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Leland Star Set for Big Senior Season

May 1, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Junior Ella Siddall has accomplished plenty over her first three seasons of volleyball at Leland – and has an opportunity to finish among the state’s all-time greats.

A setter, Siddall already is tied for 16th on the MHSAA record book career assists list with 3,427 over the last three seasons, and she’s on the career aces list with 274 after a single-season qualifying 119 this past fall.

Siddall set her team to the Class D championship in 2015 and the Semifinals in 2016.

See below for more recent record book additions in baseball, boys basketball, boys soccer, volleyball and wrestling. Click on the sport headings to see those record books in full.

Baseball

Blake Dunn capped his career last spring among career leaders in a number of statistics – despite playing only one game as a senior after tearing a knee ligament at the end of March 2017. He made career lists in four categories, setting a record with a .561 batting average over 100 games and four seasons, with his 53 career doubles tying for fifth-most and his 128 stolen bases tying for 11th. His 58 stolen bases as a junior in 2016 ranked 10th, and he also added a pair of 20-double seasons and a 1.61 career ERA. Teammate Carsie Walker was added for a 1.62 career ERA over 200+ innings and four seasons. Dunn is continuing his career at Western Michigan University, and Walker is playing for Jackson College.

Maple City Glen Lake’s presence in the record book grew with a number of entries, highlighted by 25 straight wins from 2013-15 and 10 career shutouts from 2013-16 for pitcher Zach Cooper. Thomas Waning was added for five career no-hitters from 2011-14, and Matt Schweikart for 21 straight pitching wins from 2015-16. Jared Jackson and Jacob Penny both were added for 23 career hit-by-pitches from 2014-17, with Travis Moore added for being hit three times in one game in 2015 and Nick Apsey for three HBP in a 2017 contest. Josh Jacklin was added for hitting three home runs in a 2008 game. As a team, Glen Lake was added for being hit by 69 pitches in 40 games last season, and also was added six times for at least 11 stolen bases in a game – with its 18 against Elk Rapids in 2011 tied for third-most in one contest. Jackson is continuing his career at Lansing Community College and Penny is playing at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

Ravenna senior Brian Thompson capped his three-season varsity career last spring with a 0.71 ERA – making the single-season list in the category. He also made the career ERA list with a 0.96 over 130 2/3 innings pitched over the last two seasons and one game as a sophomore.

Kirk Myers was added for tossing six shutouts for Frankfort as a junior during the 2017 season. As a team, Frankfort also was added for 17 shutouts total in finishing 34-1 and winning a Division 4 District title.

Boys Basketball

Luke Toliver showed his shooting prowess a number of times during his Paw Paw career. One of the most memorable came Dec. 22 against South Haven, when he made an MHSAA record 29 free throws (in 32 attempts) during an 88-83 triple-overtime win. Toliver finished with 45 points in the victory.

Elk Rapids senior Brett Graham scored 22 points during the fourth quarter of his team’s Class D District opener against Benzie Central on March 5, 1990, bringing the Elks back from 12 down for a 77-69 win. Graham now is Elk Rapids’ coach after previously leading the varsities at Kalkaska and Traverse City West.

Boys Soccer

Chris Keenan played on the first two varsity teams in Richland Gull Lake history in 1982 and 1983, starring with a combined 99 goals and 73 assists. Both career totals made the MHSAA records as did his 172 career points. He had 86 points both seasons (47 goals/39 assists and then 52 goals/34 assists, respectively) and those single-season goals, assists and points also earned entries. Keenan went on to play at Indiana University and San Diego State, then professionally for multiple clubs.

Volleyball

Maria Mallon finished her New Baltimore Anchor Bay career ranked third in MHSAA history for kills with 3,110, after her 1,030 in the fall placed second since the beginning of rally scoring in 2004-05. She made the single-match kills list 19 times, including for a high of 47 against Romeo in a 2015 match. She also made the single-season aces list twice, with a high of 159, and had 12 aces in a match twice. Senior Justine Stewart was added for assists in a match seven times over the last two seasons, with a high of 61 against Farmington Hills Mercy on Nov. 14. She also was added for 1,413 assists this fall. Mallon will continue her career at University of Cincinnati.

Wrestling

Dustin Gross finished his career at Dearborn Heights Annapolis with a 217-13 record that made the MHSAA list for wins, as did his single-season victories of 59 and 58 the last two, respectively. He finished as an Individual Finals runner-up the last three seasons and has signed with Central Michigan University. Freshman teammate Josh Hettrick just missed the single-season wins list at 55-3 but did have 43 pins over his 58 matches.

PHOTO: Leland’s Ella Siddall sets for a teammate during a 2016 Class D Semifinal match at Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek.

Softball Streaks Continue into 2014

March 31, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Softball season is on the verge of starting as the snow continues to melt and fields dry out this week.

And as games begin, we’ll be keeping an eye on a pair of standouts carrying two of the longest hitting streaks in MHSAA history – including one chasing the national record.

Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart senior Sara Hansen, also a star of the Irish’s Class D basketball championship run, is carrying an 82-game hitting streak that ranks second nationally and began May 9, 2011. She’s chasing the NFHS record of 103 straight games with a base hit.

Hayley Reitsma of Grand Rapids Christian is carrying a 34-game hitting streak into this season – her streak is third longest in MHSAA history.

She also made the MHSAA record book lists recently for 19 doubles as a sophomore, and needs only three more to qualify for the career doubles list.

Below are other recent additions to the MHSAA record listings. Click on the headings for all records for those respective sports.

Softball

  • Fremont’s McKenze Supernaw won 101 games and struck out 1,262 batters over a varsity career spanning 2009-12. Both totals were added to MHSAA career lists – the career strikeouts rank 12th – as were her 14 strikeouts in a five-inning game in 2012 and 20 in a seven-inning Regional win over Cadillac in 2011. Supernaw currently plays second base and shortstop at Grand Valley State University.
  • Sault Ste. Marie’s Megan Jean finished her career last spring as one of the state’s most accomplished power hitters, with seven entries including three for back-to-back home runs and two more for six and seven RBI in single games, respectively. Her 14 home runs in 2013 tied for 10th on that single-season list, and her 23 over three seasons tied for 14th on the career list.
  • Midland made the team single-season doubles list with 67 last spring, including 15 from Jenni Wontorcik – who made the career list with 35 over her three varsity seasons. She hit .470 in 2013 to lead the team in average as well.

Boys Basketball

  • Portland St. Patrick’s Ryan Wilcox scored 23 points during the second quarter of his team’s 74-55 win over Saranac on Dec. 9, 2011. He made four 3-pointers among eight field goals total during the period, and finished the game with 39 points. His points tied for ninth-most for one quarter.

Girls Lacrosse

  • Caledonia’s Helene Miller became the first in MHSAA history to reach the 375-save minimum for listing under career saves. She has 449 after her first three seasons.

Girls Soccer

  • Frankenmuth gave up nine or fewer goals last spring for the fourth time in nine seasons. Keeper Claire Carter finished with 14 shutouts to make the single-season list in that category and go with her 17 from 2012.

Football

  • Linden 2013 graduate Shaye Brown entered MHSAA record listings for passing yards in a season (twice) and career, passing attempts in a season and completions in a single game (three times), and passing touchdowns in a season and career. Over his two varsity seasons, Brown completed 413 of 641 passes for 5,672 yards and 53 touchdowns. His career yardage ranks 16th.  Also, teammate Ben Armstrong became the second to reach the 40-sack minimum for that career list, finishing his three-year varsity run with 44.
  • Westland John Glenn senior Devon Spalding ran for the third-most yards in MHSAA history on Oct. 4 when he carried his team to a 49-40 win over Livonia Churchill. Spalding totaled 491 rush yards – 38 off the record – on just 26 carries. He also scored six touchdown on the ground to make the list in that category. Below is video of his fifth touchdown that night.

PHOTO: Fremont's McKenze Supernaw fires a pitch during her high school career that ended in 2012. She finished with 101 wins and 1,262 strikeouts. (Photo courtesy of Fremont High School.)