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.)
Owosso Ace's Strikeout Total Stacks Up with State's All-Time Best
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 4, 2023
Owosso’s Macy Irelan earned 11 entries in the MHSAA record book over her three-year varsity career that came to a close last spring, most notably with her 1,157 strikeouts despite the 2020 season being canceled due to COVID-19.
Irelan’s career strikeouts were the second-most in the state since the pitching distance was lengthened three feet in 2011. She finished 31-7 last spring with a 1.43 ERA and 414 strikeouts in 229 2/3 innings in earning the Miss Softball Award for pitching.
She also hit .551 with 21 doubles last season, and her 55 career doubles over 117 games and three seasons made that category career list. She’s continuing her career at Kent State.
See below for more recent additions to the softball record book:
Softball
Unionville-Sebewaing’s dominating run to the 2021 Division 4 championship was filled with seven record book-worthy highlights, including many near the top of all-time lists. In going 40-3, the Patriots tied their season record for wins for the second time. Their 502 runs scored ranked third all-time, with their 493 hits tied for ninth, their 114 doubles second, their 49 home runs also tied for ninth, their 431 RBI also second and their 503 strikeouts thrown ranking third. Senior Brynn Polega completed her career with 13 record book entries despite her junior season being canceled because of COVID-19; she added listings for 71 runs, 79 hits, a third-best 28 doubles, 11 homers, 70 RBI, four perfect games pitching and 365 strikeouts, among others. Then-junior Laci Harris made lists with 77 runs, 83 hits, 22 doubles, 14 homers and 78 RBI, while then-junior Macy Reinhardt was added for 78 runs and then-freshman Gabriella Crumm was added for 16 doubles. Polega, Harris and Reinhardt also posted entries for single-game accomplishments. Polega is playing at Northwood and Harris at Madonna.
Big Rapids set a school record for wins in 2021 in finishing 34-7, a run which included a number of accomplishments that reached the record book. The Cardinals scored 439 runs – tied for 12th on that list – and also as a team were added for 428 hits, 82 doubles and 363 RBI, which tied for 10th all-time. Marissa Warren made the individual hits list with 71, while Hanna Smith earned an entry with 20 doubles and Rylie Haist followed with 19. Josie Cornell was added with 40 walks drawn. Warren, Smith and Haist were added for single-game accomplishments as well, as was Madison Affer from a 2019 game. Haist, Smith and Cornell are seniors this school year, and Warren is a junior. Smith has signed with Ferris State.
A pair of Bad Axe standouts earned record book entries in 2021 with their work at the plate. Haley Newland made the single-season doubles list with 19, and Brooke Messing was added for seven RBI in a game that saw her hit a grand slam and three-run homer. Newland graduated last spring and Messing is a senior this school year.
Montrose then-freshman Lainey Cannon made two record book lists with her performance April 25 against Montrose. She hit three home runs to make the single-game list in that category, and also made the single-game RBI list with eight.
Capac then-sophomore Madalyn Roberson made the record book three times with her performance May 9 against Brown City. She hit two home runs in back-to-back at bats, both during the fifth inning, and also drove in six runs for the game.
Spring Lake standouts now fill the record book after the addition of 55 individual and 23 team entries dating back to the 2000 season. Among listings ranking highest in their respective categories were Madelyn Nelson’s 81 runs in 2018, which tied for seventh all-time; Nelson’s 250 career runs from 2015-18) that rank seventh and Lauren Hellman’s 249 career runs also from 2015-18 that rank eighth on that list; Nelson’s 84 hits in 2018 that are tied for 12th-most all-time and her 264 career hits that rank 11th, Leah Vaughan’s 26 doubles in 2019 that rank seventh, Evie Lorimer’s 16 triples in 2011 that are tied for eighth and her 37 career triples from 2010-12 that are ranked fourth, Vaughan’s 23 career times being hit by pitch from 2016-19 which rank second, and Lorimer’s 92 stolen bases in 2012 that rank second (with all 92 coming consecutively to tie for fifth on that list) and 183 career steals that rank 11th. As a team, Spring Lake in 2017 ranked seventh all-time with 501 hits over 42 games, fourth with 109 doubles and eighth with 34 triples. The 2018 team ranks 11th with 441 runs scored over 41 games, 10th with 497 hits and tied for ninth with 100 doubles. Valerie Alter, Linsey Paggeot, Jenna Core, Molly Poole, Alicia Mumby, Leah Anton, Ann Marie Galloway and Rachael Adams also earned individual entries. Nelson went on to play at Grand Valley State, Vaughan plays at Aquinas College, Lorimer played at Central Michigan, Alter played at Jacksonville University (Fla.), Poole plays at Cornerstone University and Mumby played at Lansing Community College. Core plays volleyball at Hope College.
Freeland’s offense earned five record book entries during the team’s 26-12 season in 2022, including for 412 runs scored, 442 hits, 78 doubles, 336 RBI and a .400 team batting average. Three individuals also earned entries – sophomore Addie Steffen for a 20-game hitting streak and seven RBI in a game, junior Evelynn Rybicki for six RBI in a game and freshman Brynn Jaime for getting hit by a pitch twice in the same inning.
Chloe Parker hit .604 last spring and made the records with 20 doubles over 33 games for Niles Brandywine. She’s a junior this school year.
A series of record book entries were added for past and present Zeeland West standouts. Carly Sleeman was added for 73 runs, 75 hits, 27 doubles and 12 home runs in 2021 as a sophomore, while Lily Brower was added for 72 runs, 17 triples and 11 homers, plus 38 doubles and 29 triples over a four-year varsity career. Sleeman’s 27 doubles are tied for fifth-most in one season, and Brower’s 17 triples are tied for fourth on that list. Haley Hoogenraad was added for 70 hits and 17 doubles as a junior in 2015, 19 doubles as a senior, and 49 doubles and 24 triples over her four-year career from 2013-16. Kenzie Siersma was added for 17 doubles in 2017 and 54 over her career from 2016-19, while Courtney Sleeman made the season home runs list with 15 in 2015 and Sarah VanValkenburg made the career RBI list with 152 from 2014-17. Emily Brands was added for hitting consecutive home runs in the same inning, May 7 against Reese; she graduated this spring. Hoogenraad went on to play at University of Michigan, Courtney Sleeman played at Western Michigan, Siersma plays at West Virginia Tech, Brower played last season at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, and Carly Sleeman has signed with Central Michigan.
PHOTO Owosso’s Macy Irelan unloads a pitch during the 2021 Division 2 Final.