Lakeshore High School is proud to induct two Lancer athletes and one coach as the Class of 2019 into the Lakeshore Athletics Hall of Fame at halftime of the football game on Friday September 13, 2019.
Bruce Bittenbender has been a staple on the Lakeshore sidelines for 49 years. Entering his 50th season coaching the Lancer wrestling program, Bittenbender is the first active coach to enter the hall of fame. Coach Bittenbender holds the Michigan state record for dual meet victories at 920 which is also second nationally. He has coached 104 individual state placers and 21 individual state champions. His teams have captured 30 conference championships (nine of those in the SMAC), 102 invitational championships, 26 district championships, 11 regional championships, and finished in the top ten in the state 21 times. His 1986 and 1994 teams finished as the Class B State Runners Up. The 1976, 1978, 1984, and 1986 teams went undefeated in dual meets. Bittenbender is an 11 time MHSAA regional coach of the year, was the Michigan High School Wrestling Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2002, the National High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2010 and was a finalist in 2007, inducted into the Michigan High School Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2011, the Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Milligan College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017.
Jason Frank, a 1993 graduate, was a two year letter winner on the Lancer soccer team. He was named Lakeland Conference first team in both 1991, 1992. Frank was named first team all state in both 1991, 1992. He set and still holds the Lakeshore career goals scored record at 70 and the single season goals scored record at 37. Frank led the Lancers to a Class B State Championship Game appearance in 1991 where they would finish as the State Runner Up. In the district final Frank scored the game winner in double overtime to defeat #3 Mattawan. Frank scored both goals for the Lancers including sending the game to overtime with his goal in the 65th minute. Frank graduated from Grand Valley State University in 1997. According to former Lancer soccer coach Paul Carteaux, “Jason’s leadership on and off the field was always exemplary and he has earned a special place in LHS soccer history.”
Scott Gelander, a 1982 graduate, was an 8 time varsity letter winner for the Lancers. Gelander won three letters each in basketball and baseball and is a two time letter winner in football. In basketball, Gelander was named second team all Blossomland Conference as a junior and first team all Blossomland Conference as a senior. He captured first team all state honors as a senior. Gelander set a career high with 38 points in a victory over St. Joe. He made the game winning free throw with no time remaining to defeat St. Joe and capture the district championship. In the quarterfinal vs. Muskegon Heights, Gelander would score a game high 21 points to lead the Lancers to a birth in the MHSAA Final 4. In baseball, Gelander was selected first team all Blossomland Conference his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. In his sophomore season, he hit a walk off home run to lead Lakeshore to the conference championship. According to former Lancer baseball coach Dave Turley, “Scott was one of the competitive players I had been around. He was a “gamer” in every sense of the word, not shying away from the challenge. Scott was not a rah-rah kind of guy, but rather led by example with a quiet intensity to succeed. His selection to the Lakeshore Athletics Hall of Fame is well deserved.” In football, Gelander was named first team all Blossomland Conference in his senior season. Gelander continued his basketball career at Hope College where he was a member of three MIAA Conference Championship teams, named second team all conference in 1986 and was a team captain his senior season before his graduation in 1986.
*Photos courtesy of Lakeshore High School
