Kraatz' Goal: Set Teammates Up to Score
April 10, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Allen Park Inter-City Baptist's Evan Kraatz will graduate this spring as the most accomplished passer in MHSAA history.
And that's not just because of Kraatz' publicized accomplishment this winter.
The Chargers' senior made headlines in reportedly breaking the MHSAA career basketball assists record (that milestone will be added to the records upon confirmation). But Kraatz also had a flare for dishing on the soccer field, finishing with 102 career assists on the pitch – second only to his assistant coach Nathan Chatfield’s total of 105 tallied during the latter’s career at Burt Lake Northern Michigan Christian.
Kraatz also made the MHSAA single-season assists list three times with a high of 30 during Inter-City Baptist’s Division 4 championship season of 2011. His 185 points total (including 83 goals) rank 12th on the MHSAA career list for that category.
See below for additional recent entries to the MHSAA boys soccer and other record listings, and click on the headines to see all entries for those respective sports.
Boys Soccer
- As Kraatz led that 2011 Inter-City Baptist team in assists, teammate Steven Fiema was added for his 43 goals and 59 points during the title run. Fiema now plays for NAIA Grace College in Indiana.
- St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic junior Danny McEachen is climbing the career points list as well with 143 over his first three seasons. His 52 goals and 64 points this fall both made the single-season lists for those categories, and total he’s scored 103 goals for Lake Michigan Catholic.
- Bellaire’s Drew Emery also has a talent for setting up teammates, posting a school-record 26 assists this fall and finishing his four-year career with 72 – good for ninth on that list. Teammate Denny Hall was added to the single-game assists list for tallying five in a 6-1 win over Roscommon on Sept. 19. Emery will play at Albion College this fall.
Boys Basketball
- Jake Daniels ranked 22nd on the single-season free throw percentage list, making 84 of 98 for a .857 success rate for Holly this season. Daniels, a junior, was one of the top scorers in the Flint Metro League.
Football
- A pair of Comstock Park quarterbacks and a receiver they both enjoyed were added for multiple categories. Jake Brown was included additionally to previous listings after finishing his career in 2012 with 368 completions in 646 attempts for 5,189 yards. Pat Naughton, the quarterback last season, completed 153 of 252 passes for 2,282 yards to make those single-season lists. Receiver Jake Bush caught 80 passes – 10th on the single-season receptions list – in 2012, and 141 passes – tied for 15th most in a career – from 2011-13.
Softball
- Comstock Park’s Casey Cherry was added to a group of 15 who have thrown back-to-back no-hitters. Cherry held Cedar Springs hitless in both ends of a doubleheader on May 7, 2009, as her team won 10-0 and 8-1. She struck out 13 over the two games.
Volleyball
- New Buffalo’s Jade Madison is finishing off an outstanding three-sport career that’s included all-state recognition in basketball and an MHSAA discus championship in track and field – she’ll continue to compete in that sport at Western Michigan University. Madison also left her mark on the volleyball court with 1,502 career kills, including 579 as a senior.
- Frankenmuth’s Lindsey Mertz had a record-setting performance to finish off her freshman season this fall. She totaled 48 assists in a Class B District match to make that single-match list, although the Eagles fell in four games to Mount Morris.
Wrestling
- Durand’s Roger Wildmo won three MHSAA championships and 118 straight matches before graduating in 2011. He’s listed for various accomplishments, including 59-0 seasons as a junior and senior, a 230-2 career record and 163 career pins. Teammate Evan Lowell made the single-season escapes list with 77 and career list with 152 before also graduating in 2011. Wildmo now wrestles at Michigan State University.
- Imlay City had a pair added to the career record list – Sam Lyscas, who won 209 matches before graduating in 2012, and Kevin Ahrens, who won 192 before graduating in 2009. Ahrens also made the career pins list with 119.
PHOTO: Allen Park Inter-City Baptist's Evan Kraatz (10, in blue) pushes the ball upfield during his four-year career that came to an end this fall. (Photo courtesy of the Inter-City Baptist soccer program.)
Baker-to-Watters Sets Record Book Pace for Lansing Catholic Football
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 6, 2022
Lansing Catholic finished the 2021 football season as 11-player Division 6 champion at Ford Field, and the Cougars offense was paced the last two seasons by a standout quarterback and receiver who both made the MHSAA record book for single-season and career accomplishments.
Joey Baker was added for 2,536 yards passing this past season, with 162 completions on 294 attempts and 28 touchdowns through the air. He made the career passing lists with 4,153 yards over 13 games.
Senior receiver Alex Watters was added for 1,193 yards receiving on 77 catches; his 2,949 yards receiving over 40 games ranks sixth for a career, his 161 catches are ninth on that stat list and his 38 TD receptions rank ninth as well.
Senior kicker Jonah Richards was added for making 49 extra points and he finished his career with 156 (in 167 tries), good for 12th on that list. Additionally, junior Brandon Lewis was added for his 262 receiving yards in a Sept. 2 game against Williamston.
Baker will continue at Hope College and Watters will be a preferred walk-on at Michigan State.
See below for more recent additions to the 11-player football record book.
11-Player Football
DeWitt’s run to the Division 3 championship game for the second-straight season this past fall came again with big numbers from senior quarterback Tyler Holtz, senior receiver Tommy McIntosh and senior kicker Brandon Soltis. Holtz threw for 2,885 yards to finish his two-season varsity career with 5,311, and he tossed 41 touchdown passes to finish with 76 over 25 varsity games. The 41 TD passes tied for eighth-most in one season. McIntosh had 1,328 yards and 22 TDs receiving and finished his three-season varsity career with 140 catches, 2,696 yards and 44 receiving touchdowns. His career yardage is 11th on that list, his 22 touchdowns last fall tied for fourth-most for a single season and his career receiving scores rank second. Soltis connected on 74 more extra points to finish with 152 in 163 attempts over three seasons; both totals rank among the top 15 on their respective lists. As a team, DeWitt was added for scoring 635 points and piling up 6,055 total yards and 89 total touchdowns over 14 games. Holtz will continue at Brown, and McIntosh will play next at Wisconsin.
A pair of Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice athletes have been added for tying the records for longest kick and interception returns. Rocco Milia brought back an interception from deep in the end zone – officially 100 yards – against Detroit Country Day on Oct. 23, 2020. Cole Lacanaria returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown last Oct. 15 against Traverse City Central. Milia was a senior in 2020-21 and now plays at Columbia in New York, and Lacanaria has signed with Lawrence Tech.
Gladwin’s perfect regular season in the fall included three performances that made the records. Junior Anna Seebeck made the single-season extra points list, connecting on 60 of 69 tries over 10 games. The Flying Gs also twice made the total offense list as a team, with 611 yards against Clare and 603 against Shepherd, both in victories.
On Sept. 10, Belding’s Owen Meinke pulled in a deflected Wyoming Kelloggsville pass deep into his team’s end zone and ran down the right sideline the length of the field for a 100-yard interception return touchdown to also tie the MHSAA record. Meinke is a junior.
Ottawa Lake Whiteford senior Cole Giesige also returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown, on Oct. 15 against Petersburg Summerfield.
Ethan Schumaker got all of a punt during a Nov. 7, 2020, playoff game against Traverse City St. Francis. The Harbor Springs then-senior sent it 71 yards, including nearly 60 in the air, as the Gladiators took over possession from their 6-yard-line. Schumaker is punting at Michigan Tech.
Senior Bryce Stanley got off to a fast start last fall, catching 11 passes for 239 yards and four touchdowns in Carson City-Crystal’s win over Fowler. The yardage and TDs made single-game lists.
Clinton Township Chippewa Valley’s Cephus Harris and Grosse Pointe South’s Will Johnson both put up record book performances in Chippewa Valley’s 49-37 win Oct. 8. Harris made the record book scoring seven touchdowns – four rushing, two receiving and one on a kickoff return. Johnson made the receiving yardage list with 238. Harris ended up putting together one of the highest-scoring seasons in 11-player history, scoring 36 touchdowns with one two-point conversion for 218 points – making the lists for both single-season points and TDs. A senior, he’s signed with Youngstown State and Johnson signed with Michigan. Additionally for Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, it has submitted the game with the fewest first downs given up in 2021, allowing only two to Troy on Oct. 29.
Charlotte’s Braden Hill scored the first points of his team’s 60-21 win over Lake Odessa Lakewood on a 77-yard kickoff return Oct. 15, and he was just getting started. Hill also returned two more kickoffs for touchdowns, both 80 yards, to tie the record for kickoff return touchdowns in one game. Hill is a junior.
PHOTO Lansing Catholic’s Alex Watters surges forward as a Warren Michigan Collegiate defender brings him down during November’s Division 6 Final. (Click for more from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)