Bronson's Ratkowski True Record 'Setter'

March 31, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Bronson senior Alexa Ratkowski was honored over the weekend at the Breslin Center as one of 32 MHSAA/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Award winners, and she’ll also leave high school this spring as an MHSAA volleyball record holder.

The Vikings’ senior setter finished a four-season varsity career with the most assists, 5,610, during the rally scoring era (2005-) in leading Bronson to the Class C championship in the fall.

She had 1,675 as a senior, with that total third-highest for one season. Ratkowski also made the career aces list with 320, and teammate Jill Pyles made the single-season list as a junior in the fall with 184.

Click to check out the volleyball record book in full, and see below for more recent listings in basketball, football, softball and wrestling.

Boys Basketball

Jackson Schrameyer became one of 15 players to make at least 20 free throws in a game when he connected on 20 of 21 attempts for Traverse City Central in a game against Traverse City West on Dec. 15.

A performance from nearly 40 years ago was added for most points in a quarter. Bronson’s Rod Hathaway scored 27 during the fourth quarter of a 1977 Class C District Final win over Cassopolis, tying for what remains the second-most points in one quarter. He finished the game with 45 points.

Football

Tyler Santangelo started for his third season in the fall for Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, and the junior led the Cranes to a 9-2 record, its best since 2004. He made the MHSAA records six times, for 180 completions, 291 pass attempts, 2,085 yards, 26 completions in a win over Madison Heights Lamphere on Aug. 27 and six touchdown passes in both a half and for the game in a win over Madison Heights Bishop Foley on Sept. 13.

Despite a 55-28 loss to Boyne City, senior receiver Tyler Case made the records for Kingsley catching six passes for 253 yards; two receptions ended in touchdowns, and his yardage made up all but 44 for his team in the game. Case finished his season with 14 catches for 423 yards and five touchdowns.

Longtime Millington football coach Tim Furno finished his career with a 208-110 record after the 2009 season to rank among the winningest coaches in the sport. He took over the program in 1978 and led the team to five seasons of at least 10 wins, with a best 11-2 finish in his final season.

Longtime Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart coach Rick Roberts retired after this fall with a 202-145-1 record over three decades and tenures at four schools – Saranac from 1978-85, Vestaburg 1986, Stanton Central Montcalm 1987-89 and Sacred Heart from 1993-2015. His Irish finished 6-4 in his final season.

Softball

Rochester’s Haley Lenderman struck out 21 Oxford hitters on April 1, 2015, although her team lost 4-1 (only two of the runs were earned.). She’ll continue her career this spring at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington.

Jordyn Look is in line for a strong finish to a great career at Tawas. She’s in the MHSAA record listings for doubles in a season twice – 18 as a freshman in 2013 and 16 last season – and also for career doubles with 48 and with a season to play. Former teammate Courtney Flory also was added for her 17 doubles in 2014. The 2014 Tawas team was added with 66 doubles and the 2015 team with 82 doubles and 244 runs batted in, and Look also made the hitting streak list for a 20-game run during April and May of last season.  

Wrestling

Dearborn Heights Annapolis coach Victor McGuire has joined the list of winningest coaches in his sport. His team finished 38-4 this winter to push McGuire’s coaching record to 548-184 dating to the 1992-93 season. 

Stokes' Saves Add Record Book Fame to Cass Tech's Historic Start-Up Story

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

July 29, 2022

Na’ja Stokes was part of history as Detroit Cass Tech played its first two seasons of girls lacrosse over the last two years. And her historic achievements as a senior this spring provided the Technicians with their first two entries in the MHSAA record book for her sport.

Stokes made 30 saves – the second-most for a single game in MHSAA history – against Clinton Township Chippewa Valley during a 9-7 overtime win May 10. She finished the season with 207 saves – tying for third-most all-time – in just 14 games played.

Cass Tech as a team, meanwhile, improved from 2-10 its inaugural season to 6-8 this year, with a notable three wins and three one-goal losses over its final six games. Stokes was named to the Division 1 all-state first team.

See below for more recent record book additions in girls lacrosse and 11-player football.

Girls Lacrosse

Saline’s Erin Melcher quickly made an impact on the record book this past season, registering nine goals twice in two games over three days – April 11 vs. Novi, and then April 13 vs. Lansing Catholic. She was a senior this spring.

Hudsonville senior Anna Lobbezoo also got on the record board early this season with nine goals April 27 against Lowell. She will continue next season at University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky.

Football

Belleville’s Brayden Lane became the third kicker from his school to be listed, making the single-season list with 52 extra points over 14 games in 2021 and the single-game list with 10 in a win over Wayne Memorial. He’ll be a sophomore this fall.

Despite a 43-28 defeat to Sterling Heights Stevenson last Sept. 2, Utica senior quarterback Darren Welch enjoyed a memorable performance. He made record book lists with 34 completions, 54 attempts and 410 passing yards. He will continue his career at Hillsdale College.

Bloomfield Hills’ Andrew Siepierski became one of 19 players with at least four interceptions in a game when he snagged four against Troy on Oct. 11. The then-senior also scored the go-ahead touchdown that ended up the game-winner in the 21-10 victory.

Schoolcraft quarterback Alex Thole was entered into the record book eight times for accomplishments over his 35 varsity games from 2018-20. Among highlights, his 7,318 career passing yards rank 11th in state history, and his 93 touchdown passes are fifth on that list. He is playing at Tarleton State in Texas.

Morenci’s 60-41 win over Stockbridge last Sept. 2 made the record book for total points scored between two teams – and a few more times for the Bulldogs’ substantial offensive output. Morenci was added for its 630 total yards (just missing the single-game rushing list with 596) and 61 rushing attempts. Senior Carsyn Varga made the single-game rushing TDs list with six.

Quinn Fracassi and Aidan Vaughan opened their senior seasons last fall in big ways by becoming the first of the 2021 season to return kickoffs 99 yards for a touchdown – and against each other’s teams. Fracassi, for South Lyon, and Walled Lake Western’s Vaughan achieved the feat with their teams facing off last Aug. 26. Vaughan is continuing at Wisconsin, and Fracassi at Eastern Michigan.

Frankfort’s Adam Mills also joined the 99-yard kickoff return list, scoring last Oct. 1 against Maple City Glen Lake. He was a senior and will continue at Albion College.  

PHOTO Cass Tech goalie Na’ja Stokes makes a save this past season. (Photo courtesy of the Detroit Cass Tech girls lacrosse program.)