Lenawee Christian Standout Scores with State's All-Time Best
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 27, 2021
Bree Salenbien finished one of the most memorable careers in MHSAA girls basketball history this season as one of the leading scorers of all time – and despite playing two shortened seasons to finish her run at Adrian Lenawee Christian.
Salenbien suffered a knee injury in the regular-season finale in 2019-20, and missed out on three games before COVID-19 ended that season prior to the Regional Final. This winter, with its late start, led to Lenawee Christian playing only 17 games including the postseason.
But appearing in 92 games over four seasons makes her 2,059 career points, including 425 free throws, and 287 blocked shots that much more impressive. The Gonzaga signee is joined in the record book by teammates Libby Miller and (also sister) Dani Salenbien, who made the career 3-pointers list with 185 and 157, respectively, over four varsity seasons before both graduated in 2020. Dani Salenbien plays at Hillsdale College.
The Cougars also made the team record book for a number of accomplishments over the last five seasons, including with 202 3-pointers (sixth-most) in 2019-20 and 175 in 2018-19. The 2018-19 team also made the fifth-most free throws, 308, at a fourth-best percentage of .730, on the way to winning the Division 4 championship.
Click to see the girls basketball record book in full and see below for recent record book additions in boys basketball and volleyball.
Boys Basketball
A pair of Bellevue standouts were added for achievements over either their senior seasons in 2019-20 or careers. Grant Morgan tied for ninth all-time with 12 steals in a game against Colon on Jan. 13, 2020, and he also made the single-season steals list with 105. Teammate Carson Betz was added to the career lists with both 809 rebounds and 256 steals over four varsity seasons.
Morrice made the record book list with a school-record 17 3-pointers March 3, 2020, in a 69-23 win over Akron-Fairgrove. The Orioles attempted 56 shots from beyond the arc and were led by Hunter McGowan with 15 points all on long-range shots.
Greg Esler retired last summer after more than three decades of coaching boys varsity basketball and with a record of 558-235. He led St. Clair Shores Lake Shore from the 1987-88 through 1993-94 seasons, and then Warren De La Salle Collegiate through 2019-20.
Jager Mix quickly made an impact on Onaway’s success in 2019-20. Just a sophomore that season, he made the record book with 321 rebounds.
Tyler Eedy may be best at golf – he’s a freshman at Michigan State – but he’s part of the MHSAA record book in basketball after connecting on 41 straight free throws as an Ogemaw Heights senior. He also made the records list for free-throw percentage, connecting on 92.1 percent (82 of 89) of his attempts in 2019-20. The percentage ranks fourth all-time, and the streak is seventh longest.
Carson Irwin scored 25 points including making all 20 free throws he shot in Dundee’s 61-56 win over Clinton on March 17. The junior made the list for most free throws in a game and tied for third-most consecutive free throws in one contest.
Nearly 60 seasons have passed since Tom Pacynski averaged 38.8 points per game for Bay City St. Mary during the 1963-64 season. But with an assist from the Bay City Times, his average – which ranks fourth-highest for a single season, all-time – was added as well as his 62 points in a game that season against Pinconning St. Michael. Pacynski went on to play at Boston College.
Volleyball
Andelyn Simkins completed her Schoolcraft career in 2019 on career lists with 2,574 kills and 310 aces. The kills rank ninth on that list and include season highs of 760 as a senior and 748 as a junior. She’s playing currently at Western Michigan.
West Bloomfield senior Grace Allread closed her four-season varsity career in the fall on the career assists list with 2,524 over 395 games. She has signed to continue at Liberty.
PHOTO: Adrian Lenawee Christian’s Bree Salenbien pushes the pace against St. Ignace during the 2019 Division 4 Final at Calvin College.
Cass City Ace Fires to Near Perfection
July 17, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Cass City junior Kendall Anthes helped his baseball team to a 25-3 record this spring, in the process turning in one of the most impressive single-season pitching performances in MHSAA history.
Anthes finished 10-0 on the mound, making the record book in three categories. His 0.11 ERA over 65 2/3 innings pitched tied for fourth lowest all-time, while his four walks allowed tied for second fewest. He threw eight shutouts, tied for fifth most for one season.
See more recent baseball record book additions below, and click the heading to view the record book in full.
Baseball
Travis Hill tied the MHSAA record for stolen bases in a game in Onsted’s five-inning 13-3 win over Adrian Madison on May 9. The junior stole eight bases – both second and third base four times – and scored four runs. He tied Jeremy Freed’s eight steals for Morrice in a 2002 game.
A pair of Paw Paw standouts were added for extra-base hitting – Parker Marcon for seven triples in 2015 and Jimmy Wressel for 19 doubles in 2017. Wressel graduated a year later and played this spring at Grand Rapids Community College.
Novi’s Evan Yokie was added for seven triples, hit during his senior season in 2018.
Hartland’s Max Hendricks also made the record book for single-season triples, tying for fifth all-time with 11 in 2018. A senior that spring, he’s now playing at Wayne State University.
Zach Hopman’s power-hitting display this spring included two games with three homers. The Brighton senior hit three the first time against Plymouth on May 1 and then three against Ann Arbor Pioneer on May 20.
Kingsley tied for the eighth-most stolen bases in a season this spring, totaling 181 over 35 games in finishing 25-10. Jacob Radtke stole 38 bases and Owen Graves had 36 to lead the way.
Blake Borck capped a four-season career at Hudson this spring with 181 hits, 136 RBI and 34 times hit by pitches – which all made career record book lists. He also tied for third after being hit by pitches three times in a May 21 game. Younger brother Ethan Borck was added for his 1.12 ERA over 74 2/3 innings pitched this spring.
Sterling Heights Stevenson finished 28-7, pushing coach Joe Emanuele over 500 career wins and into the record book. Emanuele has led Stevenson to a 521-244 record since taking over the varsity in 1998, with three trips to at least the MHSAA Semifinals. Stevenson won the Division 1 title in 2005.
Flushing junior Nick Powers held opponents to a 0.77 ERA this spring, making the single-season list in that category while finishing with an 8-2 record. He’s committed to continue at Michigan State University after graduation next year.
PHOTO: Cass City’s Kendall Anthes begins his move toward the plate against Unionville-Sebewaing this spring. (Photo courtesy of Varsity Monthly.)