Ithaca's Smith Stands Among Top QBs
April 7, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Ithaca, and quarterback Travis Smith in particular, are all over the MHSAA football record book after extending the program’s winning streak to 56 straight games in 2013.
The streak is the second-longest in MHSAA history and longest that's taken place entirely during the playoff era. And three of those four straight perfect seasons came with Smith running the offense.
He finished his career with 468 completions in 691 attempts for 8,044 yards and 104 touchdowns passing. The TDs are an MHSAA record and the yards rank second. He threw for 42 touchdowns in 2013, which ranked fourth for one season, and 3,278 yards, good for ninth-most. He will play his college football at Wake Forest University.
Teammate Logan Hessbrook caught 19 touchdown passes in 2013 to tie for ninth-most in a season. Kickers Sage DeMull and Alex Vanderploeg also were added after both connected on more than 70 extra-point kicks the last two years, respectively, and Markes Gadlen was added after tying the record for longest kickoff-return touchdown with a 99-yarder against Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary in 2012.
Click to see the MHSAA football record book, and read on for more recent entries for other sports.
Football
- Detroit Cesar Chavez Academy quarterback Omar Salih threw a lot of passes last fall – 428, second most in MHSAA history for one season. He made the single-game attempts list five times, with a high of 60 throws against Dearborn Heights Annapolis, and completed a high of 30 passes (in 51 attempts) against Dearborn Heights Star International. He finished with 3,293 yards passing and 32 touchdowns, both in only nine games. Teammate Nate Drew finished with 69 catches last fall for 1,376 yards and 19 TDs. His 2,748 receiving yards over four seasons rank seventh on the MHSAA career list.
Baseball
- Monroe Jefferson’s Tyler Castiglione got nearly around the bases more than anyone else in MHSAA history in 2013, with a record 15 triples that also helped him set the career triples record of 25. Both will make national record book lists, with the 15 last season ranking fourth in NFHS history. Castiglione also graduated with a .482 career batting average and 1.63 career ERA. He now plays for Spring Arbor University.
- Richland Gull Lake won more than 70 games over the 2011-12 seasons, and the MHSAA records reflect a few more performances that drove the run. Colton Bradley was added for 66 hits and 21 doubles in 2012, while Connor Owen made the single-season (19) and career (29) hit-by-pitch lists. The 2012 Gull Lake team moved to the top of the team hit-by-pitch list with 72, and Patrick Gaudard finished his career that spring with 38 over three seasons. Nate Stegman was added for his 1.34 ERA over two varsity seasons, as was Bob Cole for his 1.27 over 1980-81.
Boys Basketball
- A trio of Manistique players was added for accomplishments from a few decades ago. Bill Pistulka made the single-season rebounds list with 316 in 1974-75, and brother John Pistulka made the career list with 722 from 1975-78. Rob Ryan made the season free throw percentage list by hitting 87.7 percent of his attempts during the 1988-89 season.
Boys Lacrosse
- DeWitt’s Jackson Iciek just missed tying the MHSAA record for goalie saves in a 10-7 loss to Okemos last season. He tallied 23 saves, one shy of tying the record.
Softball
- With a season to play, Saginaw Heritage’s Lacy Tolfree has the sixth-highest career batting average (.580) in MHSAA history and also makes career lists with 181 runs and 43 doubles. She also was added for a 22-game hitting streak that ended last May and back-to-back grand slams that led to nine RBI total on April 22 of last year.
- Perry’s Lauren Aldrich joined an elite group who have hit at least 10 home runs in a season, doing so last spring in 81 at bats. She hit .531 for the season.
Girls Tennis
- Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Central’s Meika Ashby finished her high school career last season with her third MHSAA singles championship – and second at No. 1 – a final record of 94-1 after going 25-0 last spring, and the MHSAA record with 71 matches won 6-0, 6-0, during her career. Ashby is playing now at Western Michigan University.
Volleyball
- A pair of Onaway athletes were added for successes during the 2012 season. Megan Estep had 14 aces in a three-game match against Wolverine and 50 assists in four games against Fife Lake Forest Area to make those single-match lists. Teammate Devin Bristley had 112 aces to make the season listing.
PHOTO: Ithaca quarterback Travis Smith rolls out during his team’s Semifinal win over Montrose in November. (Click to see more from High School Sports Scene.)
Bucs' Standout Earns Raves for Saves
June 25, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
After spending four seasons stopping opponents from finding the net, former Grand Haven boys lacrosse goalie Gabe Liebetreu can be found 28 times in the MHSAA record book.
As a junior (269) and again as a senior (277), Liebetreu set the single-season saves record, and he ended up second all-time with 897 career saves from 2004-17.
Liebetreu also shares the record for most single-game saves after making 30 against Mattawan as a junior. He is continuing his career at Queens University in Charlotte, N.C.
In addition for the Buccaneers, former teammate Ian McClain was added for five assists in a 14-4 win over Muskegon Reeths-Puffer in 2016. McClain was a senior this spring.
Click to see all of the boys lacrosse record book, and read on for recent MHSAA records entries in baseball, girls and boys basketball, girls lacrosse, boys soccer and softball. Click on the sport headings below to see those record books in full.
Baseball
A pair of Holt standouts finished this spring on career record lists. Spencer Baldwin capped a three-year varsity career with a batting average of .455, while Burrell Jones finished his four-year career with an ERA of 1.84. Baldwin will continue at Kalamazoo College, while Jones will continue at Wabash Valley Junior College in Indiana.
Girls Basketball
Battle Creek Calhoun Christian’s Eliana Wilson will enter her freshman year already listed in the MHSAA record book. Wilson grabbed 32 rebounds in the Cougars’ 47-46 win over Colon on Feb. 17. Although the 5-foot-11 forward’s season total won’t count toward any career records – only numbers accumulated in grades 9-12 can be included – her single-game rebounds are listed in a tie for fourth most in that category.
McBain’s Hamlet sisters had quite a run over a decade that ended with Meredith’s high school graduation in 2015, and together she, Elizabeth Hamlet and AnnMarie Hamlet combined for nine record book entries. All three made the career free throws made list – Elizabeth with 451 from 2005-09 (to rank ninth), Meredith Hamlet with 422 from 2012-15 (to rank 14th) and AnnMarie with 323 from 2009-12. Meredith also made the career assist list with 549 (ranking 12th), and Elizabeth (102) and AnnMarie (101) both made the games played list. All three went on to play at Valparaiso University, Elizabeth and AnnMarie after starting their college careers at Oakland.
Boys Basketball
Calhoun Christian’s Andrew Eckhart capped his career with a record book entry as well this winter. The 6-foot-5 senior blocked 115 shots over 21 games.
Girls Lacrosse
Junior Erin Kloostra and senior Kelli Bailey helped Grand Rapids Forest Hills United reach the Division 1 Regional Semifinals this spring with record book-level scoring. Kloostra, a student at Forest Hills Eastern, set an MHSAA record with 99 assists (including 10 in a game against DeWitt) and finished with 134 total points. Bailey scored 53 goals this season. Bailey’s 54 goals and Kloostra’s 61 goals, 84 assists and 145 points in 2017 also were added to the record listings. Grand Rapids Forest Hills United as a team scored 346 goals in 2017 and 253 this season. Bailey, from Forest Hills Central, will continue her career at Kent State University.
Rochester Adams junior Elexi Boladian netted eight goals in a 14-4 win over Royal Oak on May 7. She’s one of only 19 players to score at least eight in a game.
A pair of Grand Rapids Catholic Central juniors stamped their names in the record book with big scoring seasons. Lauren Marosi had three games with eight or nine goals to finish with 101 and 117 points total – her single-season goals are the sixth most in MHSAA history. She also became the fourth player with at least 12 points in a game, when she had six goals and six assists May 29 against Mattawan. Teammate Annie Gilbert was added for eight goals in a game, and 85 goals and 93 points this spring. As a team, Grand Rapids Catholic Central had 246 goals. Marosi has committed to play collegiately at Virginia Commonwealth University, while Gilbert is committed to University of Detroit Mercy.
Boys Soccer
Cobe Lund will enter his senior season this fall coming off a historic junior performance – his 42 goals and 62 points over 25 games both earned record listings. Leland as a team scored 126 goals – tying for 11th-most all-time – on the way to making the Division 4 Regional Finals.
Softball
New Lothrop’s Emma Muron had such a rare season at the plate this spring, it led to the creation of a new section of the softball record book. Muron was hit by pitches 22 times over 36 games, and three times apiece in two games. A junior, she also hit .387.
PHOTO: Gabe Liebetreu defends the goal for Grand Haven during the 2016 season. (Photo courtesy of the Grand Haven Tribune.)