Antes Launches Fulton's Title Drive

May 27, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Fulton advanced to the Class D Semifinals the last two seasons anchored by the long-range shooting of Colton Antes – who finished his career this winter among the sharpest shooters in MHSAA history. 

The senior guard ended with 292 3-pointers over four seasons to rank fourth on the career list for long-range shots. He also made the single-season list with 97 3-pointers this winter, which tied for sixth most.

Click the boys basketball heading below to see how his and other recent record book additions stack up, and also see the other recent additions for girls basketball, football, girls and boys soccer and softball.

Boys Basketball

Lansing Christian’s Matthew Havey tied the MHSAA record with seven 3-pointers in the second quarter of a game against Lake Odessa Lakewood on Jan. 15. His 21 points also made the single-quarter scoring list. He was a junior this season.

Lutheran Westland junior guard Kory Barikmo had 192 assists in 23 games this season for an average of 8.3 per game. He also averaged 6.7 ppg for a team that finished 22-1. 

Bridgman made 15 3-pointers in an 89-78 loss to Niles Brandywine on March 11, and the teams combined to make 23 total – both made the MHSAA team records. The game was a District Final, and Bridgman’s Haiden Meyer connected on seven 3-pointers, which made the single-game list for an MHSAA Tournament game. The Bees finished with 218 3-pointers – good for ninth most in one season – over 23 games this winter. 

Girls Basketball

Midland Dow finished 19-4 this winter also in part because of sharp shooting; the Chargers set an MHSAA team record with a .737 free-throw shooting percentage and also made the 3-point attempts list with 423, connecting on 145. The long-range shooting was led by junior Ellie Taylor, who made 10 of 13 in an 81-62 win over Saginaw Arthur Hill on Dec. 1 and 73 of 174 total this season. Taylor committed in the fall to sign with Division I St. Louis University. 

Football

Michael Gergely became only the fourth player to be credited with four fumble recoveries in one game when he tied the MHSAA record with four for Mattawan against Battle Creek Central on Oct. 9. A senior, he finished the season with seven fumble recoveries, tied for fourth-most, in nine games. 

Girls Soccer

Abigail Gilmore became the 15th player to have at least five assists in a game when she helped on five in Lansing Catholic’s 8-0 win over Ionia on May 2. Gilmore is a senior this spring.

Boys Soccer

Already listed as the MHSAA boys basketball record holder for steals in a season, Howard City Tri-County senior Dylan Matulis now also is ranked among the top soccer scorers of all-time. His 72 goals in 21 games last fall rank second, and his 59 as a junior are tied for ninth-most with his career total of 166 coming in fifth. Matulis also is listed with 46 career assists, 86 points last season (tied for fifth-most) and 212 career points, which also are tied for fifth-most in MHSAA history.    

Softball

Imlay City sophomore Alison Harper earned the 26th entry among those who have hit at least three home runs in one game when she knocked three solo shots in a win May 3 over Algonac. Senior teammate Madison Whitsett joined the list of those with at least six RBI in a game, driving in six in the 19-9 victory.   

Three Niles Brandywine players have driven in six runs in a game this month; Grace Polomcak had six RBI against Watervliet Grace Christian on May 20, McKenna Hartline had six against Parchment the day before, May 19, and Michaela Hartline had six against Berrien Springs on May 3.

PHOTO: Fulton's Colton Antes follows through on a 3-point attempt against Powers North Central in March at the Breslin Center. 

Record Feats Key Dakota's Historic Run

January 4, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Macomb Dakota’s historic finish to last softball season came on the bats and arm of some history-making players who are among the latest entries into MHSAA record books.

The Cougars won their first Regional title and played in their first MHSAA Final (losing in the Division 1 championship game to Farmington Hills Mercy), and finished with a record of 38-3 – the 38 wins among notable team accomplishments that made record lists. The 2016 team’s 458 hits ranked 14th for one season in MHSAA history, while its 99 doubles were third-most and its 32 home runs were tied for 12th-most in a season. (Also, the 2015 team ranked 15th on the home runs list with 30 in 37 games.)

Individually, sophomore Corbin Hison was added for 17 doubles, while senior Kelcie LaTour was added to the single-season home runs list with 11 for the second straight spring. Junior pitcher Kendahl Dunford finished 35-3 to make the single-season pitching wins list, and LaTour also graduated on the career home runs list with 29. She’s now playing at Grand Valley State University.

See below for more recent additions to record books for baseball, girls and boys basketball, football, boys soccer and wrestling. Click on the sport headings to see those record books in full.

Baseball

Homer’s Brock Ridgeway finished his four-year varsity career last spring on MHSAA career lists for runs scored (163), hits (184), RBI (142) and being hit by pitches (47) after being hit by 18 pitches this past season and three times in one April game. The 47 career HBP is tied for third-most all-time, and he also just missed the career pitching wins list with 32. Homer as a team last spring made season lists with a .354 batting average and 53 HBPs. Ridgeway is a freshman on the Central Michigan University baseball team.

Girls Basketball

Margo Brown’s perimeter shooting was a big part of St. Ignace’s dominance through the first half of this decade, and she entered the record book for 11 3-pointers – tied for third-most in a game – against Rudyard on 17 attempts on Jan. 20, 2015. She now plays at Ferris State University.

Boys Basketball

Jordan Weber knocked down 73 3-pointers last season for East Jordan to finish his four-year varsity career with 278 – fifth-most in MHSAA history. He made nearly 34 percent of his 818 career attempts and averaged 17.1 points per game total as a senior.

Football

A pair of Gaylord athletes were entered for impressive scores more than 30 years ago. Kurt Kakaviska made the records for his 90-yard punt return touchdown against Petoskey in 1982, while Mark Johnston was added for two interception return touchdowns in one quarter in a 1986 game, also against Petoskey. Johnston actually scored a third defensive touchdown in that same third quarter, on a fumble recovery. Kakaviska went on to play at Northern Michigan University. 

Haslett kicker Luke Ezzo capped a three-season career this fall among career leaders in field goals with 19 in 26 attempts over 27 games. Ezzo also made the single-season field goals list as a junior with nine in 11 tries over 10 games.

Boys Soccer

Over eight days this fall, Micah Sonnenberg posted two of the highest-scoring games in MHSAA history. The Brooklyn Columbia Central sophomore netted six goals against Clinton on Oct. 6, then scored seven – tied for fifth-most in one game – against Jonesville on Oct. 13.

Softball

A pair of Reese hitters were added for batting prowess. Emily Schrader made the single-season hits list with 72 in 2010, while Monica Hagen – already on the single-season list with 73 in 2014 – was added to the career hits list with 209 over 132 games from 2011-14. Schrader went on to play at Delta College.

Wrestling

Jake Bohn finished his East Kentwood career in 2008 setting the single-season takedown record with 526 – and now also has been added for setting the career takedown record of 1,365 over 216 matches and four varsity seasons. Bohn went on to wrestle at George Mason University.

Comstock Park standout Ryan McCarthy has been added for his 209-29 record over four seasons from 2000-03. He was the first from his school to eclipse the 200-win career milestone.

PHOTO: Macomb Dakota’s Kelcie LaTour takes a swing during last season’s Division 1 Final against Farmington Hills Mercy.