Big-Play Power Produces Memorable Moments for Chippewa Valley

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

June 8, 2021

Big-play talent has been a major contributor to Clinton Township Chippewa Valley’s all-around football success the last many seasons – and a pair of highlight reel producers were among latest additions to the MHSAA 11-player record book.

Soon-to-be senior Cephus Harris III this past fall became one of the latest of 13 to return a kickoff 99 yards, doing so during his team’s 21-20 loss to Utica Eisenhower on Oct. 16. He also ran for a 48-yard score in the game.

Additionally, David Ellis was added for a 99-yard run in a 2018 win over Dearborn Fordson. He is playing currently at Indiana and is one of 12 listed on the 99-yard run list.

Also for Chippewa Valley, Stefan Clairborne (seven in 2014) and Jacob Rybicki (five in 2016) were added to the blocked extra point/field goal attempt list. Clairborne plays at Western Michigan, and Rybicki plays at Northwood.

Click to see the 11-player football record book in full, and read below for more recent additions.

11-Player Football

Erie Mason receiver Tanner Herrera tied for the eighth-most receptions in one game Oct. 18 when he pulled in 16 for 188 yards in a 38-24 loss to Dundee. Herrera will be a senior this fall.

A number of records were added from Frankenmuth’s success over the last 60 years, both as a team and individually. Among them, then-junior Mike Holzei was added for six rushing touchdowns in a 1990 win over Caro, and then-senior Hunter Schluckebier for two kickoff return touchdowns in a 2017 game against Almont. Kevin Heinzman was added for kicking 47 extra points in 56 attempts as a senior also in 2017, and then-seniors Pat Walderzak and Justin Meyer were added for 31 and 25 tackles for loss, respectively, in 1997. As a team, Frankenmuth totaled 716 yards in a 1983 win over Midland Bullock Creek to rank second on that all-time list, and scored 71 touchdowns as a team in 2005. The Eagles also were added a number of times for fewest first downs allowed in a season, including 33 in eight games in 1965. Walderzak went on to compete in track & field at Central Michigan.

Longtime coach Bob Buckel was added to the career coaching wins list after concluding his career 214-114 after the 2015 season. Buckel led Birch Run from 1983-90, Flushing from 1991-2009, Otisville-LakeVille Memorial in 2010 and then Flint Powers Catholic from 2011-15. Under his guidance, Powers won the Division 5 championship in 2011.

Lansing Catholic’s 2019 Division 5 championship season included record-book accomplishments from a pair of standouts. Senior Zach Gillespie made the records with 2,698 yards and 27 touchdowns passing, and also a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown against Grand Rapids West Catholic in Week 2. Then-sophomore kicker Jonah Richards was added for making 72 extra points (in 75 attempts) including all nine against Eaton Rapids in a Week 3 win, plus 62 straight. Gillespie is continuing at Michigan State.

Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Central’s Trey Conner is one of 18 players who have intercepted four or more passes in a game. He made the list with four against Kalamazoo Christian on Sept. 30, 2005.

Coleman’s Spencer Pnacek has joined the list of stat-stacking passers with 323 completions in 681 attempts for 4,499 yards over 32 games from 2015-18 – all three totals making career lists. He also made the single-game passing list with 464 yards in a 2017 contest. Teammate Jason Beckner was added for his 1,902 career receiving yards over 27 games from 2015-17.

A week after Chippewa Valley’s Harris, Belding senior Kyle Prosser became the 13th with a 99-yard kickoff return, bringing his back against Eaton Rapids during a 46-3 win.

Reed City won’t soon forget its 70-40 win over Newaygo on Oct. 9. Not only did it make the list for games that saw two teams combine for the most points (with the losing team scoring at least 40), but Reed City gained 646 yards all rushing to make both the total offense and single-game rushing yards lists. Reed City also made the single-game rushing attempts list with 67 and touchdowns list with eight.

The pass/catch combo of quarterback Carson Roose and receiver Ryan Jones put up some massive single-game numbers for Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett during the fall. Roose made the single-game passing yardage list three times, the completion list twice and attempts list once – with his 536 yards against Carson City-Crystal on Oct. 17 ranking ninth all-time. His seven touchdown passes against Mount Clemens on Sept. 26 tied for eighth-most in one game. Jones caught 18 passes for 234 yards against Carson City-Crystal – the receptions tying for third on that single-game list. Roose is a junior and Jones a sophomore this school year.

PHOTO: David Ellis is hoisted into the air by a teammate after scoring on a 94-yard kickoff return during Chippewa Valley’s 2018 Division 1 championship game win over Clarkston at Ford Field.

P-W, Spitzley Shine with Record Range

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

May 22, 2018

Three-point shooting played a big part in Pewamo-Westphalia’s run to the Class C Girls Basketball Semifinals this winter, led by senior guard Emily Spitzley.

She has been added to the MHSAA record book for 71 3-pointers this season and 165 over her four-season career. As a team, the Pirates made the list with 489 3-point attempts this winter – and tied for sixth all-time with 190 3-pointers made over 26 games.

Spitzley will continue her career at Grand Valley State University.

Click to see where she ranks in the girls basketball record book, and read on for more recent record book additions in baseball, boys basketball, girls soccer, softball, boys tennis and wrestling. Click on the headings to see those record books in full.

Baseball

Frankfort’s 36-1 season in 2017 included a pair of team accomplishments that rank among the best all-time. The Panthers finished with a 1.07 team ERA, good for fifth on that list, and with Jack Morrow (0.97) and Kirk Myers (1.07) making the individual record book. Additionally, Frankfort hit .361, and Brett Zimmerman was added for being hit with 16 pitches. All three players are seniors this spring. Morrow will continue his career at Albion College, while Zimmerman will play at Wayne State.

North Adams-Jerome had a busy first inning May 1 against Litchfield, scoring 27 runs. And junior Gabriele Voisin played a record-setting part. He was hit with pitches all four plate appearances in the inning to double up the previous record for HBP in one frame.

Boys Basketball

Thanks to an alum’s observation this spring, Benton Harbor’s 1964-65 Class A championship team was added for scoring 97.1 points per game – good for the second-highest average in MHSAA history. The Tigers scored more than 100 points in seven games, with a high of 120 on the way to finishing 23-0.

Mio freshman Drew Hess opened his high school career this winter with multiple achievements worthy of record book mention. He drilled 81 3-pointers in helping his team to the Class D Regional Finals, and also made 85 percent of his free throw attempts to rank on that list.

Girls Soccer

A pair of Grosse Ile standouts capped their careers in 2016 among the most accomplished in state history. Caroline Fleming had 39 goals and 28 assists as a senior to finish with 121 goals, 101 assists and 222 points over four years – her career assists rank third all-time and her career points are fourth. Keeper Olivia Reckley added 18 shutouts for a career total of 72, which ranks second on that all-time list. Lindsay Miles, now a senior, had 25 assists that spring of 2016. As a team, Grosse Ile was added for scoring 150 goals, giving up only nine and tallying 20 shutouts on the way to the Division 3 Semifinals. Fleming plays at Adrian College, and Reckley plays at Wellesley College in Massachusetts.

Softball

Muskegon Reeths-Puffer junior MaKayla Thompson earned a record-book entry against one of the state’s best teams April 12. Thompson made the list for most strikeouts in an extra-inning game, fanning 26 against Muskegon Oakridge, which is ranked No. 8 in Division 2 this week. Thompson struck out 12 of the 14 batters she faced after the seventh inning of her team’s 4-3 win. She has committed to continue her career after high school at Kent State University.

Madelin Skene has earned 10 entries in the MHSAA record book and will move up at least two career lists when this season is done. Among the Hartland senior’s accomplishments were nine RBI in one game against Clarkston last season, 10 home runs as both a sophomore and junior, 27 career home runs entering this spring and 150 career RBI with a season to play as well. Senior teammate Brianna Robeson was added for 71 hits in 2017 and a 29-game hitting streak stretching over the end of her sophomore season and most of her junior year. Senior Hannah Mourad had home runs in three straight at bats this May 16 against Brighton, and senior Delanie Grundman was added for homers in consecutive at bats against Grand Blanc on April 25; 2016 graduate Delaney Greene also was added multiple times for homers in consecutive at bats. As a team, Hartland was added nine times including for 427 hits and 303 RBI in 2017 and 76 doubles in 2015. Skene will continue her career at University of Michigan-Dearborn, Robeson will play at Hillsdale College, Grundman has signed with Northwood and Greene plays for Cleary University.

Boys Tennis

Midland Dow tied for second in Lower Peninsula Division 2 in the fall on the strength of another group of record setters. Junior Tyler Conrad made the singles single-season wins list with a 34-5 record, and he’ll carry 39 career wins of 6-0, 6-0 and 23 career tournament victories into his final season. On the doubles side, Aditya Middha and Saketh Kamaraju both were added for 36 wins in 2017, with Gopal Parthasarathy and Daniel Zhang tallying 31. Zhang finished his four-year career with 109 doubles wins and 19 doubles tournament championships. Ryan Killmaster was added for 93 doubles wins over four seasons, with Noah Nichols making the career list with 88, Parthasarathy with 85 and Middha with 71.

Wrestling

Gaylord’s Derek Giallombardo capped his high school career this winter with a Division 2 championship at 125 pounds and three entries in the record book. He was added to the single-season wins list for going 59-4 as a junior and 58-3 as a sophomore, and to the career wins list at 207-14. He will continue his career at Ohio University. 

PHOTO: Pewamo-Westphalia’s Emily Spitzley (32) passes to a teammate during the Class C Semifinal against Detroit Edison at Calvin College.