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.)

2-Time Champ Earns 1st Records Mention

May 10, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

This winter, sophomore Bree Salenbien registered the first of what no doubt will be a number of MHSAA record book entries during her Adrian Lenawee Christian basketball career.

The all-stater made 27 free throws – second-most for one game – against Ann Arbor Pioneer on Feb. 16. Meanwhile, junior teammate Libby Miller was added to the records for 69 3-pointers over 28 games this season as the team won its second straight MHSAA Finals championship, this time in Division 4.

See below for more recent record book additions in baseball, girls basketball, hockey, girls soccer and volleyball. Click on the headings to see those record books in full.

Baseball

A pair of Concord athletes joined the list of most frequently hit batsman. T.J. Stevens was hit by pitch 18 times as a senior in 2014 and 26 over 56 games and two seasons. Teammate Chevy Burk was hit 15 times also as a senior in 2014 and 24 times over 107 games and three seasons.

On April 23, 2001, Armada’s Steve Girodat hit three home runs during his team’s 10-3 win over Memphis, tying a long list for seventh-most homers in one game. Girodat went on to play at Adrian College.

On April 22, 1960, Morrice stole 26 bases in a game against Birch Run. Nearly 60 years later, that performance has been added as an MHSAA record for steals in a game. Jim Hursh also was added to the individual steals list after leading the way that day with six stolen bases.

Girls Basketball

Adrian Madison’s Laura Teunion-Smith has been a softball standout and will continue her career in that sport at Tiffin University. But she also contributed her athleticism to the basketball program, making the record book this winter with 304 rebounds over 25 games. She also was a standout in volleyball.

Hockey

Tawas goaltender Ethan Haire worked through some busy nights this season, tying the record for most saves in one game with 96 in a 9-3 loss to Walled Lake Northern on Dec. 21. He came back with 94 saves in an 8-1 loss to Fenton/Linden on Jan. 19. Haire was a junior this winter. 

There are not many recent entries for goals or assists in the MHSAA hockey record book, making Zach Robinson’s 135 assists over 107 games the last four seasons for Brownstown Woodhaven even more impressive. His total ranks 11th on the career assists list.

Girls Soccer

For the second season in a row last spring, Muskegon Mona Shores ran off 10 straight shutouts to make the MHSAA record book. The latest streak began April 11, 2018 against Spring Lake and concluded after a win over Muskegon on May 8.

A pair of Swartz Creek standouts graduating 17 years apart were added. Casey Allessie graduated in 2017 with 77 goals over four seasons, good for second-most in her school’s history. Just ahead of her was 2000 graduate Haley Henry at 83; she also was added for 26 assists her senior season, 184 career points from 1997-2000, and for 101 career assists that would’ve ranked second on the list at the time and now sit tied for third. Allessie is playing at Delta College.

Volleyball

Onaway added to its successful group of standouts in the record book from the last decade with career assist (3,328) and ace (296) totals for Taylor Ehrke, who played from 2013-16. Additionally, Lexi Szymoniak was added for 605 kills in 2014, and Calley Selke (120) and Mallorie Neelis (111) were added for aces this past fall. Szymoniak went on to play at Lawrence Tech University. Selke is a senior this year, and Neelis is a junior.

PHOTO: Adrian Lenawee Christian’s Bree Salenbien attempts a free throw during this season’s Division 4 Final at Calvin College.