Bridgman Bats Earn Homes in History
July 25, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A pair of Bridgman underclassmen helped the Bees to their first MHSAA team record book listing for softball this spring, while also earning individual entries as well.
Sophomore Sydney Payne had seven RBI during a win over Benton Harbor, and freshman Madelyn Oman had six in a win over New Buffalo as Bridgman made the team RBI record list with 275 over 39 games. Payne and Oman’s record entries also were firsts for the school on the sport’s individual lists.
The Bees finished 25-14 this season and advanced to their Division 3 District Final.
Click the heading below to see where they rank in the softball record book as a whole and also for more recent record additions in that sport and baseball.
Baseball
Canton became the 21st team to make the all-time best ERA list for clearing 1.70, posting a 1.69 in going 34-6 this spring. Seth Marano led the way with a 0.66 ERA in going 7-1, while Dean Dawson and Turner Donlin also were 7-1 on the mound.
Pellston senior Maxwell Cleaver entered a May 15 game against Boyne Falls and hit a home run, and then hit home runs in his first two at bats May 17 against Newberry. His three straight homers made the list for most in consecutive at bats.
Holt tied for 12th in MHSAA history with a 1.48 team ERA this spring in finishing 30-8. The Rams were led by senior Jesse Heikkinen (who will play at Michigan State and was drafted by the Detroit Tigers), who finished 8-1 with a 0.97 ERA.
Potterville’s Sam Traver finished his four-season career in 2015 among all-time leaders in wins, ERA and strikeouts. For his career he was added for 34 victories (against 14 losses), a 1.16 ERA, 531 strikeouts over 311 2/3 innings pitched and 11 shutouts – the strikeouts rank seventh on that list and the shutouts tied for 10th most. He also was added for ERAs of 0.28 in 2015 and 0.82 in 2014, 178 strikeouts in 2015 and six shutouts that season. He recently finished his second season at Grand Rapids Community College.
Softball
Madison Jones finished her Romeo career this spring among the MHSAA’s all-time great power hitters, adding 15 home runs to individual records listings of 18 in 2015 and 11 last year. She finished with 47 home runs, tied for fifth most all-time, and also tied for second with 10 RBI in a game this season against Howell. She also earned listings for a .528 career average and 170 career RBI. She’ll continue her career at Oakland University.
Audrey Petoskey also finished off a four-season slugging career this spring, coming in seventh all-time with 43 home runs for Milford. She added 13 this season and also was listed for 10 in 2016 and 12 in 2015, plus for hitting back-to-back home runs three times during her career. Petoskey will continue her career at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee.
Lauren Kanai and Alex Herold helped Ada Forest Hills Eastern to a 28-10 record this season especially with their bats. Kanai was added for 10 home runs and 20 doubles, while Herold was added for 72 hits, 21 doubles and a 20-game hitting streak. Herold also made the doubles career list with 34, while Kanai made career lists with 52 doubles, 155 RBI and 202 hits. Kanai will continue her career at Taylor University in Indiana.
Howell posted one of the strongest offensive seasons in MHSAA history in 2017, and a number of record book entries have followed. The Highlanders finished 38-3, scoring 466 runs (fourth all-time) with 513 hits (third), 102 doubles (third), 38 triples (fourth), 388 RBI (third) and a team .441 batting average (sixth all-time). Veronica Pezzoni capped her three-season varsity career making single-season lists with 67 runs, 76 hits and 15 triples and career lists with 187 runs, 207 hits, 25 triples, a .542 batting average and for streaks of 84 straight stolen bases and hits in 38 consecutive games. Teammate Emma Johnson earned entries this spring with 69 runs and 71 hits and career listings for 172 runs and 34 doubles over her four-year career. Maddie Gillett (23) and AJ Militello (16) were added to the single-season doubles list for their work this spring. Pezzoni will continue at University of Tennesee-Martin, while Johnson will play at Hillsdale College.
Byron earned a number of record book listings for offensive production this spring, scoring 406 runs with 437 hits, 95 doubles, 293 RBI and with a .437 batting average. Junior Alexis Andrews finished her season on a 31-game hitting streak and hit 10 home runs, while sophomore Greta L’Esperance enjoyed a 28-game streak and batted .691 while scoring 74 runs. Parker Viele hit 18 doubles this season and finished her four-year career with 911 strikeouts; she’ll continue at Lake Erie College in Ohio.
PHOTOS: Sydney Payne (left) and Madelyn Oman both made the single-game RBI list in helping Bridgman to a team record book listing. (Photos courtesy of Bridgman High School.)
Bucs' Standout Earns Raves for Saves
June 25, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
After spending four seasons stopping opponents from finding the net, former Grand Haven boys lacrosse goalie Gabe Liebetreu can be found 28 times in the MHSAA record book.
As a junior (269) and again as a senior (277), Liebetreu set the single-season saves record, and he ended up second all-time with 897 career saves from 2004-17.
Liebetreu also shares the record for most single-game saves after making 30 against Mattawan as a junior. He is continuing his career at Queens University in Charlotte, N.C.
In addition for the Buccaneers, former teammate Ian McClain was added for five assists in a 14-4 win over Muskegon Reeths-Puffer in 2016. McClain was a senior this spring.
Click to see all of the boys lacrosse record book, and read on for recent MHSAA records entries in baseball, girls and boys basketball, girls lacrosse, boys soccer and softball. Click on the sport headings below to see those record books in full.
Baseball
A pair of Holt standouts finished this spring on career record lists. Spencer Baldwin capped a three-year varsity career with a batting average of .455, while Burrell Jones finished his four-year career with an ERA of 1.84. Baldwin will continue at Kalamazoo College, while Jones will continue at Wabash Valley Junior College in Indiana.
Girls Basketball
Battle Creek Calhoun Christian’s Eliana Wilson will enter her freshman year already listed in the MHSAA record book. Wilson grabbed 32 rebounds in the Cougars’ 47-46 win over Colon on Feb. 17. Although the 5-foot-11 forward’s season total won’t count toward any career records – only numbers accumulated in grades 9-12 can be included – her single-game rebounds are listed in a tie for fourth most in that category.
McBain’s Hamlet sisters had quite a run over a decade that ended with Meredith’s high school graduation in 2015, and together she, Elizabeth Hamlet and AnnMarie Hamlet combined for nine record book entries. All three made the career free throws made list – Elizabeth with 451 from 2005-09 (to rank ninth), Meredith Hamlet with 422 from 2012-15 (to rank 14th) and AnnMarie with 323 from 2009-12. Meredith also made the career assist list with 549 (ranking 12th), and Elizabeth (102) and AnnMarie (101) both made the games played list. All three went on to play at Valparaiso University, Elizabeth and AnnMarie after starting their college careers at Oakland.
Boys Basketball
Calhoun Christian’s Andrew Eckhart capped his career with a record book entry as well this winter. The 6-foot-5 senior blocked 115 shots over 21 games.
Girls Lacrosse
Junior Erin Kloostra and senior Kelli Bailey helped Grand Rapids Forest Hills United reach the Division 1 Regional Semifinals this spring with record book-level scoring. Kloostra, a student at Forest Hills Eastern, set an MHSAA record with 99 assists (including 10 in a game against DeWitt) and finished with 134 total points. Bailey scored 53 goals this season. Bailey’s 54 goals and Kloostra’s 61 goals, 84 assists and 145 points in 2017 also were added to the record listings. Grand Rapids Forest Hills United as a team scored 346 goals in 2017 and 253 this season. Bailey, from Forest Hills Central, will continue her career at Kent State University.
Rochester Adams junior Elexi Boladian netted eight goals in a 14-4 win over Royal Oak on May 7. She’s one of only 19 players to score at least eight in a game.
A pair of Grand Rapids Catholic Central juniors stamped their names in the record book with big scoring seasons. Lauren Marosi had three games with eight or nine goals to finish with 101 and 117 points total – her single-season goals are the sixth most in MHSAA history. She also became the fourth player with at least 12 points in a game, when she had six goals and six assists May 29 against Mattawan. Teammate Annie Gilbert was added for eight goals in a game, and 85 goals and 93 points this spring. As a team, Grand Rapids Catholic Central had 246 goals. Marosi has committed to play collegiately at Virginia Commonwealth University, while Gilbert is committed to University of Detroit Mercy.
Boys Soccer
Cobe Lund will enter his senior season this fall coming off a historic junior performance – his 42 goals and 62 points over 25 games both earned record listings. Leland as a team scored 126 goals – tying for 11th-most all-time – on the way to making the Division 4 Regional Finals.
Softball
New Lothrop’s Emma Muron had such a rare season at the plate this spring, it led to the creation of a new section of the softball record book. Muron was hit by pitches 22 times over 36 games, and three times apiece in two games. A junior, she also hit .387.
PHOTO: Gabe Liebetreu defends the goal for Grand Haven during the 2016 season. (Photo courtesy of the Grand Haven Tribune.)