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-Setting Offense, Pitching Ace Drive Beal City Finals Run

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

April 13, 2023

On the way to finishing Division 4 runner-up last season, Beal City produced a record-breaking offensive performance while following one of the most consistently successful pitching aces in state history.

The Aggies set an MHSAA record by scoring 12.5 runs per game in finishing 30-3, also making the team record book with 413 runs total, 78 doubles, 22 triples (tied for third all-time), 345 RBI and a .442 team batting average that ranks second on that list.

Brendan Martin made the career consecutive pitching wins list with 19 over his junior and senior seasons, and senior teammate Brayden Haynes earned listings for two home runs and six RBI in one inning of a win over Lake City. Martin is pitching this spring at Mid Michigan College.

See below for more recent additions to the baseball record book:

Baseball

Over a five-game stretch during April 2021, Kalamazoo Hackett Prep’s Stephen Kwapis got a hit in 13 straight at bats – the fourth-longest such streak in MHSAA history. He began with a hit in his final at bat in the first game of two that April 16 against Watervliet, then went 2 for 2 in the second game, a combined 7 for 7 during a doubleheader against Galesburg-Augusta on April 22, and finished with hits in his first three at bats April 24, 2021, against Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern. He piled up five doubles, a triple and four home runs, along with three singles during the streak.

Portage Central’s run to the 2021 Division 1 championship game included record-book accomplishments by three individuals. Senior Luke Leto scored 73 runs over 37 games, good to tie for fifth-most runs in a season. Zach MacDonald was added for seven triples and 15 home runs, both over 40 games, and senior pitcher Gavin Brasosky posted a 0.84 ERA over 66 2/3 innings pitched. Leto is playing at Kansas after starting his college career at Louisiana State, and Brasosky is throwing at Kansas after playing a season at Tennessee. MacDonald is continuing at Miami (Ohio).

In 2016, Concord's Charlie Ropp became the second player from his family on the single-season stolen bases list, with his 63 over 35 games ranking for third-most in his family but sixth-most statewide.

Nearly 30 years later, Jason Knowlton has received his due for a performance April 29, 1994. On that day, he connected on back-to-back grand slams for Bridgman against Eau Claire, in consecutive innings. He’s one of seven to be listed for doing so in consecutive at bats.

Three of the oldest listings in this sport were added, all from Morrice. Jim Pavlica, a junior in 1946, was added for six stolen bases in a game that season against Byron. Pavlica would go on to play in the minors for the Chicago White Sox. He would have two more stolen bases when Morrice swiped 19 total against Byron in 1947, a performance that ranks fourth on the single-game steals list. Morrice also was added for 18 steals in a 1944 game against Byron.

Over the course of 11 days last spring, two Manistee hitters made the record book for steals in a game. Junior Ethan Edmondson tied for third on the list with seven against Bear Lake on April 30. Junior Jeff Huber made the list with six against Muskegon Orchard View on May 10.

Kingsley’s Owen Graves was added to the records for his seven triples as a senior in 2021. He now plays at Aquinas College.

Brighton Charyl Stockwell pitcher Aidan Liedeke was tough to hit last spring, as he struck out more than two batters per inning. He finished with 135 strikeouts over 61 1/3 innings pitching, for an average of 15.41 strikeouts per game – third-most on that record list. A senior this school year, he’s committed to continue at Kalamazoo College.

Jack Lamb brought plenty of speed to Perry’s offense last spring as a senior, making the record book twice. He reached the single-season list with 53 steals over 33 games, and also the single-game list with six steals on May 9, 2022, against Vermontville Maple Valley.

A performance more than four decades old from a school no longer open got its due. Orlando Villarreal hit a combined .451 over the 1979 and 1980 seasons to make the career batting average list for Wyoming Park. He went on to play at Central Michigan.

Jacob Morton became the first player on record since 2017 to hit two home runs in one inning when he did so in the first inning for Adrian Lenawee Christian against Britton Deerfield on May 16, 2022. Morton is a senior this school year.

PHOTO Beal City standout Cayden Smith drives a pitch during last season’s Division 4 Final against Riverview Gabriel Richard.