Addison Slugger Ties Home Run Record

August 24, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Erika Underwood finished a four-season career at Addison this spring that placed her among the MHSAA’s high achievers in a number of statistical categories – and tops in one of the most notable.

Underwood slugged 49 home runs during her career, tying her for the most in MHSAA history with 2010 Belding graduate Taylor Johnson.

Total, Underwood appears in the MHSAA softball records 17 times – additional notables include sixth with a career batting average of .595, 10th with 222 career runs, tied for eighth for single-season triples with 14 in 2012, fifth with 34 career triples and tied for third for single-season home runs with 17 in 2013. A first baseman, she’ll continue her career this fall at Central Michigan University.

Read on for more of the latest additions to the MHSAA record books, and click on each heading to see the complete record listings for that sport.

Baseball

  • Flushing’s Christopher Triplett didn’t make MHSAA single-season records lists over his four-year career that ended this spring. But over those four seasons he built totals that made career lists in three categories – with 170 runs, 100 walks and 128 stolen bases. The steals rank 10th all-time. An infielder, he’ll continue his career at Spring Arbor University.

Girls Basketball

  • Karina Cole became Lincoln Alcona’s all-time leading scorer during her varsity career that ended in 2014, and along the way notched an accomplishment that made the MHSAA records as well. She connected on 72 of 81 free-throw attempts as a junior during the 2012-13 season, with that 88.9 percent success rate ranking fifth-highest for one season. She played last winter at Alpena Community College.

Football

  • Corey Willis missed his senior season of 2012 with a knee injury – but accomplished plenty as a sophomore and junior. Willis found his way into the record book four times with 2,412 yards and 33 touchdowns rushing, plus 208 points total, as a junior. He also is listed for a 95-yard kickoff return against Greenville in 2010 as a sophomore. A quarterback and running back in high school, Willis is a receiver at Central Michigan University.
  • Livonia Churchill enjoyed three playoff appearances in four seasons with spring graduate Brian Alsobrooks on the roster, and he solidified his name in the MHSAA records with eight listings as a kicker and quarterback. He made the single-season extra points list twice with 50 and 52 and booted the seventh-most for a varsity career, 142 in 34 games after taking over that duty with three games left in his freshman season of 2011. His streak of 82 straight extra points from October 2012 into October 2014 ranks fifth, and he also made the career field goals list with 19. Alsobrooks also made the records with 26 completions and 474 yards in a 2013 49-40 loss to Westland John Glenn, and after throwing for 2,258 yards in 11 games as a senior. He’s beginning his college career this fall at Eastern Michigan University.
  • Aaron Steedman capped Linden’s 53-7 win over Flint Kearsley last October with a 100-yard fumble return for a touchdown on the final play of the game. Steedman is one of four in the MHSAA record book with a fumble return TD the length of the field.
  • Longtime Muskegon Catholic Central coach Mike Holmes was added to the list of those who have led teams to at least 200 wins. Holmes’ built a career record of 212-75-1 in 25 seasons, all at MCC, and led the Crusaders to six MHSAA championships, the last in 2008. He retired after the 2012 season.
  • DeWitt’s powerful offense resulted in a number of entries from the last three seasons. Quarterback Jacob Johnson finished his career last fall with 52 touchdown passes over parts of three seasons, and after making the record lists with 2,039 passing yards and 31 TDs as a junior in 2013. Joshua Borta was a key receiver that season, when he made the record list with 16 touchdown catches, and Ryan Anderson was the team’s top target in 2012 with 80 catches, 1,221 yards and 16 TDs – and he also made the career catches list with 101 over two seasons. Christopher Ruby was added for 231 receiving yards on six receptions in a win over Owosso in 2013. Two specialists also made the records – Matthew Meagher with a 78-yard punt against Tecumseh last season, and kicker Cameron West with 153 extra points in 163 attempts from 2011-13. The team’s 45-44 win over Linden in 2012 was added to the team records as one of six to go at least six overtimes. Johnson is beginning his college career this fall at Central Michigan University, while Anderson plays for Olivet College and West played last season for Northern Michigan University.

Boys Lacrosse

  • Grant Lardieri put the final touches on a four-season varsity career that put him atop the all-time career saves list with 901, with 244 this spring – which were good for second-most in one season. He also added games of 27 and 20 saves to give him 10 entries total in the MHSAA records. Teammate Peter Fisk was added three times, with games of eight and seven goals and 67 total for the season, and Bob Pelton made the single-game assists list for the third time, with five against Holland West Ottawa on May 26. All three graduated this spring and will play at the next level – Pelton at Marquette University, Fisk at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and Lardieri at Massachusetts-Lowell.

Softball

  • A pair of Mount Pleasant hitters were added, Megan Kramer with 17 doubles and Hannah Carson for 17 triples – Carson tying for third most in one season. A freshman this spring, she’s already committed to play collegiately for the University of Michigan.

PHOTO: Addison’s Erika Underwood rounds third base; she finished her high school career with 17 record book listings. (Photo courtesy of Addison High School.)

Brothers Shine as Baseball Aces

April 2, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Remus Chippewa Hills baseball was in good hands over the last six seasons – those of brothers Erik and Jake Tarbell.

The pair combined to go 76-15 on the mound with 774 strikeouts from the start of Erik’s career in 2008 to the close of Jake’s last spring.

Total, Erik Tarbell finished 37-7 with a 1.68 ERA and 371 strikeouts from 2008-11, while Jake Tarbell finished 39-8 with a 1.61 ERA and 403 strikeouts from 2010-13. Erik now plays for NAIA Union College in Kentucky, while Jake is beginning his first season with Delta College.

Their career marks plus a pair of individual accomplishments were among those added to MHSAA record book listings Wednesday. Read on for more, including some top softball hitters, a 2,000-point basketball scorer, and another who frequently found the goal – with a soccer ball.  

Baseball

  • Saline’s three straight Division 1 runner-up seasons from 2008-10 included a number of strong performances from three-year varsity players Mark Weist and Al Zeiher. Weist in 2010 tied for the second-most hits in one season, with 78, and eighth-most doubles with 22. He also hit eight triples and .595 for the spring, finishing his career with a .492 average – to make record listings for all five categories. Zeiher pitched to a 0.45 ERA that season and 1.01 ERA over his three – his career ERA ranks ninth on that list. Saline as a team hit 93 doubles (tied for sixth), 22 triples (second) and carried a .385 average. Also, Gage Hammond was added to the record book for his nine triples in 2012.
  • A trio of Gobles standouts finished their careers in 2013 with totals that made the MHSAA record lists. Seth Johnson finished his four-year varsity run with a .488 career average, 164 runs, 45 doubles, 25 home runs and 167 RBI. Teammate Cam Hansen also made the career runs list with 167, and Ty Rock made the career shutouts list with 10.

Girls Basketball

  • Alissa Herlan finished a four-year varsity career at Coldwater in 2012 with 173 3-pointers – good for 16th on the career list. She connected on 67 as a senior to make the single-season list as well.

Boys Basketball

  • There have been 35 players who have scored at least 2,000 points during their careers, and Spencer Krannitz is the latest to be added to the list. The 2012 North Muskegon graduate scored 2,008 points from 2009-12. He now plays at Central Michigan University.
  • The Dec. 4, 2012, game between East Jordan and Mancelona was one for the record books – literally – as the teams combined for 21 3-pointers and East Jordan alone made 17 in an 82-70 victory. East Jordan’s Joe Manville was the game’s top sharp-shooter with six 3-pointers, all coming over the final three quarters.
  • Chesaning’s Josh Kunik found the basket frequently from all over the floor during his high school career that ended in 2013. But he was especially dangerous from the free-throw line as a senior, making 89 of 98 attempts from the stripe for a .908 percentage – good for sixth all-time for a single season.

Boys Soccer

  • Leland’s Dylan Jolliffe led his team on its second trip to the MHSAA Division 4 Semifinals in 2012, scoring 65 goals that season – good for fourth-most in MHSAA history. He scored 40 as a junior, also making that single-season list, and finished his career with 145 to tie for sixth on the career list. He currently plays at Kalamazoo College.

Softball

  • Tawas’ Ivy Schaaf finished her varsity career in 2013 with 34 doubles, 20 home runs and 197 runs scored during her four seasons, including 10 home runs as a junior. All made MHSAA record listings, with the 197 runs ranking 18th. Teammates Jordyn Look and Amber Yates also made the lists with 18 doubles in a season and 39 career doubles, respectively. Tawas as a team was added for 385 hits, 80 doubles and 250 RBI, all from last spring. Schaaf is playing at Western Michigan University this season.
  • Swartz Creek’s Hayley Cruthers finished her career last season with a number of season and career totals ranking among the top 20 in MHSAA history in their respective categories. Among them was a 35-game hitting streak that tied for second longest, 256 career hits (fifth), 212 career runs (11th), 72 career doubles (tied for second) and 31 career home runs (11th). She’s playing at Ball State University this season. Swartz Creek as a team hit 77 doubles last season to make that list.

PHOTO: Remus Chippewa Hills' Jake Tarbell prepares to unleash a pitch during his team's Quarterfinal game against Mount Pleasant in 2013. (Click to see more from High School Sports Scene.)