state champions, but that team championship has been elusive.

His teams have been ranked No. 1 more than a few times and his squads are always well prepared and aggressive.

Above all that, he is an advocate of wrestling.

To prove a point, back in the late 1980s, Lakeshore lost to Dowagiac in the regional finals.
It was more like a war than a wrestling match.

The Chieftains and Lancers were bitter enemies on the mat and both teams were at the top of their game.

It was the first year Michigan had a team tournament and Lakeshore knew if it got past Dowagiac it would advance to the state finals in Battle Creek for a shot at a championship.

More than a few egos were bruised on that night.

But despite the fact that Dowagiac had defeated Lakeshore, Bittenbender, along with his son, were at the quarterfinal match the following week and rooting for the Chieftains against their opponent.

You couldn’t tell that Bittenbender was from Lakeshore as he cheered for Dowagiac throughout the match.

A conference foe’s fortunes were more important to him than whether or not his squad was victorious the previous week.

With that in mind, we wish Bittenbender much success tonight and congratulate him on becoming the state’s all-time winningest coach.