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.
Kennedy Completes Record Power Surge
September 11, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Michigan has a new softball career home run leader.
Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard’s Julia Kennedy hit 22 this spring – tied for third most in a season – to finish her four-year career with 55 homers over 125 games. That’s one more home run than Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse’s Brooke Nadolny, who will enter her senior season in 2019 with 54.
Kennedy also was added for 18 doubles this season, and freshman teammate Savannah Wing made that list with 22. Kennedy will continue her career at Miami University of Ohio.
See below for more recent record book entries in softball and football, and click the headings to see those record books in full.
Football
A handful of teams made the move from 11 to 8-player football for the 2009 season, making Nick Zaleski’s performance of Oct. 10 of that season one the earliest to grab headlines in the new format. Zaleski scored 11 touchdowns – nine rushing and two on kickoff returns – to lead Owendale-Gagetown to a 90-52 win over Posen. He also gained 431 yards rushing on 21 carries.
Grant Dittmer grabbed four interceptions in an Oct. 23, 2015, win over Mesick to help Bay City All Saints clinch its first playoff berth at the time since 2010. Those interceptions are tied for fourth most in one game (three players grabbed five in a game).
Auburn Hills Avondale enjoyed three highlight-reel returns that made the MHSAA records in 2017. Derrick Hinton Jr. produced two of them – a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown against Troy on Aug. 24 and a 97-yard punt return touchdown against Macomb Lutheran North on Oct. 20. Zeke Ringstaff also added to the scoring in that Week 9 win over Lutheran North that put Avondale into the playoffs – he brought back a fumble 100 yards for a score. Hinton’s kickoff return and Ringstaff’s return tied MHSAA records. Both are seniors this fall.
Softball
Anna Dixon closed her Farmington Hills Mercy career this spring on career lists with 177 runs, 226 hits and 42 doubles. She also made the hitting streak list with at least one in 33 straight games from May 12, 2017, through May 5 of this spring. Dixon will continue her career at Hillsdale College.
Pinckney’s Elizabeth Kramer hit her way nearly to the top of one of the longest category lists for any sport in the MHSAA record book, knocking 28 doubles as a sophomore in 2017. That total ranks third all-time for one season. Kramer is a senior this fall.
Brownstown Woodhaven’s Alyssa Harris capped her four-year varsity career this spring with 46 doubles, 27 homers and 150 RBI over 137 games. She’s continuing her career at University of Findlay.
Tessa Nuss’ junior season for Lake Orion was one of the most impressive in MHSAA history. She hit .654 this spring with 89 hits and 79 runs scored – the hits were the fourth most all-time and the runs tied for sixth most in one season. Nuss will sign with Binghamton University in New York.
Faith Howe capped her four-year Beaverton career this spring on the strikeouts list with 1,037, which included a career-high 397 in 2017 when she went 34-4. Teammate Ann-Marie Hicks was added for 42 career doubles over her four-year run with the Beavers, and senior Amaya Ware was added for six RBI in a game this April against Breckenridge. Howe also was added for three homers – including two consecutive – against Pinconning in May. Beaverton made team record lists going 38-4 in 2017 with 68 doubles, 250 RBI and 432 pitching strikeouts. Howe is continuing her career at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee, and Hicks will continue at St. Clair County Community College.
Averi Munro completed an incredible four-year career in 2016 among the MHSAA’s best all-time in a number of categories. The Morrice standout earned 25 record book entries. Her 81 runs scored in 2015 rank fourth, her 266 career runs are third, her 271 career hits are tied for fifth, her 67 career doubles rank eighth, her 93 RBI in 2016 came in fourth, while her 287 career RBI are second most and her .630 career batting average ranks fourth as well. She continuing her career at Alma College.
PHOTO: Gabriel Richard’s Julia Kennedy powers through a pitch this spring. (Photo courtesy of the Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard softball program.)