Brown Earns Place All Over Record Book
May 14, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Madison Heights Madison senior quarterback Austin Brown guided his team to its first MHSAA championship game since 2006 this past fall, and leaves behind 13 record book entries.
Among the most notable from 2018 were 238 points, 37 rushing touchdowns and 2,358 passing yards. For his four-season varsity career – which began with two seasons at Detroit Catholic Central – Brown made the records with 384 passing completions, 670 attempts, 6,909 yards (13th most) and 77 passing TDs (tied for 10th most).
Teammate Chauncey Ernest was added for 40 sacks over the last two seasons including 22 (sixth most) this past fall, while senior Caelon Eason was added for 15 sacks in the fall and 2018 graduate Deron Hood Jr. was added for 15 in 2017. As a team, Madison Heights Madison made lists with 548 points, 5,740 yards and 73 touchdowns.
Brown will play football and baseball at Grand Valley State, while Ernest will continue his football career at Saginaw Valley State and Hood plays at Hocking College in Ohio.
See below for more recent record book entries for football, girls basketball and softball, and click on the sport headings to see those record books in full.
Football
Over the last three seasons and 29 games, Chase Brown put up some of the most impressive passing numbers in MHSAA history. The Comstock Park senior finished his high school career with 22 record book entries, including for 7,283 career passing yards (11th most), 869 career attempts (seventh), 542 completions (sixth) and 64 career touchdown passes. He will continue his career at Hope College.
Sand Creek senior Alec Muck capped his high school career in the fall among the highest-scoring players in state history with 72 total touchdowns and 452 points – the TDs broken down to 59 rushing, three receiving, five on kickoff returns, two on punt returns and three on interceptions returns over 34 games and most of four seasons. He also earned entries with a 100-yard interception return score against Climax-Scotts on Aug. 30 and two kickoff return touchdowns in the same game against Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central on Oct. 26. He will continue his career at Central Michigan University.
Waterford Mott quarterback David McCullum and receiver Tariq Hardy made their way into the record book on the first day of the 2017 season, as McCullum completed a 99-yard scoring pass to Hardy to tie the longest all-time.
Morrice’s march to its first football championship this past fall was highlighted by a number of top performances. The Orioles set the 8-player record for rushing touchdowns in a season at 65, to go with their 2015 record for most overall touchdowns in a season, 84. Morrice also had the second-most rushing yards for one fall, 3,721, despite playing just 12 games (one win was a forfeit). Quarterback Hunter Nowak made the list for single-season points (254) and career points (496 from 2016-18), the career touchdowns list with 75 and set the career rushing touchdowns record as well as all 75 came on the ground. Jake Rivers made the records 12 times, including for 1,020 yards and 18 touchdowns receiving as a senior in 2015. He scored 296 points that fall on 46 touchdowns (second all-time) and 430 points over his three-season career (the first playing 11-player). He also sits alone on the list for career kickoff return touchdowns with five. Quarterback Jake Hart was added for 30 touchdown passes in 2015, including six in a game against Kinde-North Huron. Rivers plays at OIivet College.
Girls Basketball
Maxine Moore and Kaela Webb finished their Detroit Country Day careers in 2018 tied for 14th for career wins after helping their team to a combined 96-11 record over four seasons. Moore now plays at Western Michigan, and Webb is continuing at Providence.
Over the course of five days in 2014, Morrice’s Courtney Wolf made the record book twice for sinking 16 free throws – first against Byron on Feb. 11 and then against Dryden on Feb. 15. Hannah Rothney also was added for making 15 free throws in a 2006 game against Perry. Chelsea Wesley was added for 15 steals in a 2010 game against Ashley, while Krystal Hiveley was added for 391 career steals over three seasons at Morrice (but not including her 2006 steals at Grand Blanc). Ashley Rothney was added to the career blocks list with 328 over four seasons from 2003-06. Ashley and Hannah Rothney both went on to play basketball and University of Northwestern Ohio, Courtney Wolf played at Lansing Community College, Wesley played at Schoolcraft College and Hiveley went on to play softball at Mott Community College.
Kent City set multiple 3-point shooting records during its run this winter to the Division 3 Regional Finals. The Eagles made a record 25 in a win over Holton on Jan. 18 on the way to setting the season record of 263 3-pointers in 815 attempts over 24 games. Individually, Zara Weber was added for 10 in that game, tying for eighth most, 87 total for the season (also tied for eighth all-time) and 166 over her three-year career. Sophomore Jenna Harrison was added for 75 3-pointers this season.
Softball
Almont’s Breanna Cleland was added for 16 doubles in 37 games as a senior in 2015. She played the last three seasons at University of Findlay.
Morrice’s Jamie Wesley was best-known for her basketball career at Michigan State, but she also owns multiple entries in the softball record book – including the most recently-added for 28 triples during her career from 1991-94. A number of other Orioles also were added to the records, including Jadyn Wood for 18 doubles in 2015, Taylor Hewitt for 11 home runs in 2017 and nine players for driving in at least six runs in one game – Mikera Patterson, Krystal Hiveley, Lorraine McNeill, Lea Ann Fox, Hannah Rothney, Lisa Grinbergs, Shelly Shaw, Trudy Gutting and Pat Carr.
PHOTO: Madison Heights Madison's Austin Brown prepares to unload a pass during November's Division 7 Final against New Lothrop.
Missed Junior Season Can't Keep Mercy's Smith from All-Time Greatness
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 18, 2023
Despite the 2020 season being canceled due to COVID-19, Jillian Smith finished her Farmington Hills Mercy career in 2021 with 49 record book listings – and one of the most accomplished careers in MHSAA girls lacrosse history.
Despite not playing a junior season, Smith tallied 340 goals – third-most all-time – and 423 points, good for sixth all-time on that career list. She had 119 goals and 157 total points over 17 games as a senior, and did set the single-game points record with 21 against Canton that spring.
Smith is continuing to star at Michigan.
See below for more recent record book additions for girls lacrosse:
Girls Lacrosse
Grandville’s Madeline Kreiger was added to the single-game goals list twice last spring, both times for seven goals. The then-sophomore scored seven in her team’s 24-5 win over Lowell on April 18, 2022, and then seven again in a 20-6 win over Jenison on April 25.
A trio of Hartland standouts earned record book listings for their accomplishments in 2022. Then-junior Ava Gilardone was added twice for seven goals in a game and for 69 goals and 87 points for the season. Madeline Turcotte, also a junior last spring, was added for eight goals in a game, five assists in another, and 59 goals, 44 assists and 103 points for the season. Senior Tessa Chuba was added for seven goals in a game twice, 83 goals and 104 points for the season and also 50 goals in 2021. Senior Rebecca Schaller was added for a 2021 junior-year achievement, when she posted 188 saves, good to tie for eighth all-time.
Bloomfield Hills now-junior Ella Lucia earned five record book entries during the 2022 season, including for six goals and 12 total points in a June 1 game against Birmingham United. She also made the single-game assists list with five in an April 11 game against Clarkston, the single-season goals list with 50 and the single-season points list with 89 over 20 games. Now-senior teammate Ilana Watson also was added for five assists in a game twice, and now-junior goalie Sydney Butler made the single-season saves list with 165 across 21 games.
Several standouts helped Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central reach the Division 2 Regional Finals last spring, including four who made the record book. Now-senior Gabby Hendricks had 111 points and earned seven listings total including for 69 goals and 42 assists. Also now a senior, Shannon Murphy earned six entries including for 68 goals and 101 points, and Julia Brown earned three entries including for 78 goals and 92 points in her final season. Another senior this school year, goalie Tori Bates, was added for her 18 saves in a 21-16 win over Grand Rapids Catholic Central. Brown is playing at Hope College, Murphy has committed to Marquette University, Hendricks has committed to Jacksonville University, and Bates has committed to George Mason University.
Stella Bottum capped her Caledonia career last spring with four record book entries. She made the single-season goals list with 76 – including eight in one game – and the career goals list with 134 over 48 games and three seasons (due to the cancelation of 2020). She also made the single-season points list with 90. She’s playing at Aquinas College.
Warren Regina’s Holly Watson earned seven record book entries last spring, including for 175 saves over 12 games – which is tied for 13th-most all-time. She had a season-high of 27 against Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett on April 25, which is tied for second most in one game. She’s a senior this school year.
Jenna Allie finished her two-season varsity career at Dearborn Divine Child last spring with her second scoring 68 goals – and she also made the single-season points list with 93 over 19 games. Allie’s 136 career goals also earned a record book entry, and her scoring last season contributed significantly to Divine Child making the team single-season goals list with 274. Additionally, then-senior teammate Sam Stevens was added for 15 goal saves against Bloomfield Hills last May 16. Allie is continuing her career at Siena Heights.
Amanda Granader capped her career last spring by leading Brighton to the Division 1 championship, and she made the MHSAA record book 18 times – including for career goals and points again despite the 2020 season being canceled. She made the single-game goals list several times including with a high of 10 last April 30 against Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central. Her 113 goals last spring rank 10th, and her 118 as a junior are eighth on that list – as are her 259 over three seasons. Granader’s 322 points for her career rank 11th all-time.
Lansing Catholic’s Leah Reid is cruising into the elite of scoring all-time in this sport, and entered this season with nine record-book entries. She had at least seven goals in a game six times and finished last season with 89 goals over 20 games. She also made the single-season points list with 106 total as a junior.
PHOTO Farmington Hills Mercy's Jillian Smith directs the attack during her team's 2021 Semifinal against Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood. (Photo courtesy of Detroit News.)