Extra, Extra: Seymour Sets PAT Record
May 1, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Griffin Seymour will head to Eastern Michigan University this fall as one of the most successful kickers in MHSAA history.
Seymour capped a 29-game career this fall with two MHSAA football records and nine listings total in the record book after helping Muskegon Catholic Central to back-to-back Division 8 championships.
He set both records during the Division 8 Final against Munising – in making all four of his extra-point attempts, Seymour set the season extra point record of 87 (surpassing the previous of 85) and the career extra point record of 165 (the previous was 164). Seymour kicked in one game as a sophomore and then 14 each the last two seasons.
He’s also listed for 85 straight extra points, the fourth-longest streak, making 10 of 10 attempts in two games and 75 total as a junior. He had five extra points in his team’s 2013 Final win over Beal City. Seymour reportedly will walk-on as a kicker on the EMU football team.
See below for more of this week's additions to the MHSAA record listings, and click on the headings to see those sports' records in full.
Football
- New Lothrop senior Grant Steinborn also placed himself among the top extra-point makers in MHSAA history during a two-season varsity career. He booted 135 PATs in just 24 games over the last two seasons to tie for eighth on the career list, with his 74 as a junior ranking ninth and his 61 this fall also making the single-season list – he had nine in a game as a junior to make that ranking as well. New Lothrop finished a combined 22-2 over the last two seasons, making the team points list with 577 in 2013 and 539 this fall and for its average of 48.1 in 2013.
- West Bloomfield’s 9-2 finish in the fall included a pair of record-listing performances. Junior quarterback Trishton Jackson threw for 2,046 yards – completing 124 of 210 passes – to make the season yardage list. Junior kicker Ari Goldberg connected on 46 extra points in 53 attempts.
- Olivet freshman quarterback Parker Smith moved up to the varsity during the fall and into the record book with a 99-yard touchdown pass to Wyatt Smith in the Eagles’ 27-0 win over Parchment on Oct. 24. Olivet won the Greater Lansing Activities Conference title and finished 8-3.
Baseball
- Portland’s Tanner Allison capped his prep career in 2014 with some of the highest hitting marks in MHSAA history on his way to joining the Western Michigan University program. His 155 career runs, 189 career hits and 54 career doubles from 2011-14 made those respective lists, as did his 23 doubles last year for one season. The hits tied for 13th most, the season doubles tied for fifth on that list and the career doubles are fourth in MHSAA history. Portland’s team average of .372 last spring also made that category, and Josh Pleyte was added for his seven triples in 2009.
Girls Basketball
- Jessica Murphy scored 30 points to go with eight rebounds and five assists in Oxford's Feb. 10 win over Bloomfield Hills – and also entered the MHSAA records by making all 17 of her free throws. Her total is fourth-highest for consecutive free throws made in one game. Murphy has signed to continue her hoops career at Wayne State University.
- Breckenridge’s Erika Wendling accomplished much during her career ending in 2014, including a 15-steal game as a senior, Dec. 12, 2013, against Saginaw Valley Lutheran. She also ended as the first 1,000-point scorer in her school’s history and played this season at Mid-Michigan Community College.
Boys Basketball
- Ben Carlson graduated from Manistique in 1996 but still holds six school records for this sport, including two that make MHSAA lists – his 201 career 3-pointers and 556 career assists over four seasons. The assists total ranks ninth in MHSAA history. Carlson also owns the school’s career scoring record of 1,495 points.
Boys Soccer
- His totals would’ve stood third when he graduated from Bay City John Glenn in 2008, and Ty Richards now stands fifth in MHSAA history with his 159 career goals entered into the records. His 53 goals as a senior and 40 as a sophomore made the single-season list. His 52 career assists also ranked, and he’s sixth with 211 career points. Former teammate and 2009 grad Stefan Michalsky also was added for 55 career assists over four seasons, and John Glenn’s Connor Windiate was added for 50 goals in 2013. Windiate now plays at NAIA University of St. Mary in Kansas and Michalsky played at Delta College.
Wrestling
- Sparta’s Jason Brew and Matt Armock have been added to the MHSAA list for 200 wrestling wins – Brew with a record of 204-16 from 2002-05 and Armock 202-11 from 2004-07. Armock was the 140-pound title in Division 2 in 2007 and 2006, while Brew was the 145-pound champion in 2005 and 140-pound in 2004. Brew later wrestled at Olivet College.
PHOTO: Muskegon Catholic Central's Griffin Seymour connects on an extra point against Beal City during the 2013 MHSAA Division 8 Final at Ford Field.
Mendon 8-Player Championship Game Run Paced by Record-Setting Rushing
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 26, 2023
Mendon’s run to the Division 2 Final last fall included some of the strongest rushing performances over the history of 8-player football.
The Hornets ran for 4,317 yards, second-most all-time, on the second-most attempts (520) and with a record-setting 682 yards Oct. 14 against Marcellus. Mendon also set the record for total offense with 692 total in that game, and made the single-season touchdowns list with 76 including 66 rushing (also second on that list).
Junior Jack McCaw made the single-season scoring list with 212 points, most coming on 29 touchdowns, and Evan Lukeman made the single-game rushing list with 401 yards against Marcellus. Mendon’s defense also earned praise, twice making the fewest-first-downs-allowed list with a low of three.
See below for more recent additions to the 8-player portion of the football record book:
8-Player Football
Athens’ Landon Bennett earned a pair of record book entries after reaching the end zone seven times during his team’s 72-0 win over Burr Oak on Sept. 8. His seven scores are tied for third-most in 8-player history and included three rushing, three on punt returns and one on an interception return. The three punt return touchdowns are a record. Bennett is a junior.
On the night Powers North Central broke its 8-player record for consecutive wins, claiming its 28th straight, senior Luke Gorzinski tied Jets great Jason Whitens for the record for interception touchdowns in a game with two, scoring on returns during the second and fourth quarters. Gorzinski has signed with Michigan Tech, and North Central’s winning streak is 37 games and counting.
A pair of Atlanta offensive playmakers and a top defensive lineman earned a total of seven entries in the record book for achievements last fall. Senior quarterback Tyler Currie threw for 30 touchdowns over eight games, and also made the records for six touchdowns and 419 passing yards against Whittemore-Prescott on Sept. 23; the passing yards are second-most for one 8-player game. Sophomore Landon Galea was added for 263 yards and five of those touchdowns against the Cardinals, and also for 1,418 yards receiving and 23 touchdowns over nine games. Junior teammate Tucker Kendrick made the tackles for loss list with five against Hillman on Oct. 6.
Adrian Lenawee Christian senior Brady McKelvey became the first to make the career extra points list in 8-player football this past fall. He bettered his previous single-season record making 64 of 66 extra-point attempts over 11 games and finishing his two-year varsity career with 123 extra points in 127 tries.
Sam McKissack reached the record book showcasing multiple skills for Crystal Falls Forest Park during the 2021 season – twice for rushing attempts in a game including with a record 59 against Ontonagon that Sept. 10, and then with a record 70-yard punt Oct. 30, 2021, against Lake Linden-Hubbell. Teammate Devon Basirico also made the record book with six fumble recoveries over 11 games that season. As a team, Forest Park was added twice for single-game rushing attempts – including 73 total in that Ontonagon game – and for 424 rushes over 11 games for the season. McKissack and Basirico are seniors this spring.
Nikolaus Lewis tied for eighth-most rushing touchdowns in an 8-player game when he reached the end zone six times for Carsonville-Port Sanilac in its win over Caseville on Oct. 7. He’s a senior this spring.
Bridgman has won 24 straight games over the last three seasons, and an exceptional offense – and exceptional offensive star – have played major roles. The Bees were added for 658 total yards in a win over Lawrence last season, that total ranking third all-time, and also 613 yards in a win over Eau Claire. Those included totals of 575 and 547 rushing yards, respectively, and Bridgman was added for 3,598 rushing yards (sixth on the list), 59 rushing touchdowns (fourth) and 76 total touchdowns (seventh). Senior Reid Haskins capped his four-year, 32-game varsity career with 13 record book entries, including for 254 points last season over nine games (tied for fifth all-time) and a record 620 career points, 41 touchdowns last season (fifth) and a record 95 for his career, 2,344 rushing yards last season (third) and a record 5,206 for his career, and 41 rushing touchdowns last season (third) and a record 94 for his career. Senior teammate Tanner Peters made the records three times including for 50 extra points last season (fourth) and 99 over 26 games and three seasons (second on the career list).
Mio's Austin Fox rewrote the 8-player passing record book this past fall, with his 621 yards in a game against Whittemore-Prescott setting a single-game record as he totaled four of the five-highest passing yardage totals. He also set a record with 3,516 over nine games for the season, another record with 289 passing attempts over those nine games and a third record for nine touchdown passes in that game against the Cardinals. His 41 touchdown passes total rank fourth. Teammates Gage Long and Nathan Hurst also earned several record book entries on the receiving end of those passes. Long’s 297 receiving yards against Whittemore-Prescott were tied for third most, and Hurst’s 266 against Alcona rank eighth. Long set a single-season record with 1,739 receiving yards, with Hurst sixth all-time at 1,321, and Long’s 14 receptions against the Cardinals and 70 for the season also rank second on those respective lists. Hurst set a record for longest 8-player kickoff return with a 99-yarder against St. Helen Charlton Heston. All three are seniors.
Peck was one of the first MHSAA 8-player champions, claiming the title in 2013, and Cody Abrego one of the state’s first 8-player stars. The Pirates were added to the MHSAA record book 52 times, and Abrego 14 times individually. Among the most notable entries for the 2015 graduate were for 462 points scored over his two-season career (ranking sixth all-time), 74 career touchdowns (sixth), 2,202 rushing yards in 2013 (fifth) and 35 rushing touchdowns in 2013 (sixth). Current senior Caleb Lentner was one of the stars statewide this past season, and he was added eight times including for 50 points scored in a game (ranking second), 272 points for a season last fall (fifth), eight touchdowns in a game (tied for second), 42 touchdowns in a season (fifth), an 8-player record of 2,694 rushing yards from last season, and 38 rushing touchdowns also last fall (fourth). Others to make the individual lists were Nathan Robar, Caleb Dudley, Steven VanConant, Kyle Abrego and Nathan Neihaus, Dudley for a record 20 career interceptions over two seasons and VanConant for a record 12 tackles for loss in a 2022 game and 36 tackles for loss for the season last fall. The Pirates also are all over the 8-player team record book, including for a record 97 touchdowns in 2013, a record 5,895 yards of total offense that season, 528 carries, 4,346 rushing yards and 73 rushing touchdowns in 2013 (all ranking second); and 24 interceptions in 2014, which ranks second on that list.
Senior quarterback JR Hildebrand was one of the most dynamic players in 8-player football in the fall in leading Martin to the Division 1 title. He had one of his most exciting nights in a playoff opener against Tekonsha, making the single-game touchdown pass list with six in a 68-6 victory.
PHOTO Mendon’s Jack McCaw (21) eludes a tackle during the 8-Player Division 2 Final in November at Northern Michigan University. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)