2017: Year of Record-Setting Kickers
May 4, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Every school year sees its share of MHSAA all-time achievements challenged.
But few have taken the football record book by storm like a trio of talented kickers did this past fall.
Northville senior Jake Moody capped a record-setting four-year career at Northville with 11 record book entries – including an MHSAA all-time best 39 career field goals in 53 tries over 36 games the last four seasons. Ithaca senior kicker Adam Culp capped his career in the fall with 76 more extra points (in 79 tries) to finish with a record 181 career extra points in 198 attempts over three seasons. And Muskegon junior Carlos Hernandez-Sias broke the single season extra point record with 91 makes in 97 attempts in helping the Big Reds to the Division 3 championship.
In addition to his career field goal record, Moody also tied for second-longest field goal with a 58-yarder against Grand Blanc on Sept. 29, and had 57 and 55-yarders as well to make the top six on that list. His four field goals in a Sept. 22 game against Plymouth are tied for second most in one game, and his 14 as a junior are tied for seventh most in a season. He also made the career extra point list with 105 in 113 tries, including 33 straight over the end of his junior season and beginning of his senior campaign. Moody will continue as a preferred walk-on at University of Michigan with the opportunity to earn a scholarship.
Culp, who came up to varsity for part of his freshman season and took over the kicking the following fall, also made the career field goal list with 20. He handled the kicking in Ithaca’s 2015 Division 6 championship win and last season’s runner-up finish, and intends to walk on at Michigan as well.
See below for more recent additions to the MHSAA football record book, and click on the heading to check out the records in full.
Football
Tariq Reid finished a four-year varsity career at Burton Atherton (two seasons) and then Davison with 5,775 rushing yards, 12th most in MHSAA history. His 74 career rushing touchdowns rank 11th, and he also made lists for overall season (37 in 2016) and career touchdowns (76) and season (222 in 2016) and career points (480). Reid will continue his career at Grand Valley State University.
Quarterback Michael Lynn III was added for 333 career completions, 584 career attempts and 5,207 career passing yards while at Lansing Catholic the last two seasons and Lansing Sexton in 2014 and 2015. He will continue his career at Concordia University-Ann Arbor. Lansing Catholic as a team was added for a number of performances, notably for allowing only two first downs in a game twice and a low of 79 first downs during the 1983 season and for gaining 6,172 total yards with 85 touchdowns in 2011. Also, Pat Dean was added for a 71-yard punt against Charlotte in 2001, Dave Ghannon was added for a 98-yard kickoff return in 1998 versus Jackson Northwest and Larry Bauer was added for his 100-yard interception return for Lansing St. Mary against Nashville in 1962. Dean went on to play baseball at Eastern Michigan University.
Tommy Schuster threw 26 touchdown passes in leading Clinton Township Chippewa Valley to a 10-2 record this past fall. A junior, he completed 62.5 percent of his passes total for 1,925 yards.
Three high-scoring Canton players from the last 15 seasons were entered into the records, including a pair of impressive running backs. Deshon McClendon scored 204 points on 34 touchdowns in 2005 to make the single-season scoring list, and Markus Sanders had 2,495 yards rushing in 2015 and 6,197 yards with 70 touchdowns over his career stretching 2014-16. Colin O’Shaughnessey, who also played linebacker, made the records with 61 extra points in 62 tries in 2005 and 154 extra points in 166 attempts from 2004-06. McClendon went on to play at St. Joseph’s College (Ind.).
Tre’von Avery and London Hardy were added for tying the longest pass play in MHSAA history, as Avery tossed a 99-yard touchdown pass to Hardy in Grand Blanc’s 61-14 win over Highland Milford on Sept. 12, 2014. Avery went on to play at Wayne State University.
A number of top passers from Holland Christian’s frequently potent offense were added for accomplishments over the last decade. Hayden Bakker, Wilson Wirebaugh, Caleb VanderLugt and A.J. Westendorp were added in various categories, the most recent accomplishments being junior Wirebaugh’s five touchdown passes in a half last fall against Ada Forest Hills Eastern and also against Hudsonville Unity Christian, when he tossed all five during the second quarter. Holland Christian also became the first to be listed for touchdowns in a game, with 12 against Wyoming Rogers in 2008, and was added for multiple games with at least 600 total yards and 6,196 total yards and 91 total touchdowns for the 2008 season. Bakker is playing at Albion College, VanderLugt went on to Adrian College and Westendorp played at Central Michigan University.
North Farmington’s Dylan Gordon was added for tying the longest rushing play in MHSAA history with his 99-yarder against Greenville last Aug. 26. Gordon was a senior this past season.
Senior Riley Johnson helped lead Coopersville to a 6-4 finish and back to the playoffs for the first time since 2008 last fall, throwing for 2,162 yards. That total made the MHSAA records, as did his 169 completions and 302 attempts. Senior Connor Hilton was his top target and made the single-season receptions list with 65.
Ithaca teammate Joey Bentley was added for 2,145 yards and 31 touchdowns passing, and he made career lists with 4,272 yards and 51 TDs through the air. As a team, Ithaca extended its regular-season winning streak to 73 straight since 2009, and its 643 points this fall ranked on the single-season scoring list. Bentley will continue his career at Hillsdale College.
In addition to Hernandez’ extra point record, Muskegon's Demetrio Lopez was added for making 72 extra points in 78 tries in 2016. Quarterback La’darius Jefferson made the rushing touchdowns list with 33 in 2017, and junior Ali’Vonta Wallace was added for 26 tackles for loss. Jefferson will continue his career this fall at Michigan State and Lopez plays soccer at Muskegon Community College. Muskegon as a team also was added for 6,325 yards and 96 total touchdowns this past fall including 5,120 yards and 75 scores running the ball, and 681 points scored (48.6 per game) while gaining 5,689 yards and scoring 89 touchdowns in 2016. Three times over the last two seasons the Big Reds ran for a record eight touchdowns in one game, and they also own the record for twice giving up only one first down in games, doing so both times last season. Muskegon remains the winningest football program in MHSAA history at 833-278-43.
PHOTOS: (Top) Northville’s Jake Moody follows through on a kick last season. (Middle) Ithaca’s Adam Culp, left, and Muskegon’s Carlos Hernandez-Sias were part of Ford Field trips for their respective teams. (Top photo courtesy of the Moody family.)
Lancers Creuse with Record Hitting
August 17, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A pair of powerful hitters led Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse into the MHSAA softball record book this spring in a number of offensive categories – and with a junior slugger is on the verge of another milestone with a season to play.
As a team, the Lancers had 384 hits, 79 doubles, 49 home runs and 274 RBI over 37 games – the home runs tied for third most all-time. Junior Brooke Nadolny continued her chase of MHSAA single-season and career home run records – her 26 homers this season tied 26 by Schoolcraft’s Lydia Goble, also this spring, to set the single-season record, and Nadolny’s three homers in consecutive at bats against Grosse Pointe South on April 26 tied for third on that list. She’s up to 54 home runs after her first three seasons and will enter next spring needing just one more to tie the career record in that category.
Meanwhile, senior teammate Sammi Mills – who will continue her career next season at Central Michigan University – was added for 227 career hits, 20 doubles this season and 61 for career, and 22 career home runs.
Nadolny also ranks on the career doubles list with 39 and was added for 15 strikeouts pitching in a five-inning game against Roseville on June 1. Sophomore Cynthia Galvan was added for back-to-back home runs in her final at bat against Roseville and first against St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, both June 1, and Abby Rusek, a 2015 graduate, was added for 19 doubles in 2014.
Click to see the softball record book in full, and read on for more recent record book additions in girls and boys basketball, football, boys lacrosse, boys soccer and volleyball.
Girls Basketball
Grand Haven’s run to consecutive Class A championships in 2012 and 2013 were part of an overall three-season run of 81-2 – made possible by a talented roster including a pair of record-smashing standouts. Abby Cole was a Miss Basketball Award finalist as a senior in 2013 and graduated with 11 entries among the individual record book lists – her 17 blocks in a 2012-13 game against Holland Christian are tied for fourth most in a game, her 233 that season rank third on that list and her 536 over four seasons (but playing only three varsity games as a freshman) are fifth most for a career. Alex Law, a four-season player who finished in 2012, earned entries for 65 3-pointers as a senior, 207 for her career, an .882 free-throw percentage (tied for seventh highest) as a sophomore and a career .845 (third highest) free-throw percentage over 98 games. Cole went on to play volleyball at University of Michigan, and Law played basketball at Davenport University. As a team, Grand Haven owns the eighth-longest winning streak of all-time at 57 games, from Dec. 30, 2011, through Jan. 3, 2014.
Boys Basketball
Indian River Inland Lakes clinched a Class C District title on March 9 with a 70-60 victory over Harbor Springs – aided by making 35 of 39 free-throw attempts. Those 35 free throws made rank 15th for most by one team in a single game.
Malik Ellison gave the crowd at Flint Beecher one more thrill in his final home game Feb. 28, 2017, setting a Flint-area record with 63 points in a 108-104 loss to New Haven. Ellison’s total is tied for 14th on the single-game scoring list. He plays now at Eastern Michigan University.
Football
Grosse Pointe South kicker Cameron Shook contributed to an all-state campaign last season with a 54-yard field goal Aug. 31 against Utica. He is continuing his football career this fall for Navy.
Boys Lacrosse
Tecumseh’s first trip to the MHSAA Quarterfinals – and a 20-1 record – understandably were keyed by a number of contributors offensively and in goal. The Indians set an MHSAA team record with 366 goals as Dylan Day scored 104, second all-time, with his 163 total points ranking third. Senior Drake Ringer had 125 points, 11th most all-time, including 72 assists (second) with a record 11 assists in a win over Temperance Bedford on May 14. Dylan Day’s 59 assists rank sixth and freshman Blake Day’s 54 assists sit 10th on that single-season list. With a season to play, Day sits second on the career lists for goals (252) and overall points (383). Junior goalie Kobe Jennings also added to his list of record book entries, including with four more shutouts to tie his record set in 2017. His eight career shutouts over two seasons also is a record.
Brothers Garnet Potter and Reece Potter led Hartland’s offensive efforts the last two seasons in record book fashion. Garnet was added for 64 goals and 97 points as a senior in 2017, and Reese was added for 57 assists and 115 points this spring as a junior in addition to 80 points in 2017 as a sophomore. Reece’s assists this spring rank seventh all-time. Hartland scored 317 goals in 2018 and 337 in 2017.
Then-senior Joey Billette scored a career-high nine goals April 16, 2015, in Bay City Western’s 14-2 win over Saginaw Heritage. That total remains tied for seventh on the single-game scoring list.
Boys Soccer
Aidan Day set an Alpena record and made the MHSAA list as well with six goals (and an assist) in his team’s 8-0 win over Oscoda last Aug. 28. Day is a senior this fall.
Volleyball
Kayla Sauers’ back-to-back record-book setting performances helped Lake Odessa Lakewood into the Class B championship match last November. Sauers, then a senior, had 60 assists in a five-game Quarterfinal match win over Niles – those 60 tied for 10th most in a match since the start of rally scoring in 2004-05. She then followed with 47 assists in a four-game Semifinal win over Livonia Ladywood. She’s continuing her career at Cornerstone University.
PHOTO: L’Anse Creuse’s Sammi Mills begins her move toward the plate. (Photo courtesy of C&G Newspapers.)