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.) 

Brown City Standout Joins Spiking Elite

June 29, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Brown City senior Becki Krause finished off a celebrated three-season varsity career with a memorable run last fall, leading her team to its first Class C championship game and a runner-up finish.

Her 36 kills in a Semifinal win over Adrian Madison made the MHSAA record book single-match list, and she made the single-season kills list as well with 661 total. Brown City finished 45-9-6 after also advancing to the Semifinals in 2015.

Read on for another recent volleyball record book entry plus more additions in baseball, boys and girls basketball, football, girls soccer, softball and wrestling, and click on the headings to see those record books in full.

Baseball

Three straight no-hitters during the final weeks of the 1973 season earned Robert Nowotny from tiny Carsonville a paragraph in the Detroit Free Press and a shared MHSAA record for most consecutive no-hitters. His came over Kingston, Peck and Kinde North Huron.

Boys Basketball

Powers North Central rewrote the record book section for victories over the last four seasons, breaking its previous records by going 56-0 over the last two and 83-0 over the last three while also setting the record (that remains active) with an 83-game winning streak through this past season’s Class D Final. Standout senior Jason Whitens finished his career on record book lists for 2,062 points, 770 rebounds, 601 assists and 264 steals and set a record for 109 varsity games played. His career assists rank fifth all-time. He will continue his career at Western Michigan University.

Girls Basketball

Kelsey Wyman and Brooke Henning finished successful four-season varsity careers this winter by leading Blissfield to a 23-3 record and run to the Class C Quarterfinals. Wyman made the records with 175 assists and 578 (eighth all-time) for her career, while Henning made lists for 25 rebounds in a game twice, 402 this season (seventh all-time) and 303 as a junior, and 1,007 rebounds for her career. Wyman will continue at Ferris State, and Henning will play softball at Grand Valley State.

Football

A trio of Frankenmuth kickers entered the MHSAA record book, led by recent graduate Jack Lee after he made all 54 extra points he attempted last fall. Aaron Krafft was added to the career list for 76 extra-point kicks during the 2013-14 seasons, and Bryce Frahm joined Lee on the single-season list with 47 PATs in 2012. Running back Kyle Raycraft also was added for tying the longest rush with his 99-yarder against Caro in 2003. Lee will play soccer this season at Calvin College.

Frankfort junior Griffin Kelly also was added for a 99-yard run, for a score on Sept. 16 against Mancelona. He scored twice more that game, including on a 75-yard reception.

Girls Soccer

Christina Wynn led Trenton on an impressive run over her four-year career that ended this spring with 55 shutouts, good to tie for seventh most all-time, and with three entries for single-season shutouts including a high of 18 as a junior. Her Trenton teams earned five record book entries, most notably for 145 goals (fifth most all-time) this spring and an 18-game shutout run in 2016 that set an MHSAA record. Junior Sara Vinca also was added for her 33 goals this season.

Morgan McKerchie capped a three-season varsity career at Flint Powers Catholic with 34 assists in 2014 to finish with 72 – both earned record-book listings, as did teammate Heather Rolls’ 18 shutouts in 2012. Powers also made the team shutouts list with that total that season, and for giving up only eight goals in 21 games in 2014. McKerchie plays at Michigan State and Rolls went on to play at Georgetown.

Softball

Kelsie Swanson finished up a four-year varsity career at Flint Powers Catholic with a number of entries, mostly for career accomplishments – a .529 average, 198 runs, 244 hits (tied for 12th most), 55 doubles (including 21 as a senior) and 28 triples. She started this season for Oakland University.

Volleyball

Madison Dowd had 59 assists for Bloomfield Hills Marian in its four-set win over rival Farmington Hills Mercy last Sept. 15, good to tie for ninth-most assists in a match. A sophomore, Dowd finished the season with 1,434 assists, 15th-most all-time.

Wrestling

Longtime Blanchard Montabella coach Shaun Balhorn was added to the career wins list as his total went over 400 this past winter. Balhorn has led Montabella to a 409-192 record since taking over in 1997-98, with a high of 33 wins in 2003-04.

PHOTO: Brown City’s Becki Krause winds up for a kill attempt during last season’s Class C Semifinal against Adrian Madison.