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.)

Evart Reaches Record Book 23 Times During Run Including 2022 Finals Trip

December 26, 2023

Evart was added to the MHSAA softball record book 23 times for achievements during an outstanding three-season run that has included a Division 3 runner-up finish in 2022.

Then-junior Katelyn Gostlin twice was included for hitting streaks, of 26 straight games during the 2022 season and 22 straight this past spring. She also was added for 23 doubles in 2022, and then-senior Addysen Gray was added for 16 doubles in 2023. Ally Theunick was added for 11 home runs this spring and 23 over her first three seasons with one more to play. Gostlin, Theunick and 2021 graduate Ryenn Baumgardner all were added for single-game accomplishments.

Among team record listings, Evart had 405 hits, 419 runs, 85 doubles, 35 home runs and 328 RBI over 39 games this spring. Gostlin has signed with Mid-Michigan College, and Gray is playing softball and basketball there this school year.

See below for more recent additions to the MHSAA softball record book:

Olivia Mikowski followed up her Maple City Glen Lake team’s Division 4 basketball championship in March with a national record this spring on the diamond. She tied the MHSAA and national records with 20 triples, over 35 games, among five record book entries she earned. She also is listed for 74 RBI this past season, while now-junior Jessie Pugh earned a listing with 66 runs scored over 37 games. Mikowski is continuing at Schoolcraft College.

Essexville Garber finished a combined 71-14 over the last two seasons and reached the Division 2 Semifinals in 2022 after winning its first Regional title since 1997, along the way achieving several record book performances for both team and individual lists. The Dukes hit 53 home runs over 41 games this past spring, tying for sixth most as senior Sarah Basket set a program record and made the individual list with 12. Basket also was added for 21 doubles in 2022, with Laney Kokaly making the doubles list that season with 16 and Ella Wagner making it was 16 this past season. Kortney Kotenko set the previous Garber home run record in 2022, making the record book list with 11. All four were seniors in 2023. Kotenko is continuing at Madonna, while Basket is playing at Lawrence Tech and Wagner at Northwood. Kokaly is playing volleyball at Northwood.

Three Rivers and now-senior Ava Forman made the single-season hits list with 75 over 41 games and the single-season doubles list for 22 last spring and also 18 over 40 games as a sophomore. Three Rivers as a team made the records for 423 hits, 101 doubles and 277 RBI over 42 games in 2023.

Armada’s Taylor Capozzo had 19 doubles in 2023 to make that single-season list, plus hit back-to-back home runs in a game against Yale, and Natalie Sauer drove in six runs in a game against Brown City. Capozzo is a sophomore this school year, and Sauer graduated in the spring and is continuing at St. Clair County Community College.

Schoolcraft’s Lauren Evans hit 31 doubles in 2023 as a junior, the second-most in MHSAA history, as the Eagles totaled 118 over 41 games – also the second-most doubles on the team list. Schoolcraft also made record lists for 436 hits and 316 RBI for the season and five home runs in a game against Battle Creek Pennfield (which included back-to-back homers by Evans). Teammate Sydney Drenth, then a sophomore, made the doubles list with 22, and senior Alayna Meade made the same list with 16. Meade is continuing at Cornerstone, and Evans has committed to sign with Saginaw Valley State.

Farmington Hills Mercy finished 29-1 in 2023, earning four record book entries along the way. The Marlins tied for second-fewest runs allowed, giving up only 16. They also made lists for 11 consecutive shutouts, 385 strikeouts and a .435 average and just missed the single-season shutouts list with 23.

Unionville-Sebewaing’s 2022 Division 4 championship season produced another series of record book-worthy accomplishments. As a team, USA set an MHSAA record with 128 doubles over 40 games and was fourth on the team RBI list with 391, while also earning entries with 44 runs scored, 485 hits and 48 home runs. Individually, then-sophomore Gabriella Crumm was added for 80 hits, 21 doubles and 11 home runs, and then-senior Laci Harris was added for 11 home runs as well plus 72 hits, 19 doubles and career totals of 31 home runs, 170 RBI, 170 runs scored and 51 doubles over 123 games despite her sophomore season of 2020 being canceled due to COVID-19. Then-junior Oliva Jubar was added for 18 doubles, and then-sophomore Ella Neumann was added for 17. Harris is continuing her career at Madonna.

Paige Ratliff finished her Battle Creek Lakeview career in the spring with 10 record book entries across a variety of categories. Most notably, she totaled 37 doubles, 30 home runs and a .520 career average over three seasons and 108 games. She’s continuing at Lake Forest College (Ill.).

Hudson then-freshman Taylor Kopin opened her high school career in the spring by scoring 65 runs to make the individual record book. In doing so, she also helped Hudson make the team record book list with 417 runs scored over 39 games.

Haslett’s Payden Whitmore earned her school’s first softball record book entry since 2007 by hitting 12 triples over 38 games in the spring. She’s a junior this school year.

Mancelona has a pair of softball players who reached career lists last season with more to play. Now-senior Ella Jones was added for 20 doubles as a sophomore in 2022 and 19 this spring, and made the career doubles list with 39 and a season to play. Now-junior Ella Schram was added for her 13 triples as a freshman and .650 average this spring, and she’s on the career triples list with 23 and will qualify for the career average list if she keeps hitting at this pace over her next seasons.

Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart hit the second-most triples in MHSAA history on the way to the Division 4 Semifinals in the spring. The Irish piled up 48 over 43 games, led by freshman Mairin Wheaton, who hit 12 over 42, respectively.

Reed City made the team record lists with 78 doubles and 252 RBI over 39 games in the spring, and a pair of standouts also were added. Morgan Hammond, then a freshman, and then-sophomore Paityn Enos both were added for single-game RBI, plus Enos was added for 72 hits and 20 doubles and Hammond was added for 22 doubles.  

Manton now-junior Adriana Sackett earned her first record book listings in the spring. Twice she hit back-to-back home runs in games, and she also was added for 11 homers total over 26 games.

A trio of Ravenna standouts put up a series of record book-caliber totals over the last two seasons, including some of the highest-ranking all time. Emma Gillard graduated in the spring with nine record book entries, including for 85 runs (fourth most) and 13 triples (tied for 20th) this past season, and she made career lists with 200 runs, 27 triples and a .532 average over 111 games and three years. Emma Herremans is just a junior but has 11 record book listings after two seasons including for 25 doubles (11th-most) as a freshman in 2022 and a .652 average and 73 RBI this past spring, and she’s already on career lists for doubles and triples. Kara Postema graduated this spring with six record book entries, including season and career records for times hit by pitch (23 and 49, respectively), and she also made career lists with 36 doubles and 153 RBI over 111 games and three seasons. Gillard is continuing at Ferris State and Postema at Cornerstone.

PHOTO Evart's Riley Brigham connects during her team's Division 3 Final against Millington in 2022.