East Lansing's Smith Nets Goals Record

May 23, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

East Lansing’s Cole Smith took 36 shots in a boys lacrosse game April 18 against Swartz Creek – and made them count.

The senior attack set an MHSAA record with 18 goals in the 27-8 win, his goal total three more than the previous record. He also had an assist for the Trojans, whose season ended in the Regional last week.

Click to check out the boys lacrosse record book in full, and the headings below to see where the following additions fall in for baseball, softball, boys and girls basketball, volleyball and football.

Baseball

Sterling Heights Parkway Christian’s Ryan Stewart became the first from his school to make the MHSAA baseball record book after hitting .484 over his three seasons from 2012-14. He’s currently playing at Calvin College.

Girls Basketball

A pair of juniors led Pittsford to its first MHSAA title this winter and second straight appearance in the Class D Final. Jaycie Burger was added to the records for the second and third time, this season for 78 3-pointers over 27 games and also 172 assists. Teammate Maddie Clark was added for her 314 rebounds, also in 27 games. The Wildcats also finished 27-0 and have lost only two games over the last three seasons.

Evart’s Mara VanOrder also was added to the single-season rebounds list with 342 this winter. She’s signed with Cornerstone University for track & field/cross country.

Boys Basketball

Dylan Patton finished an excellent three-season varsity career at Leslie among all-time career leaders in rebounds and blocks. He had 843 rebounds and 218 blocks in 66 games over the last three winters, and his single-season 302 rebounds and 100 blocks as a junior both made single-season lists as well. His career blocks total ranks 18th. The 6-foot-8 forward also scored 870 points during his career.

Allen Park Inter-City Baptist senior Garrett Kraatz capped a strong four-season varsity career 10th in made 3-pointers with 228 in 575 attempts. The 5-11 guard made a high of 78 this season after connecting on 72 as a junior in 2014-15.

Lansing Catholic record book achievements going back five schools and more than 60 years were added for a number of players. For season and career rebounds were Jim Cassel (998 from 1975-77) and Ralph Coleman (929 from 1953-55), while Tony Poljan, Bob Fata, Doug Watters, Bill Murphy, Rick Kalchick and Pete Perpich made either single-season or career rebounds lists. Rob Beattie made the single-game steals list with 11 in a contest during the 1991-92 season, while Peter Murray and Pat Prichard made the single-season steals list and Joe Watters made the single-season assists list. Austin Nichols' .836 free-throw shooting percentage from 2007-09 ranks sixth on that career list, and he and Tom Churma both were added for single-season free-throw shooting percentage as well. Nichols also made the single-season free throws list with 174 as a senior, and Alex Kulesza, Churma, Poljan, Matt Fata and Coleman also made the career made free throws list. All played at Lansing Catholic but Coleman (Lansing St. Mary), Murphy, Perpich and Churma (Lansing O’Rafferty) and Doug and Joe Watters (Lansing Resurrection). Those five schools also were added for a number of team milestones; among highlights, Lansing Gabriels' 683 free-throw attempts in 1969-70 rank second, as do its 443 made free throws that season. Nichols went on to play at Northwestern University, while Coleman played at Aquinas College. Bob Fata played football at Michigan State, and Poljan will play football at Central Michigan.

Football

A number of listings from Mason’s successful program were added, led by one of the all-time leading rushing scorers in Saylor Lavallii. He made the career list with 482 points scored, and nearly all came on 80 rushing touchdowns – which rank sixth in that category. Kicker Josh Flamme was added for four field goals in a 2013 game against Toledo Scott, plus nine field goals in 2012 and 24 over his three-season career, and Jacob Derby was added for 56 extra points in 2010 and 47 in 2008, and his 142 over three seasons are tied for 10th most. Running backs Dan Kehres, Hunter Holbrook and Jordan Coulter received entries for single-game rushing attempts, and Lavallii also is listed for a 97-yard punt return in 2011. Graduating quarterback Jarrett VanHavel was added for 365 completions in 664 attempts for 5,149 yards over his four varsity seasons, plus six touchdown passes against Detroit Community on Oct. 23, and Nick Vondra was added for 68 catches for 1,016 yards last season and 120 catches for his career. Sean Wren was added for six punt return touchdowns from 2008-10. Lavallii went on to play at CMU, Wren played at Saginaw Valley State University and Kehres played at Alma College, while VanHavel will play at Mount Union in Ohio this fall. Flamme went on to play soccer and University of Detroit Mercy.

Softball

A trio of Millington hitters have been added to the records, including two for RBI in one game this season. Freshman Sydney Bishop was 5 for 5 and drove in seven runs in a 19-1 win over Vassar on April 16, and teammate Kayli Leix was 3 for 3 and drove in six runs in a 25-0 win over Bridgeport on May 13. Taylor Wright also was added for her back-to-back home runs in her last at bat of a first game and first of a second against Chesaning on May 14, 2015. Wright will play next season at Northwood University, and Leix will play at Mott Community College.

Volleyball

Kaitlyn Ill made the single-match aces list with 13 in Millington’s 3-0 sweep of Bridgeport on Sept. 30. Ill is a freshman.

PHOTO: East Lansing teammates carry Cole Smith off the field after his record-setting game against Swartz Creek on April 18. (Photo courtesy of East Lansing athletic department.)

Dow's Szabo Serves Up 3 Tennis Records

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

November 13, 2015

Michael Szabo capped his Midland Dow tennis career this fall with his name all over the MHSAA record book.

Szabo won 37 matches for the second straight season, this time playing No. 2 singles for the Chargers, to finish with an MHSAA record 150 victories (against seven losses) from 2012-15. He also set records with 33 tournament championships and 49 matches won by 6-0, 6-0 scores and became one of seven players to earn four MHSAA Finals singles championships.

A number of teammates also are now listed in the MHSAA records: Daniel Magno was added for 69 career doubles wins over four seasons before graduating last spring. Colin Angell was added for 32 singles wins in 2014 to go with his 61 career doubles wins from 2012-13. Noah Nichols and J.J. Kirkman were added for 30 doubles wins this fall, Ryan Killmaster was added for 32 doubles wins and Daniel Zhang was added for 28 doubles wins this season. Armin Vallazza-Margl is listed with 28 doubles wins in 2014 and Nichols is listed for 27 that season. As a team, Dow won its 24th MHSAA Regional title this fall.  

Click to see the boys tennis record book in full, and see below for more recent record book additions.

Football

  • Khari Willis, now a safety at Michigan State University, capped his Jackson Lumen Christi career in 2014 with four accomplishments now noted in the MHSAA record book. His 2,800 rushing yards as a senior were the third-most in MHSAA history and came on only 241 carries. He also made the single-season rushing touchdown list with 30 and single-game lists with 50 carries and 412 yards in his final high school game, a playoff loss to eventual Division 6 champion Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central. Willis finished his high school career with 4,558 yards rushing.
  • Genesee’s Scott Smith joined only two others in MHSAA history when he recovered four fumbles on Sept. 20, 1996, in his team’s victory over Ashley. He also ran for a touchdown and kicked four extra points.

Boys Lacrosse

  • Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard’s Matt Johnson graduated this spring among the highest scorers in MHSAA history with 272 points and 179 goals over his four seasons on varsity. He had 59 goals and 96 points as a senior this spring. He’s currently a member of the University of Indianapolis men’s lacrosse team.

Softball

  • Onaway’s Madison McLean joined a list of big hitters with back-to-back home runs, knocking hers during the second and third innings in a 20-5 win over Posen on April 25. McLean was a freshman, and the homers came in her first two varsity at bats, according to the Presque Isle Advance.
  • Courtney Quade played four seasons for Marlette, graduating this spring, and made the career walks list earning 79 over 115 games. She also hit .429 over her career and .542 as a senior.
  • Kelcie LaTour completed her junior year at Macomb Dakota with multiple entries in the MHSAA record listings; she hit back-to-back home runs during the sixth and seventh innings of a game against Southgate Anderson on May 2, and finished the season with 11 home runs. She also batted .403 and drove in 38 runs.

Girls Soccer

  • Grosse Ile’s run to the Division 3 Regional Finals this spring included impressive seasons by a pair of three-year varsity juniors, plus some impressive totals put up by the team as a whole. Caroline Fleming scored 39 goals to go with 33 assists for 72 points total in 25 games and moved up the career goals (82) and assists (73) lists with a season to play. Olivia Reckley posted the second-most shutouts in one season, 22, and has 55 over her first three seasons. Total, Grosse Ile gave up only five goals – tied for sixth fewest – and scored 138, which ranks eighth for one season. In 2014, the team gave up nine goals and had 18 shutouts.
  • Fenton’s Abby Quesnelle finished her sophomore season in net at the Division 2 Final, and had 15 shutouts in 22 games to help her team to its first MHSAA championship game. She gave up only 12 goals during the season.
  • Grandville Calvin Christian’s fourth straight MHSAA championship run this spring included the sixth-highest team goals total, 139, with Hilary Curry making the individual single-season goals list with 30 in 25 games. Teammate Emily VanVliet made the single-season assists list with 30 and career assists list with 65. Curry is playing at Hope College and VanVliet is playing basketball at Calvin College.

PHOTO: Midland Dow's Michael Szabo prepares to serve during this fall's Lower Peninsula Division 2 Final at No. 2 singles. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)