Hemlock, Rockford Follow 3-Point Success to 1st Titles, Record Book Fame

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 1, 2023

Hemlock and Rockford's drives to their first Girls Basketball Finals championships in March were paced in part by some of the strongest 3-point shooting in MHSAA history.

The Division 1 title-winning Rams connected on 243 3-pointers – third-most all-time – over 29 games in tying the single-season wins record while finishing 28-1. Grace Lyons, a senior this fall, made the single-season individual list with 70 3-pointers.

The Huskies won in Division 3 having connected on 229 3-pointers over 29 games, seventh-most in MHSAA history, on 678 attempts, which ranks 12th on that list. Chloe Watson made the single-season list with 75 3-pointers, and Regan Finkbeiner did as well connecting on 67.

Watson also made the career 3-pointers list with 224 and Finkbeiner with 194, and 2017 Hemlock graduate Samantha Krauss was added for 65 3-pointers as a junior in 2015-16 and 188 for her career. Additionally, past Hemlock standout Karli Herrington was added for her 317 rebounds in 2012-13, and Peyton Apsey was added for 144 steals in 2010-11.

Watson is continuing her career at Mid-Michigan College, and Finkbeiner is playing softball at Madonna. Herrington went on to play at Central Michigan and Northwood, Krauss played at Ferris State and Apsey played at Oakland.

Read on for more recent record book additions for girls basketball:

Girls Basketball

Hudsonville’s Maddie Petroelje joined the list of top 3-point shooters in MHSAA history as a junior in 2021-22, when she connected on 70 (in just 147 attempts) to make the single-season list. She graduated this spring 16th on the career list as well with 226 3-pointers in 512 attempts over 92 games and four seasons. She is continuing at Loyola (Ill.).

Byron Center’s Avery Zeinstra also finished her career among those top 3-point shooters. She also made the single-season list with 70 in 147 attempts as a freshman in 2018-19, and she capped her career in 2021-22 with 206 3-pointers (tied for 20th-most) in 502 attempts over four seasons and 80 career games. She is continuing at Grand Valley State.

Hannah Thompson was best known for her soccer scoring at Schoolcraft. But she’s made a second MHSAA record book for her 15 steals in a Jan. 28, 2022, basketball win over Galesburg-Augusta. She’s continuing her soccer career at Eastern Michigan.

Baraga’s run to the Division 4 Semifinals in 2022 received big boosts from Corina Jahfetson’s 3-point shooting and Reide Osterman’s defense. Jahfetson was added to the record book with 66 3-pointers over 25 games, including nine in a game against Carney Nadeau – when Baraga as a team made the record book with 14 3-pointers total. Osterman made the record book with 153 steals. Jahfetson graduated this spring, and Osterman is playing at Northern Michigan.

Grand Rapids West Michigan Aviation Academy’s Audrey Mileski had one of the busiest games at the free throw line in MHSAA history Dec. 14, 2021. She made 23 free throws – third-most in a single game – against Wyoming Kelloggsville. Mileski graduated this spring.

Sophia Bussell had set Monroe’s single-game 3-pointers record of eight as a freshman two seasons ago, and she bettered it last Dec. 13 by tying for the 10th-most in MHSAA history. She made 10-pointers including the game-winner of a 58-56 victory over Ypsilanti Lincoln. A little less than 10 months earlier, Adrian Lenawee Christian then-senior Kylie Summer also made 10, on 17 attempts, during a 57-34 win over Lansing Christian on Feb. 24, 2022.

Lydia Meredith enjoyed a memorable senior season for Portland St. Patrick in 2021-22, finishing her four-year varsity career with 453 steals over just 80 games. She also was added for drilling 17 free throws in 22 attempts against Fowler. She plays now at Saginaw Valley State.

Gabby Piepho got off to a fast start at Howell as a freshman last season, and at a record-setting pace at the free-throw line. She made 93 of 107 attempts over 25 games, for an .869 percentage that made the single-season list. That included a string of 47 straight free throws that ranks as the second-longest in MHSAA history. As a team, Howell tied for sixth all-time with 301 free throws over 25 games, on 439 attempts.

Kent City’s Lexie Bowers reached the single-season 3-pointers list for the second time last season, connecting on 72 of 233 tries over 26 games (after making 77 as a junior), and finished her four-season varsity career 16th on that 3-pointers list with 225 in 693 attempts over 99 games. She’s continuing her career at Northwood. Kent City as a team also reached the single-season 3-pointers made and attempted lists again, ranking fourth with 753 attempts and tying for eighth all-time by connecting on 202.

Posen then-junior Faith Cousins earned a par of record book entries during 2021-22 for assists. Her 16 in a District Final win on March 4, 2022, remain tied for fifth-most in one game, and she finished with 165 over 22 games for the season. She’s set to begin her softball career at Alma College.

Niles Brandywine went over 20 wins again this past season, finishing 21-3, and again the 3-pointer was a key tool in that pursuit. Brandywine made the record book with back-to-back games of 13 3-pointers to close the regular season, and finished with 175 3-pointers in 592 attempts over 23 games (with one won by forfeit).

Greenville’s Megan Leslie averaged more than two 3-pointers a game during her four-season varsity career, making the record list with 153 total over 76 games through graduation this spring. She’s continuing her career at Alma College.

Successful 3-point shooting played a major role in Saline finishing 21-4 with league and District titles last winter. The Hornets attempted 704 3-pointers – ninth-most all-time for one season – and connected on 191, which is 12th on that list. They made a season-high 14 against Ypsilanti Lincoln on Nov. 29 to make the single-game list.

Marcellus senior Brooklyn VanTilburg enjoyed a big finish to her high school career last winter, making the record book with 16 blocked shots in a game against Centreville and 135 blocks total for the season. She’ll continue at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

Kennedy Gustafson made headlines last winter as a sophomore and earned a pair of record listings for her rebounding. She grabbed 26 in a March 3 District Final win over Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, and she finished with 376 rebounds over 25 games for the season.

PHOTO Hemlock's Regan Finkbeiner, left, follows through on a free throw attempt during last season's Division 3 Final, and Rockford's Grace Lyons launches the game-winning 3-pointer in Division 1.

Aggies' Hodgson Climbs Career Record Lists

June 26, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Dansville senior Caleb Hodgson completed one of the most statistically-stacked careers in state history this winter among the leading rebounders and shot blockers in MHSAA history.

The 6-foot-10 Central Michigan recruit graduated with 10 record book entries, including for 1,192 rebounds (fifth all-time), 374 blocks (fifth), and also 504 free throws (sixth) over 91 games from 2016-19. He also was added for 16 blocks this past season against Potterville, with those blocks tying for third most in one game.

See below for more recent record book additions in boys basketball, girls lacrosse, softball, boys tennis and wrestling.

Boys Basketball

Morrice’s Zach Markell has joined two others with the record for steals in a game, grabbing 14 against Webberville on Dec. 21, 2010. Orioles Griffin Lewis (725 career rebounds, graduating in 2014), Charley Rothney (31 rebounds in a 1972 game) and Jeremy Freed and John Carr (both for 20 points in a quarter, in 2002 and 1966, respectively), also were added to the record book. Lewis went on to play at Olivet College.

Jalal Baydoun finished his Dearborn Edsel Ford career this winter among the most accomplished players in school history and with multiple notable entries in the MHSAA record book. His 178 free throws this past season (in 228 attempts) rank 16th on that list, while his 476 over four seasons rank 11th for a career. His 262 steals are 15th for a career, and he also made the career 3-pointers list with 210.

Ewen-Trout Creek’s Jacob Witt is all over the 8-player football record book for receiving, and now also mentioned four times for basketball rebounding. Witt graduated in 2018 with 1,310 rebounds, the third most in MHSAA history, with a season high of 396 (15th all-time) as a senior. He’s continuing his career at Michigan Tech.

Girls Lacrosse

A pair of Hartland standouts were added after helping their team reach the Division 1 Semifinals in 2018. Then-senior Emily Beazley scored 51 goals that spring and also was added for 81 points that season, 165 career goals and 221 career points from 2015-18. Elena Salazar, then a sophomore, scored seven goals in one game twice, 75 for the season and finished with 113 points total. Beazley plays at University of Detroit Mercy.

Softball

Allen Park’s Kelsi Littleton powered into the record book in 2018 with 15 home runs over 34 games. A junior that season, she finished this spring and will continue at Madonna University.

Boys Tennis

Hudsonville junior Bret Bentley advanced to the semifinals at No. 4 singles at the Lower Peninsula Division 1 Finals last fall before suffering his first and only loss. He was added to the records for 32 wins (with that one defeat) and for winning 32 straight matches.

Wrestling

Monroe standout Carl Antrassian was added as one of the elite to win 200 career matches. He finished his career in 2016 with a record of 200-26, just missing the single-season wins list with a high of 57 as a junior. He finished Division 1 runner-up at 103 pounds as a sophomore and was a three-time Finals placer, and is continuing his career at University of Pennsylvania.

Zach Young finished his Otisville-LakeVille career this winter as the second-winningest wrestler in school history at 196-41. A three-time Finals placer, Young capped this season at 55-3 and by taking third in Division 3 at 130 pounds.

St. Johns’ then-junior Braxton Parks tied the fastest pin in MHSAA history at 171 pounds with his win vs. Owosso on Feb. 7, 2018. By getting the fall in five seconds, he tied Mike Smith’s record while wrestling for Fenton in 2002.

PHOTO: Dansville's Caleb Hodgson finished his high school career among the all-time leading rebounders and shot blockers in MHSAA history. (Photo courtesy of Lansing State Journal.)