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.
LaDuke's Defense Aids Ludington Rise
December 20, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Ludington’s run to the Class B championship game last winter was the result of a number of contributions – including senior Sam LaDuke’s on defense.
The now-graduated guard finished last season with 141 steals, third-most in MHSAA history, and with two games of 11 steals apiece (against Traverse City Central and Cadillac) that made the single-game record book list in that category.
LaDuke, who is continuing his career at Calvin College, also averaged 10.4 points per game as Ludington advanced to an MHSAA Finals for the first time since 1953.
Click to see the boys basketball record book in full and read on for more recent additions in football, girls and boys soccer, softball, volleyball and wrestling.
Football
Austin Brown set an MHSAA record on the first night of this recently-completed season, throwing eight touchdown passes for Madison Heights Madison during the first half of a 54-7 win over Warren Lincoln on Aug. 24. His six TD tosses in the second quarter tied another record, and those eight total also tied for second-most in one game. The junior quarterback finished the night 18 of 20 passing for 352 yards despite not playing during the second half.
Mesick senior Ethan Humphreys became the first entry on the list for longest fumble recovery touchdown in 8-player history when he snagged a Baldwin handoff and returned it 97 yards for a score on Sept. 8. It was one of Humphreys’ many contributions on the night – he also threw for two touchdowns, ran for two more scores and grabbed an interception in the 54-8 victory.
Girls Soccer
Kelly Bertera was a freshman on the first Southgate Anderson girls soccer team in 1996. Her nine goals in an 11-0 win over Taylor Truman that spring are tied for second-most in one game; she also had two assists in the victory.
Boys Soccer
Ithaca’s Cavun Beck scored eight goals in an Aug. 22 win over Durand, tying for the third-most scored in one game. The Yellowjackets senior also became the first to score at least that many in one contest since 2004, and he also assisted on the ninth goal as his team won 9-5.
Softball
Richland Gull Lake then-sophomore Lauren Esman was one of three players across the state to break the previous MHSAA record for home runs in a season last spring, and she ranks third on the list after knocking 21 (two others hit 22). She also has been added to the record book for 74 runs scored, 81 hits, 24 doubles, 91 RBI and a .675 batting average last season – her RBI rank fourth and her doubles tied for eighth on those lists. Esman has 25 home runs over her career so far and also was added seven times for single-game homers or RBI. Teammate Ashton Whitman (now a senior) also made the records with 20 doubles last season and six RBI in a game, and Shelby Martell (also now a senior) was added for six RBI in a game as well. Esman already has committed to sign with University of Michigan.
Utica Ford’s Meagan VerVaecke finished her career in the spring with a couple of notable accomplishments. Her 17 doubles over 37 games made the single-season list in that category, and her two third-inning home runs against Almont in a May 6 win were added to lists for two consecutive homers and in the same inning. VerVaecke is continuing her career at Saginaw Valley State.
Recent Sterling Heights graduate Shelby Segar earned a spot in the record book with eight RBI in her team’s 19-16 loss to New Haven on May 17. She finished 5 for 5 in the game with pair of doubles. Segar was a four-year varsity player.
Volleyball
Ludington senior Mackenzie Luce dominated a three-set win over Muskegon Heights Academy on Sept. 19, setting a pair of serving records with 20 aces in one game and 32 over the best-of-five match as her team won 25-5, 25-0, 25-7. Luce’s single-game record broke that of another Ludington athlete, Madisyn Brockelbank, who had 17 aces in one game during a 2013 match.
Wrestling
Connor Charping became the latest four-year standout to be added for more than 200 wins, finishing last winter with a career record of 204-24. He also made the career pins list with 119 over those 228 matches. In addition, freshman teammate Sam Rickman was added to the records for tying the fastest pin at 112 pounds, earning a victory in six seconds on Dec. 10, 2016. An MHSAA Finals runner-up in 2016, Charping is continuing his athletic career as part of the Western Michigan baseball program.
PHOTO: Ludington’s Sam LaDuke (10) applies defensive pressure during last season’s Class B Semifinal win over River Rouge.