Holland's Lake Leaves Scoring Legacy
June 6, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Holland’s Demetrius Lake finished his career this winter as one of the most prolific scorers in Michigan high school history, with 17 entries in the MHSAA record book highlighting his scoring and shooting prowess.
Lake’s 2,069 points over 76 games and four seasons (27.2 ppg) joined a list of those who have reached that milestone, and his 36.2 ppg game this winter rank ninth on a much shorter list of those who have averaged at least 36 for one season. He’s listed six times for scoring at least 20 points in a quarter, with the high 24 (tied for 11th most) in a 2016 games against Holland Christian
His 230 career 3-pointers rank 11th as well, and twice he made more than 20 free throws in a game with his 21 against Zeeland East on Jan. 13 tied for ninth most. He made 20 straight against Holland Christian on Feb. 3, the third-longest in-game streak, and his 221 free throws in 262 attempts this winter were the fourth-most makes. His 541 in 670 attempts over four seasons also rank fourth, and he made the season (.844 this winter) and career (.807) free-throwing shooting percentage lists.
The 5-foot-11 point guard will begin his college career next season at Schoolcraft Community College.
Click the "Boys Basketball" heading below to see where all of Lake's record book entries rank, and read on for more recent additions in boys and girls basketball, hockey, boys soccer and wrestling.
Boys Basketball
Nearly 50 years after accomplishing his record book achievement, Peck’s Harvey Krosnicki has been added for grabbing 30 rebounds in an 83-70 win over Marine City Holy Cross on Feb. 11, 1969. The 6-foot-4 Krosnicki also scored 41 points in the win as he began the final weeks of an outstanding high school career that saw him earn local and statewide honors.
Hunter Greer scored 22 of his 34 points during the fourth quarter of Allendale’s 62-55 Class B District win over Coopersville on March 5. He made 13 free throws during that final period. He will continue his career at Grace Bible College.
Burton Faith sophomore Ezra Giraud had 124 steals over 22 games this past season to rank eighth on the single-season steals list and help his team to a 15-7 finish. He had a game high of 12, which tied for sixth most on that list.
Girls Basketball
Former Ludington star Mandy Stowe already was included for her 2,160 points from 1993-96, which still rank 17th most all-time more than two decades after she finished her career. She was added for three more achievements – 315 career free throws (in 479 attempts), 337 rebounds as a junior and 1,167 career rebounds, which rank 15th on that list. Stowe went on play at University of Michigan and University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, and then professionally in Europe.
Lansing Christian’s Grace Haley also is now included for excellent free throw shooting over four varsity seasons – her 316 free throws in 465 attempts through this winter made the career list in the category. The 5-8 guard will continue her career at Bethel College in Indiana.
Ice Hockey
Calumet downed Negaunee 8-0 on Feb. 9, putting the game out of reach with three goals over 37 seconds during the second period – the fifth-fastest three goals scored back-to-back-to-back by one team in MHSAA history. Brent Loukus tallied the first at 7:53 in the period, followed by Rory Anderson at 8:13 and Matt Yeo at 8:30.
Boys Soccer
Capac senior keeper Jacob Witt had a busy night in net with 30 or more saves in two games this past fall – 35 against Imlay City on Sept. 12 (tied for eighth-most in one game) and 30 against Richmond on Oct. 12. He finished the fall with 350 saves, seventh on the single-season list.
Wrestling
Gaylord standout Dominic LaJoie capped his outstanding career this winter with his third individual championship – and multiple MHSAA records. LaJoie was 52-0 as a senior to finish 200-4 overall, and his 43 technical falls as a junior, 94 over his career and 236 two-point near falls all top those categories, while his 879 career takedowns rank fourth. LaJoie will continue his career at Cornell University.
Former Niles Brandywine standout Chanc Ravish was added for his 194 wins (against 31 losses) from 2010-13, as well as for his 129 career pins. Brandywine’s Joel Perry was added for 119 career pins from 2005-08, and Warren Watson for his 58 wins during the 2008-09 season. Ravish went on to wrestle at Wabash College and Calumet College of St. Joseph, both in Indiana.
PHOTO: Holland’s Demetrius Lake attempts a free throw during the 2015-16 season. (Photo courtesy of Holland High School.)
Record Feats Key Dakota's Historic Run
January 4, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Macomb Dakota’s historic finish to last softball season came on the bats and arm of some history-making players who are among the latest entries into MHSAA record books.
The Cougars won their first Regional title and played in their first MHSAA Final (losing in the Division 1 championship game to Farmington Hills Mercy), and finished with a record of 38-3 – the 38 wins among notable team accomplishments that made record lists. The 2016 team’s 458 hits ranked 14th for one season in MHSAA history, while its 99 doubles were third-most and its 32 home runs were tied for 12th-most in a season. (Also, the 2015 team ranked 15th on the home runs list with 30 in 37 games.)
Individually, sophomore Corbin Hison was added for 17 doubles, while senior Kelcie LaTour was added to the single-season home runs list with 11 for the second straight spring. Junior pitcher Kendahl Dunford finished 35-3 to make the single-season pitching wins list, and LaTour also graduated on the career home runs list with 29. She’s now playing at Grand Valley State University.
See below for more recent additions to record books for baseball, girls and boys basketball, football, boys soccer and wrestling. Click on the sport headings to see those record books in full.
Baseball
Homer’s Brock Ridgeway finished his four-year varsity career last spring on MHSAA career lists for runs scored (163), hits (184), RBI (142) and being hit by pitches (47) after being hit by 18 pitches this past season and three times in one April game. The 47 career HBP is tied for third-most all-time, and he also just missed the career pitching wins list with 32. Homer as a team last spring made season lists with a .354 batting average and 53 HBPs. Ridgeway is a freshman on the Central Michigan University baseball team.
Girls Basketball
Margo Brown’s perimeter shooting was a big part of St. Ignace’s dominance through the first half of this decade, and she entered the record book for 11 3-pointers – tied for third-most in a game – against Rudyard on 17 attempts on Jan. 20, 2015. She now plays at Ferris State University.
Boys Basketball
Jordan Weber knocked down 73 3-pointers last season for East Jordan to finish his four-year varsity career with 278 – fifth-most in MHSAA history. He made nearly 34 percent of his 818 career attempts and averaged 17.1 points per game total as a senior.
Football
A pair of Gaylord athletes were entered for impressive scores more than 30 years ago. Kurt Kakaviska made the records for his 90-yard punt return touchdown against Petoskey in 1982, while Mark Johnston was added for two interception return touchdowns in one quarter in a 1986 game, also against Petoskey. Johnston actually scored a third defensive touchdown in that same third quarter, on a fumble recovery. Kakaviska went on to play at Northern Michigan University.
Haslett kicker Luke Ezzo capped a three-season career this fall among career leaders in field goals with 19 in 26 attempts over 27 games. Ezzo also made the single-season field goals list as a junior with nine in 11 tries over 10 games.
Boys Soccer
Over eight days this fall, Micah Sonnenberg posted two of the highest-scoring games in MHSAA history. The Brooklyn Columbia Central sophomore netted six goals against Clinton on Oct. 6, then scored seven – tied for fifth-most in one game – against Jonesville on Oct. 13.
Softball
A pair of Reese hitters were added for batting prowess. Emily Schrader made the single-season hits list with 72 in 2010, while Monica Hagen – already on the single-season list with 73 in 2014 – was added to the career hits list with 209 over 132 games from 2011-14. Schrader went on to play at Delta College.
Wrestling
Jake Bohn finished his East Kentwood career in 2008 setting the single-season takedown record with 526 – and now also has been added for setting the career takedown record of 1,365 over 216 matches and four varsity seasons. Bohn went on to wrestle at George Mason University.
Comstock Park standout Ryan McCarthy has been added for his 209-29 record over four seasons from 2000-03. He was the first from his school to eclipse the 200-win career milestone.
PHOTO: Macomb Dakota’s Kelcie LaTour takes a swing during last season’s Division 1 Final against Farmington Hills Mercy.