WEST BRANCH — If Craig Funsch was hard on you, chances are you were one of his favorite knuckleheads.

Funsch always pushed, prodded and pleaded to get the most out of his kids.

And more than two decades worth of Whittemore-Prescott students found that Funsch brought out their best.

“He has instilled a drive and passion that has truly affected my life,” former W-P athlete Matt Whetstone wrote on Facebook. “He has been a big part of my life as I have continued my career as an educator and coach. I catch myself using the same phrases, expressions and tough love that he used on myself and many others. His class was one of a kind, (his) coaching was the best, and the memories are unforgettable.”

Funsch, who highlighted his 24-year tenure at Whittemore-Prescott schools by turning the wrestling program into the state’s premier dynasty, died of cancer at his West Branch home on Sunday at the age of 54. He is survived by wife Ruth and children Josh, Courtney and Andrew.

He leaves behind a legacy built upon a hard-nosed, hard-working mentality — and a deep love for the kids he generally referred to as “knuckleheads” that somehow shined through that tough exterior.

“The kids just loved him,” said Sam Harrison, a coaching and teaching colleague at W-P. “He had a rough edge to him and the kids got a lot of tough love from him. But it was part of his personality that the kids liked about him.”

Funsch, who coached wrestling and football at Ogemaw Heights since 2006, stamped his signature on the Whittemore-Prescott wrestling program. He took over a struggling program in 1987 and built it into a powerhouse.

The Cardinals rattled off Division 4 state championships in 1999, 2000 and 2002, part of a phenomenal 12-year stretch that saw them win 11 district and 10 regional championships. Funsch also developed six individual state champions, including three-time champ Adam Cunningham and two-time champs Jeremy Forro and Lloyd Miller.

“He was tough-nosed and the kids who played for him were tough,” Harrison said. “You weren’t going to play for Coach Funsch and play soft. And the kids always seemed to rise to his expectations.”

His sons followed suit while wrestling for the neighboring Ogemaw Heights program, as Josh won a state title in 1999 and Andrew graduated in 2009 as a four-time state qualifier. Both went on to play football at Alma College.

Funsch was also a fixture with the Whittemore-Prescott football program that made three trips to the state final, including the state championship season of 2000, bringing his intensity to the gridiron as well as the wrestling room.

“We ran a camp in Whittemore that was kind of a low-key camp, but he didn’t know what low-key was,” said Alma College football coach Jim Cole. “He was very demanding, but in a positive way. He wouldn’t accept anything but their best. He knew what they were capable of and he drew it out of them.

“He’s the kind of coach who you might be cussing at under your breath. But in the long haul, you love him.”

Funsch fought through his cancer to continue coaching, serving as the Ogemaw Heights defensive coordinator the last three seasons. He helped direct the Falcons to the state semifinals in 2009 and remained an inspirational presence for the team last fall.

“We told the kids from the beginning of the year that we didn’t know how often he would be able to be there, but get what you can from him because you’ll be better off for it,” Ogemaw football coach Andrew Pratley said. “And he managed to make it there almost every day. He fought through the pain to be out there with the kids, and that means a lot.”

Funsch’s impact has been very evident in the Whittemore-Prescott and Ogemaw communities in the last few days. Whittemore-Prescott has canceled school for his funeral, which is set for 11:30 a.m. today at St. Joseph Church in West Branch, and a Facebook page titled “We Love Craig Funsch” that has 859 friends is packed with an outpouring of memories.

“He’s made an impact that will carry on for generations,” Pratley said. “You hope when you leave this world, you leave a mark that carries on. And he certainly has.”