Hartland's Skomial Sits Atop Scoring List

February 10, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

No girls lacrosse player in Michigan high school history has found the net more than Hartland’s Ryan Skomial.

The 2013 grad has been entered into the MHSAA record book for 276 goals over 79 games and four varsity seasons, the highest career scoring total since girls lacrosse became an MHSAA-sponsored sport in 2005. She has 15 record book entries in all, including for fifth-most career assists (133) and third-most career points (409). She’s gone on to play at Grand Valley State University.

Click to see the girls lacrosse record book in full and read on for more recent entries in baseball, boys basketball, football, boys soccer, softball and volleyball. 

Baseball

Portland St. Patrick has had plenty of success over the last decade, including making the Division 4 Semifinals last spring, and its small-ball skills led to some record book entries over the last two seasons. The Shamrocks were hit by 64 pitches over 30 games last season, seventh-most for one spring. They also were entered into the records for four games with at least 12 stolen bases over the last two seasons, 191 steals total in 2015 (tied for fifth-most) and 178 steals in 2016. Graham Smith was hit by 24 pitches last season, tying for second-most in one spring, and his 36 hit-by-pitches over the last three seasons rank 14th on the career list with one more season to play. In addition, ace pitcher Travis Moyer was added for his 0.69 ERA in 2015, 1.08 last spring and 0.91 over his two-season varsity career; his career ERA ranks 10th. He’s playing at Alma College.

Boys Basketball

Kent Ingles has coached continuously for since the 1975-76 season, earning some of his 540 career wins at three stops. He was 540-334 entering this winter, his 15th at Big Rapids, after previously coaching at Greenville and his first two seasons at Cedar Springs. Big Rapids made the Class B Semifinals in 2015-16.

Brandon Allen finished his four-season varsity career at Haslett last winter among MHSAA career leaders in made 3-pointers and free throws. His 218 3-pointers over 87 games are tied for 14th most, and he also made 332 free throws in 434 attempts connecting on 76 percent of his career tries. He’s playing at Western Michigan University.

Football

Dearborn Fordson sophomore Abraham Jaafar returned a kickoff as far as possible in his team’s 28-23 loss to Dearborn on Oct. 14. Jaafar received the kick just in front of the goalline and raced 99 yards for a touchdown to tie the MHSAA record for longest return.

Iron River West Iron County sophomore Dawson Bongi matched Jaafar’s accomplishment – on the same night, but a peninsula away. Bongi also returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown in his team’s 34-7 win over Hancock.

Sterling Heights quarterback Marc Colucci has been entered eight times for passing during his varsity career from 2004-06. In addition to a pair of single-game entries, Colucci was 181 for 297 passing for 2,228 yards as a senior and 390 for 716 for 5,311 yards passing during his career.

Boys Soccer

Josh Nowak capped his Tecumseh career in the fall earning a second entry in the MHSAA records. In addition to the 30 assists he totaled in 2014 as a sophomore, Nowak finished with a career total of 63 over four seasons, to go with 55 career goals.  

Softball

Howell shortstop Amy Jarrett capped her career last spring by tying for the 14th -most hits in one season, with 71. She playing this spring at University of Michigan-Dearborn.

Volleyball

Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central senior setter Brianna Tilton was at her best in one of her team’s biggest matches this season. She had 51 assists in a five-set win over Lowell on Oct. 25 that helped her team win the Ottawa-Kent Conference White championship.

PHOTO: Hartland's Ryan Skomial targets the net during a game against Westland Huron Valley in 2011. (Photo courtesy of Hartland girls lacrosse.)

Iron Mountain Pair Climb Into Michigan's All-Time Hoops Elite

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

August 10, 2021

The last three boys basketball seasons have seen Iron Mountain accomplish its greatest statewide finishes since the 1920s – and grads Marcus Johnson and Foster Wonders join the all-time elite achievers in state history.

Johnson and Wonders led the Mountaineers to the Division 3 Final in 2019, and Wonders brought them back this past season. Iron Mountain also was 21-1 when the 2019-20 season ended early because of COVID-19.

Wonders, who graduated this spring, closed his career with 2,286 points, 13th most in MHSAA history. He twice made the record book for points scored in one quarter and against Ironwood on Feb. 18 also tied the state record with seven 3-pointers in the first quarter. He averaged 26 ppg over 88 games and four seasons and is continuing his career at Southern Illinois.

Johnson, a senior in 2020, led Iron Mountain to a combined 91-8 record with four seasons worth of contributions now reflected in the MHSAA record book, where he’s listed eight times. He made the career scoring list with 2,076 points, he’s seventh on the career 3-pointers list with 285, tied for seventh on the career free throws list with 518 and also made the career steals list with 248. His career free throw shooting percentage of .812 ranks 11th. Johnson played this past season at Bay College.

See below for more recent record book additions for boys and girls basketball, boys lacrosse, volleyball and wrestling.

Boys Basketball

Joe Liedel’s senior season was cut short by COVID-19 in 2020 before he could make a run at the MHSAA’s career 3-point record. But the Erie Mason standout still be recalled among the state’s top shooters – short and long-range – of all-time. Liedel’s 2,202 career points sit 16th on that list, while his 334 3-pointers are second for a career and just six shy of the record. He’s also on the career free throws list with 342 (85 percent success), and he connected on 88 percent of his attempts from the line as a senior. Liedel also made the career steals list with 243. He’s continuing at Detroit Mercy.

Adrian Lenawee Christian drilled 17 3-pointers in a 75-28 win over Battle Creek Academy on Feb. 13 of this past season. Gavin Sluss let the effort with seven.

It took 46 years to make it in to the record book, but Detroit Denby’s Vincent Rush has been credited for 21 assists against Detroit Osborn on Jan. 24, 1975. His total at the time would have been the record and stood for two seasons.

Benzie Central earned a record book entry with 16 3-pointers in its March 11 win over Onekama. Benzie connected on 43 percent of its tries (16 for 37) in the 83-42 victory.

Senior Carter Foerster helped Lake Fenton to a District Semifinal win over Chesaning on March 25 with 34 points total – including 22 during the third quarter to make the single-quarter scoring list. He will play college football at Lawrence Tech.

Girls Basketball

Sarah Marvin made her most powerful impact on high school sports as a Finals record setter in both shot put and discus again this past spring. But her four-season basketball career was similarly memorable as she finished with six MHSAA record book listings. Most recently added were career entries for 400 made free throws, 462 assists and 1,017 rebounds, all over 84 games. Marvin will continue her track & field throwing career at Michigan.

Boys Lacrosse

Ted Campbell and Drew Zyskowski were among those who played major roles as East Grand Rapids finished this spring as Division 2 champion. Zyskowski, a sophomore, was added to the record book with 44 assists and 85 points, while Campbell made the single-season goals list with 65 during his senior campaign.

Volleyball

A junior hitter and sophomore setter led Cadillac to a successful 2019, as the team finished 41-10-2. Macy Brown made the records with 831 kills over 132 games, while setter Renee Brines made the single-season assists list with 1,344. Brown is a freshman at University of New Haven (Conn.), and Brines will sign with Northwood.

Wrestling

Chayse LaJoie wrestled in four Division 2 individual championship matches over four seasons for Gaylord and won two Finals titles, and he was added to the record book for his 197 wins (with only four losses) before graduating in 2000. He had 18 technical falls as a senior and concluded his career with 60, both also making the records.

PHOTOS: Marcus Johnson, left, and Foster Wonders were standouts on Iron Mountain’s 2019 team and throughout their varsity careers.