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Bubacz Sets Whiteford Up for Success

October 22, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Ottawa Lake-Whiteford senior Jessica Bubacz has helped the Bobcats to three straight Tri-County Conference championships and 41 straight league victories, after Whiteford’s wins Tuesday against Clinton.

This fall has been a continuation of her strong play as a junior that sees her now listed in the MHSAA record book in two assists categories – including as the co-record holder for assists in a match.

Bubacz had 65 assists in a 3-2 win over Clinton on Oct. 22, 2013, good to tie for the single-match record during the rally scoring era, which began during the 2004-05 season. She finished 2013 with 1,460 assists, fourth-most for one season since the start of rally scoring.

She’s continued with 810 assists over 86 games so far this fall, an average of 9.4 per game. She had 80 assists over seven sets Tuesday. Whiteford, a Class C team, is 29-7-1 overall.

For more on Whiteford and all things Tri-County Conference, click for the league’s blog by historian and journalist Doug Donnelly. Also, click to view the MHSAA volleyball record book in full, and see more recent submissions to other sports’ listings below (click each sport heading for that record book).  

Girls Basketball

  • Madison Heights Bishop Foley coach Dave Joseph has joined the list of coaches with at least 300 victories, with a 322-271 record dating to 1987. He coached at Pontiac and Oakland Catholic from 1987-93, then at Pontiac Notre Dame Prep from 1994-2003 and has coached Bishop Foley since 2005, including to a 15-9 finish in 2013-14.

Football

  • Don Robinson capped Genesee’s 1983 season and his three-year varsity career with three touchdowns in a 33-19 win over Flint Academy. His final score came on a 95-yard kickoff return, one of now 11 of that distance or longer listed in the MHSAA football records.

  • Brendon Fitch put up “video-game numbers” as the Flint Journal reported Sept. 14, 2013, of his previous evening’s performance. Fitch threw for a then-record 603 yards, completing 26 of 41 passes, as Swartz Creek edged Flint Kearsley 77-61. Six of those completions went for touchdowns. Fitch died unexpectedly Dec. 10.

  • Dylan Walker and Jeff Mainhardt entered the record book at the end of September as one of six pairs on record to complete a 99-yard pass – Walker to Mainhardt for a touchdown in Fraser’s 42-25 win over New Baltimore Anchor Bay. Walker threw for 242 yards for the game.

Boys Lacrosse

  • Jason Alessi’s senior season was one of the finest in the MHSAA’s decade-long history of boys lacrosse. The Birmingham Brother Rice standout finished with 85 goals – tied for third most in MHSAA history for one season – to go with 46 assists, and his 131 points rank third for one season. Also a standout kicker and defensive back during the fall, Alessi is playing his first season of football at Yale University.

Softball

  • Wayland’s run to the Division 2 Semifinals this spring featured outstanding performances from a number of contributors – including one of the best run-producers in MHSAA history. Shortstop Sierra Mutschler not only scored 71 runs (tied for ninth for one season) but drove in 86, fourth most for one season. Her 81 hits also were ninth-most in that category. She finished her four-year varsity career with 229 RBI, second-most all-time, 184 runs, 51 doubles and 30 home runs (tied for 14th). Teammate Britt McLain scored 80 runs this season, second-most in MHSAA history, and Mallory Teunissen made the season pitching wins list with 35. Other Wayland standouts past and present added to record lists included Autumn Anderson, Samantha Merren, Macy Merchant, Hailey Houck, Abby Phillips, Nina DeCesare, Becca Phillips, Kaitlin Graczyk and Heidi Warmelink, whose 78 shutouts from 2007-10 tied for fifth-most on that list.

  • Hudsonville Unity Christian’s Madeline DeGroot had a game for the record books – literally – against Byron Center on May 1. She hit three home runs, including a pair in consecutive at bats, and drove in seven runs total in her team’s 14-6 victory. The team’s leadoff hitter, she also had a single to finish 4 for 4.



Boys Tennis

  • Kalamazoo Loy Norrix’s Jake Gumbleton didn’t lose a match over his final three seasons before graduating this spring, an MHSAA-record string of 84 straight wins. He played No. 2 singles almost exclusively and finished with a 96-4 high school career record, slotting again last season in the second spot behind eventual Mr. Tennis winner Davis Crocker. The previous consecutive wins record was 80.

Wrestling

  • Longtime Gaylord coach Jeff LaJoie has been added to the growing list of wrestling coaches with at least 500 match wins. LaJoie, who took over the program for 1993-94, took a season off and then returned for 1995-96, has a 519-125-2 record after leading Gaylord to a 30-2 finish last winter.

PHOTO: Ottawa Lake Whiteford's Jessica Bubacz (10) finishes a block during her team's victories Tuesday against Clinton. (Photo courtesy of Tri-County Conference blog by Doug Donnelly.)

St. Ignace Star Wright on Target

July 10, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Kelley Wright played in 107 games for the St. Ignace varsity girls basketball team. She was part of 102 wins.

Those games played rank second in MHSAA girls hoops history, and the wins are first, adding to a number of accomplishments by the recently-graduated Saints star.

Wright also amassed two of the highest single-season steals totals (169 and 175) in MHSAA history and finished second with a career total of 557.

See more of the recent additions to the MHSAA record books and click on each heading below to view all of the listings for that sport.

Girls Basketball

  • Sarah Addy was a dangerous long-range shooter during her four-year varsity career for Saginaw Swan Valley, which came to an end this winter. She made 198 3-pointers over her four varsity seasons, good for 10th-most in MHSAA history. Of her 816 career points in 82 games, 594 points came on 3-pointers. She made more than 50 every season but her sophomore year.

  • A number of other entries from St. Ignace’s successful history were added; others noted were Barb LaTour, Krista Clement, Nicole Emblad, Michelle LeCount, Kristie Garcia and coach Dorene Ingalls.

Boys Basketball

  • Benzonia Benzie Central's Aaron Whaley made the blocked shots season list with 103 this winter, including 14 in a game Jan. 9 against Kingsley. The 6-foot-3 junior also averaged 6.4 points and seven rebounds per game.

  • A number of entries also were added for St. Ignace boys basketball, including multiple for Gerrit Mortenson (3-pointers and steals from 2007-10) and Gage Kreski (free throws and steals from 2011-14). Others noted were Adam Matelski, John McKinnon, Leo Donovan, Steve MacDonald and Curtis St. Louis.

Boys Lacrosse

  • Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood’s Matthew Giampetroni rewrote the MHSAA record book during his four-year career ending this spring. He finished with career bests of 276 goals, 179 assists and 455 points, and also set the single-season goals record with 99 this year. A number of additional entries were added for teammate Taylor Ghesquiere and former standouts Andrew Miller, Drew Leitch and Christopher Brown. Giampetroni will play next season at Duke University.

  • Similarly, Bloomfield Hills goalkeeper Hunter Stephans took over his position's categories in the record book with a season-best 268 saves as a sophomore and 719 during his three-year varsity career.

  • Haslett/Williamston’s Noah Taylor graduated this spring with a number of entries. He tied the record for assists in one game with nine against East Lansing on May 8, and also made the career goals list with 174, season assists list with 44 and the career assists list with 119 from 2011-14. He owns season points listings with 82 and 102 and made the career list with 293. Teammate Connor Westerlund made the season saves list for goalkeeping with 182 this spring.

Girls Soccer

  • Portland didn’t have much offensive success in its 7-0 Division 3 District loss to Williamston on May 27. But Raiders keeper Jordyn Spitzley finished with one of the highest save totals in MHSAA history. Spitzley made 35 saves, good for third all-time for one game.

Softball

  • Bullock Creek’s Maison Kalina became the 14th player to hit home runs in three consecutive at bats in one game, May 9 against Freeland. (The feat has been accomplished 15 times, twice by the same player.) Kalina singled in the first inning of a 10-7 win, flew out to left field in her second-inning at bat, and then drilled home runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings.

Wrestling

  • A number of Allegan’s recent achievements were added, including the season and career records for notables over the last decade. Among those noted were Kyle Simaz (242-8 from 2011-14), Taylor Simaz (241-17 from 2009-12), John Rizqallah (230-28 from 2007-10), Steve Poffenberger (228-29 from 2006-09), Matt Smith (222-39 from 2007-10), Austin Kelley (201-35 from 2010-13) and Andy Krcatovich (194-44 from 2005-08). Kyle Simaz’ career takedown total of 923 moved to the top of that list, and Poffenberger’s 791 ranks third. Tyler Caron, Dan Stamm, Stosh Mintek and coach Murray Rose were among others added in other categories.

PHOTO: St. Ignace’s Kelley Wright pushes the ball upcourt against Saginaw Nouvel this season at the Breslin Center.