Cass City Ace Fires to Near Perfection
July 17, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Cass City junior Kendall Anthes helped his baseball team to a 25-3 record this spring, in the process turning in one of the most impressive single-season pitching performances in MHSAA history.
Anthes finished 10-0 on the mound, making the record book in three categories. His 0.11 ERA over 65 2/3 innings pitched tied for fourth lowest all-time, while his four walks allowed tied for second fewest. He threw eight shutouts, tied for fifth most for one season.
See more recent baseball record book additions below, and click the heading to view the record book in full.
Baseball
Travis Hill tied the MHSAA record for stolen bases in a game in Onsted’s five-inning 13-3 win over Adrian Madison on May 9. The junior stole eight bases – both second and third base four times – and scored four runs. He tied Jeremy Freed’s eight steals for Morrice in a 2002 game.
A pair of Paw Paw standouts were added for extra-base hitting – Parker Marcon for seven triples in 2015 and Jimmy Wressel for 19 doubles in 2017. Wressel graduated a year later and played this spring at Grand Rapids Community College.
Novi’s Evan Yokie was added for seven triples, hit during his senior season in 2018.
Hartland’s Max Hendricks also made the record book for single-season triples, tying for fifth all-time with 11 in 2018. A senior that spring, he’s now playing at Wayne State University.
Zach Hopman’s power-hitting display this spring included two games with three homers. The Brighton senior hit three the first time against Plymouth on May 1 and then three against Ann Arbor Pioneer on May 20.
Kingsley tied for the eighth-most stolen bases in a season this spring, totaling 181 over 35 games in finishing 25-10. Jacob Radtke stole 38 bases and Owen Graves had 36 to lead the way.
Blake Borck capped a four-season career at Hudson this spring with 181 hits, 136 RBI and 34 times hit by pitches – which all made career record book lists. He also tied for third after being hit by pitches three times in a May 21 game. Younger brother Ethan Borck was added for his 1.12 ERA over 74 2/3 innings pitched this spring.
Sterling Heights Stevenson finished 28-7, pushing coach Joe Emanuele over 500 career wins and into the record book. Emanuele has led Stevenson to a 521-244 record since taking over the varsity in 1998, with three trips to at least the MHSAA Semifinals. Stevenson won the Division 1 title in 2005.
Flushing junior Nick Powers held opponents to a 0.77 ERA this spring, making the single-season list in that category while finishing with an 8-2 record. He’s committed to continue at Michigan State University after graduation next year.
PHOTO: Cass City’s Kendall Anthes begins his move toward the plate against Unionville-Sebewaing this spring. (Photo courtesy of Varsity Monthly.)
Schoolcraft Ace Could Score & Much More
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 10, 2021
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Gabi Saxman’s Schoolcraft career will be remembered in part because she scored more than 1,000 points over four seasons.
But 5-foot-6 point guard made the MHSAA record book in two other categories, with 477 assists and 436 steals over those 96 games before graduating last spring.
She is continuing her career at Western Michigan University this winter, as her former teammates and high school basketball teams all over Michigan kick off their seasons this week.
Below is a look at recent additions to MHSAA record books in girls basketball, hockey and girls soccer. Click on the headings to view those record books in full.
Girls Basketball
Last Feb. 20 was unforgettable for Grass Lake and especially Gabrielle Lutchka. She set an MHSAA record for 3-pointers with 16 to finish the evening with 56 points, which ranks eighth all-time for single-game scoring. As a team, Grass Lake made the record book with 17 3-pointers that night against Manchester. Teammates Abrie Cabana also was added for an achievement last winter, finishing with a .880 free-throw percentage. Lutchka is a junior and Cabana a senior this school year.
Genesee senior Hayle March tied for 12th-most assists in a game Jan 23, 2020, when she dished 14 during her team’s 61-35 win over Mayville. She also had 12 points, five rebounds and five steals in the victory.
Kasey DeSmit played a significant part in Hudsonville’s 73-28 record from 2015-18, making the career record book in two categories. She sank 187 3-pointers and tallied 474 assists over those 101 games. She now plays at Hope College.
Gracie Nowak filled her senior season at Morrice last winter with a number of highlights, perhaps the biggest individually the 18 steals she totaled in a Jan. 17, 2020, win over Webberville. That total ranks as the fourth-highest for single-game steals in MHSAA history.
Kent City continued to dominate the 3-point shooting lists in 2019-20, with the team connecting on 16 in multiple games and a season-high 17 against Ravenna on March 2. Junior Jenna Harrison finished the season with 86 3-pointers over 24 games, and junior Kenzie Bowers had nine of her team’s 16 in a game against Hesperia. Bowers has signed with Illinois State.
Kelynn Kujat completed her Frankenmuth career last season among top 3-point shooters all-time, drilling 187 over four seasons and 89 games. She previously had made the record book with 66 3-pointers as a sophomore.
Nearly 40 years later, Teresa Hudak’s rebounding excellence has reached the record book. The Rogers City standout three times grabbed 26 or more rebounds in a game – with a high twice of 29. She had 342 rebounds as a junior in 1981 and then 385 as a senior the following fall, with the latter total ranking 11th all-time.
Hockey
Sean Hogan enjoyed an exciting start to calendar year 1995, making the MHSAA record book twice. He scored four goals in the first period of Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes’ 7-5 win over White Lake Lakeland on Jan. 14, and seven for the game in Our Lady’s 15-4 win over Algonac that Feb. 5. Hogan went on to play at Iona College and has coached multiple American Collegiate Hockey Association programs.
Girls Soccer
Nearly 25 years later, Marie Spaccarotella has made it into the record book for her 102 career goals over four seasons for Livonia Churchill from 1993-96. She went on to play forward at University of Michigan, starting 32 games and scoring 21 goals over four seasons.
PHOTO: Gabi Saxman brings the ball upcourt for Schoolcraft during a game last season. (Photo courtesy of JoeInsider.com.)