A little over 50 years ago, on March 16, 1967, The Clarkston News ran a full page story featuring the high school career of one Dan Fife, #33. The article, written by Mel Vaara, came after Fife’s final basketball game as a senior, and after Clarkston High School retired his number.
The Wolves did not make the playoffs that year, still Vaara found a positive spin and wrote, “This 17-2 record is the finest record in the history of the school.”
As of Saturday, March 25, 2017 the finest record in the annals of CHS history changed when the local cagers captured the program’s first ever state championship, downing Grand Rapids Christian, 75-69 at the Breslin Center, in East Lansing.
And, while the years, players and coaches have come and gone, one thing is similar to both “finest” seasons — Dan Fife, now Coach Fife.

Coach Fife will undoubtedly scoff at this editorial and rightly give credit for the State Title to his players — after all they played the games and made the shots.
But, right now, for this moment, we thank Coach Fife for his efforts on and off the court.
Your dedication to Clarkston’s youth is greatly appreciated. Your leadership, this year and every year since you took the helm for the varsity basketball program in 1983, has shaped the program into one that is respected throughout the state.
The young men you have coached have learned about winning and losing gracefully. They have learned to respect hard work and dedication.
Since 1983, Coach Fife’s have compiled a 677 win record to 169 losses — which has been well documented lately in both print and broadcast media throughout Southeastern Michigan.
For fun, we thought we’d go back through our archives and share some stats about Coach you might not know.
When he graduated in 1967 then player Fife held the following Clarkston High School Records (and more):

Career Scoring, 1,589 points
Most Points In One Game, 52
Most Points In One Season, 613
Most Free Throws In One Season, 185
Most Points In One Half, 31
Most Points In 4th Quarter, 24

Wrote Vaara in that feature article, “Dan told me in his early years he was a rather superstition person. For instance, in his freshman year, he would take a shower before he left home on Friday and if water dripped in a certain corner of the floor they would lose, but if no water fell in the corner they would win.”
Player Fife received inquires from over 250 colleges and universities. Every Big 10 school (except) Illinois) wrote letters to his parents and school about playing for them. He decided on the University of Michigan.
Dan Fife, player, mentor and coach, thank you for the 50-plus years of memories and dedication to our community. — DPRush

The Wrights haven’t steered us wrong

The Clarkston News also gives a hearty shout out and thank you to Larry Wright. He has helped our staff by providing awesome action photos of this season and previous seasons. He is a parent and athletic booster. His three kids already graduated from Clarkston but he and his wife, Renee Weaver Wright, still go to games.

Thank you, Renee for helping with some photos during semifinals and finals and for giving our reporter Wendi a ride to East Lansing for both semi and final games!

  Dan Fife