Erie-Mason Standout Rules 3-Point Arc
April 29, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Joe Liedel brought Erie-Mason to the MHSAA Semifinals for the first time this winter with one of the top 3-point shooting performances in state history
The junior guard’s 91 3-pointers over 26 games tied for 15th most for one season, and with a season to play, he’s already among the most prolific long-distance shooters over a career as well.
Liedel has sank 241 3-pointers – to rank ninth on the career list – over 69 games the last three seasons, and will need 99 as a senior to tie the record.
See below for more recent record book additions in boys and girls basketball, and click on the headings to see those record books in full.
Boys Basketball
Ionia senior Brady Swinehart put up some big point totals this season, including during the first quarter of his team’s Jan. 9 win over Lakeview. Swinehart scored 25 of his 31 points during the first quarter, tying for eighth-most points scored in one period. He also was added to the records for a string of 35 straight free throws over nine games during the 2017-18 season that tied for the eighth-longest in that category.
New Haven tied for ninth-most 3-pointers in a game Jan. 22 against Grosse Pointe North when it sank 19 in the 88-59 win. Six players had at least one 3-pointer, with Romeo Weems dropping six and Ronald Jeffery III connecting on five. New Haven also just missed the single-quarter points list with 38 during the second of that game.
Andre Anthony tied for the third-most steals in one game with 13 for Burton Faithway in its 71-33 win over Howell Kensington Woods on Feb. 19. The senior also scored 24 points and had 12 assists and seven rebounds in the win.
Portland St. Patrick senior Brandon Scheurer finished his four-season varsity career this winter on the career 3-pointers list with 201 in 598 attempts over 81 games. He also is a standout baseball player and will continue his career in that sport at Saginaw Valley State University.
Girls Basketball
Hannah Brown finished her four-season varsity career at White Cloud this winter with her second entry for 3-pointers in one season, making 76 over 20 games with a high of 10 against Remus Chippewa Hills on Jan. 22. She will graduate fifth on the career 3-pointer list with 251 over 85 games, and she also made the career free throw list with 326 in 435 attempts. As a team this season, White Cloud connected on 154 3-pointers to make the records on the way to finishing 14-6.
Ellie Taylor graduated from Midland Dow in 2017 all over her school’s girls basketball record book – and among the top 3-point shooters in state history as well. She made the single-season 3-pointers list with 73 as a junior and 77 as a senior, and her 242 over 91 games and four seasons are the fifth-most all-time. Taylor plays at Northwood and played a season at St. Louis University.
Holly senior Rebecca Fugate matched an accomplishment from her sophomore year when she connected on 16 free throws (in 19 attempts) against Hartland on Feb. 28. She will continue her career next season at Wayne State University.
Niles Brandywine rode long-range sharp-shooting to a 23-3 record and District and Regional titles this winter. Brandywine made 186 3-pointers, tied for 11th most, on 626 attempts, which rank 10th. The Bobcats also made the single-game list with 15 3-poiners in a District win over Eau Claire. Six players made 3-pointers in that game, led by Bethany Duval with four.
A pair of performances over five days in January 2016 put Roseville’s Nija Collier on the record book lists for points and rebounds in a game. On Jan. 22, the then-junior scored a school-record 46 points during a 75-68 win over Center Line. On Jan. 26 during a 61-48 loss to Marysville, she grabbed 30 rebounds to tie for 10th most in one game. Collier recently completed her second season at Kansas City Kansas Community College.
PHOTO: Erie-Mason’s Joe Liedel (1) puts up a shot while surrounded by defenders during his team’s loss to Pewamo-Westphalia in the Division 3 Semifinals last month.
Baker-to-Watters Sets Record Book Pace for Lansing Catholic Football
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 6, 2022
Lansing Catholic finished the 2021 football season as 11-player Division 6 champion at Ford Field, and the Cougars offense was paced the last two seasons by a standout quarterback and receiver who both made the MHSAA record book for single-season and career accomplishments.
Joey Baker was added for 2,536 yards passing this past season, with 162 completions on 294 attempts and 28 touchdowns through the air. He made the career passing lists with 4,153 yards over 13 games.
Senior receiver Alex Watters was added for 1,193 yards receiving on 77 catches; his 2,949 yards receiving over 40 games ranks sixth for a career, his 161 catches are ninth on that stat list and his 38 TD receptions rank ninth as well.
Senior kicker Jonah Richards was added for making 49 extra points and he finished his career with 156 (in 167 tries), good for 12th on that list. Additionally, junior Brandon Lewis was added for his 262 receiving yards in a Sept. 2 game against Williamston.
Baker will continue at Hope College and Watters will be a preferred walk-on at Michigan State.
See below for more recent additions to the 11-player football record book.
11-Player Football
DeWitt’s run to the Division 3 championship game for the second-straight season this past fall came again with big numbers from senior quarterback Tyler Holtz, senior receiver Tommy McIntosh and senior kicker Brandon Soltis. Holtz threw for 2,885 yards to finish his two-season varsity career with 5,311, and he tossed 41 touchdown passes to finish with 76 over 25 varsity games. The 41 TD passes tied for eighth-most in one season. McIntosh had 1,328 yards and 22 TDs receiving and finished his three-season varsity career with 140 catches, 2,696 yards and 44 receiving touchdowns. His career yardage is 11th on that list, his 22 touchdowns last fall tied for fourth-most for a single season and his career receiving scores rank second. Soltis connected on 74 more extra points to finish with 152 in 163 attempts over three seasons; both totals rank among the top 15 on their respective lists. As a team, DeWitt was added for scoring 635 points and piling up 6,055 total yards and 89 total touchdowns over 14 games. Holtz will continue at Brown, and McIntosh will play next at Wisconsin.
A pair of Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice athletes have been added for tying the records for longest kick and interception returns. Rocco Milia brought back an interception from deep in the end zone – officially 100 yards – against Detroit Country Day on Oct. 23, 2020. Cole Lacanaria returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown last Oct. 15 against Traverse City Central. Milia was a senior in 2020-21 and now plays at Columbia in New York, and Lacanaria has signed with Lawrence Tech.
Gladwin’s perfect regular season in the fall included three performances that made the records. Junior Anna Seebeck made the single-season extra points list, connecting on 60 of 69 tries over 10 games. The Flying Gs also twice made the total offense list as a team, with 611 yards against Clare and 603 against Shepherd, both in victories.
On Sept. 10, Belding’s Owen Meinke pulled in a deflected Wyoming Kelloggsville pass deep into his team’s end zone and ran down the right sideline the length of the field for a 100-yard interception return touchdown to also tie the MHSAA record. Meinke is a junior.
Ottawa Lake Whiteford senior Cole Giesige also returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown, on Oct. 15 against Petersburg Summerfield.
Ethan Schumaker got all of a punt during a Nov. 7, 2020, playoff game against Traverse City St. Francis. The Harbor Springs then-senior sent it 71 yards, including nearly 60 in the air, as the Gladiators took over possession from their 6-yard-line. Schumaker is punting at Michigan Tech.
Senior Bryce Stanley got off to a fast start last fall, catching 11 passes for 239 yards and four touchdowns in Carson City-Crystal’s win over Fowler. The yardage and TDs made single-game lists.
Clinton Township Chippewa Valley’s Cephus Harris and Grosse Pointe South’s Will Johnson both put up record book performances in Chippewa Valley’s 49-37 win Oct. 8. Harris made the record book scoring seven touchdowns – four rushing, two receiving and one on a kickoff return. Johnson made the receiving yardage list with 238. Harris ended up putting together one of the highest-scoring seasons in 11-player history, scoring 36 touchdowns with one two-point conversion for 218 points – making the lists for both single-season points and TDs. A senior, he’s signed with Youngstown State and Johnson signed with Michigan. Additionally for Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, it has submitted the game with the fewest first downs given up in 2021, allowing only two to Troy on Oct. 29.
Charlotte’s Braden Hill scored the first points of his team’s 60-21 win over Lake Odessa Lakewood on a 77-yard kickoff return Oct. 15, and he was just getting started. Hill also returned two more kickoffs for touchdowns, both 80 yards, to tie the record for kickoff return touchdowns in one game. Hill is a junior.
PHOTO Lansing Catholic’s Alex Watters surges forward as a Warren Michigan Collegiate defender brings him down during November’s Division 6 Final. (Click for more from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)