High School
Rifenburg was born in Petoskey, Michigan, and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan before his family moved to Saginaw, Michigan. Rifenburg was a star athlete at Saginaw's Arthur Hill High School in football, basketball, and track and field. In 1943, Michigan canceled boys high school tournaments in all sports due to World War II, and they did not return until the fall of 1944. In 1944, he led Arthur Hill High to the MHSAA Class A high school basketball championship (over Kalamazoo Central High School), scoring 24 points, including 17 in the second half, of the championship game. Rifenburg was also the state champion in 1944 in both the shot put 46 feet 11 inches (14.30 m) and high jump 5 feet 8.5 inches (1.74 m). He also led Arthur Hill in football, and his high school accomplishments are featured in Glory: The history of Saginaw County sports by Jack Tany (ASIN B0006RH9Z6), which is a book on high school sports in Saginaw County, Michigan. Rifenburg was named All State in football, basketball and track.
It is ironic that Rifenburg was born in Petoskey, Michigan in 1926 for several reasons. Ted Petoskey preceded Rifenburg as an All-American end on the University of Michigan football team. Petoskey had excelled as a representative of Saginaw County in MHSAA competition. Petoskey posted significant football accomplishments in 1926 making 1926 a significant year for himself as well. Achieving All-American status as an end at Michigan would be Rifenburg's next step after excelling in MHSAA competition.
Read more about this topic: Dick Rifenburg
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