Leslie's Storr Takes Down MHSAA Record
May 4, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Kanen Storr began his varsity career with a 58-0 record as a freshman in 2012-13 and finished with a 58-0 record this winter in winning his third MHSAA individual championship for Leslie.
Along the way, Storr also joined the MHSAA career wins list with a final 227-3 record and set a career takedowns record with 1,185.
The Iowa State University recruit also made career lists with 1,223 team points, 146 pins and 126 two-point near falls. His championships came at 103 pounds as a freshman, 135 as a junior and 145 during this final high school season.
Click to see where he ranks in all categories of the MHSAA wrestling record book, and see below for more recent record book additions for baseball, girls and boys basketball and boys soccer.
Baseball
Jackson’s Trevor Polewka finished his high school career in 2015 with a second single-season entry for stolen bases, with 51, and now the fifth spot on the career stolen bases list with 147 over four varsity seasons. He plays currently at Kellogg Community College.
Karyssa Austin made the MHSAA records with 71 3-pointers in 183 tries over 20 games for Marine City this winter. The junior also has 156 3-pointers over three varsity seasons to make the career list with another season to play – and with a similar showing as this winter would finish among the top 10 all-time in the category.
Kent City continued to earn entries in the team 3-pointer records lists with games of 18, 16 and 13 3-pointers this season – the 18 against Hesperia on Dec. 11 were second-most for one game behind the program's 23 in a game in 2013. Kent City’s 722 attempts in 24 games this winter rank third on that list, and its 194 made 3-pointers rank fourth.
Boys Basketball
Brandon Dingman finished his Mancelona career in 2015 with 2,050 points over 86 varsity games and four seasons, for an average of 23.8 points per game. The 6-foot-2 guard also made MHSAA records lists with 375 career free throws (in 469 attempts) and for his free throw percentages both during his sophomore season (.851) and over his career (.800) – his career percentage is tied for 13th highest.
Demetrius Lake’s outstanding junior season this winter at Holland included a record list-making performance during a 69-56 loss to Holland Christian. Lake scored 44 points, including 24 during the fourth quarter to tie for 11th on the MHSAA list for points in a quarter.
Paw Paw sophomore Luke Toliver set an MHSAA Tournament record with 12 3-pointers in a District Semifinal win over Vicksburg on March 7, with his 50 total points tying for seventh-most in one game in MHSAA postseason history. Those 12 3-pointers also tied for third most for one game, regular or postseason.
St. Ignace’s Gage Kreski finished among the most productive players in MHSAA history on both ends of the floor. His 2,178 points in 90 varsity games over four seasons (24.2 ppg) are 16th most on the career scoring list. But his 450 steals are most impressive – his total cleared the previous career record, set in 2000, by 87 steals, and his 137 this winter were third only to two others who also broke the previous record this season. Kreski also made the career lists with 425 free throws and 904 rebounds, and the single-game steals list with 11 twice over the last two seasons. Kreski, also a 6-foot-2, 195-pound quarterback and defensive back on the Saints’ football team, will join the Central Michigan University football program as a preferred walk-on.
Howard City Tri-County senior Dylan Matulis had 13 steals in an 84-72 win over Newaygo on Jan. 15 to tie for second on the single-game steals list, and his 156 steals this winter set the MHSAA record (two others also broke the previous record this season, but Matulis' total cleared the field by 10). Teammate Colton Harris was added for scoring 22 points (out of 40 total) during the fourth quarter of a 71-55 win over Kent City.
Boys Soccer
Lapeer East’s Colin Owen, already entered into the MHSAA records for 13 shutouts as a junior and 17 as a senior, now also sits seventh on the career list in that category with 43 from 2008-11. He went on to play at Jackson Community College.
PHOTO: Kanen Storr flashes three fingers to the crowd after winning his third MHSAA individual championship this season. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Mendon 8-Player Championship Game Run Paced by Record-Setting Rushing
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 26, 2023
Mendon’s run to the Division 2 Final last fall included some of the strongest rushing performances over the history of 8-player football.
The Hornets ran for 4,317 yards, second-most all-time, on the second-most attempts (520) and with a record-setting 682 yards Oct. 14 against Marcellus. Mendon also set the record for total offense with 692 total in that game, and made the single-season touchdowns list with 76 including 66 rushing (also second on that list).
Junior Jack McCaw made the single-season scoring list with 212 points, most coming on 29 touchdowns, and Evan Lukeman made the single-game rushing list with 401 yards against Marcellus. Mendon’s defense also earned praise, twice making the fewest-first-downs-allowed list with a low of three.
See below for more recent additions to the 8-player portion of the football record book:
8-Player Football
Athens’ Landon Bennett earned a pair of record book entries after reaching the end zone seven times during his team’s 72-0 win over Burr Oak on Sept. 8. His seven scores are tied for third-most in 8-player history and included three rushing, three on punt returns and one on an interception return. The three punt return touchdowns are a record. Bennett is a junior.
On the night Powers North Central broke its 8-player record for consecutive wins, claiming its 28th straight, senior Luke Gorzinski tied Jets great Jason Whitens for the record for interception touchdowns in a game with two, scoring on returns during the second and fourth quarters. Gorzinski has signed with Michigan Tech, and North Central’s winning streak is 37 games and counting.
A pair of Atlanta offensive playmakers and a top defensive lineman earned a total of seven entries in the record book for achievements last fall. Senior quarterback Tyler Currie threw for 30 touchdowns over eight games, and also made the records for six touchdowns and 419 passing yards against Whittemore-Prescott on Sept. 23; the passing yards are second-most for one 8-player game. Sophomore Landon Galea was added for 263 yards and five of those touchdowns against the Cardinals, and also for 1,418 yards receiving and 23 touchdowns over nine games. Junior teammate Tucker Kendrick made the tackles for loss list with five against Hillman on Oct. 6.
Adrian Lenawee Christian senior Brady McKelvey became the first to make the career extra points list in 8-player football this past fall. He bettered his previous single-season record making 64 of 66 extra-point attempts over 11 games and finishing his two-year varsity career with 123 extra points in 127 tries.
Sam McKissack reached the record book showcasing multiple skills for Crystal Falls Forest Park during the 2021 season – twice for rushing attempts in a game including with a record 59 against Ontonagon that Sept. 10, and then with a record 70-yard punt Oct. 30, 2021, against Lake Linden-Hubbell. Teammate Devon Basirico also made the record book with six fumble recoveries over 11 games that season. As a team, Forest Park was added twice for single-game rushing attempts – including 73 total in that Ontonagon game – and for 424 rushes over 11 games for the season. McKissack and Basirico are seniors this spring.
Nikolaus Lewis tied for eighth-most rushing touchdowns in an 8-player game when he reached the end zone six times for Carsonville-Port Sanilac in its win over Caseville on Oct. 7. He’s a senior this spring.
Bridgman has won 24 straight games over the last three seasons, and an exceptional offense – and exceptional offensive star – have played major roles. The Bees were added for 658 total yards in a win over Lawrence last season, that total ranking third all-time, and also 613 yards in a win over Eau Claire. Those included totals of 575 and 547 rushing yards, respectively, and Bridgman was added for 3,598 rushing yards (sixth on the list), 59 rushing touchdowns (fourth) and 76 total touchdowns (seventh). Senior Reid Haskins capped his four-year, 32-game varsity career with 13 record book entries, including for 254 points last season over nine games (tied for fifth all-time) and a record 620 career points, 41 touchdowns last season (fifth) and a record 95 for his career, 2,344 rushing yards last season (third) and a record 5,206 for his career, and 41 rushing touchdowns last season (third) and a record 94 for his career. Senior teammate Tanner Peters made the records three times including for 50 extra points last season (fourth) and 99 over 26 games and three seasons (second on the career list).
Mio's Austin Fox rewrote the 8-player passing record book this past fall, with his 621 yards in a game against Whittemore-Prescott setting a single-game record as he totaled four of the five-highest passing yardage totals. He also set a record with 3,516 over nine games for the season, another record with 289 passing attempts over those nine games and a third record for nine touchdown passes in that game against the Cardinals. His 41 touchdown passes total rank fourth. Teammates Gage Long and Nathan Hurst also earned several record book entries on the receiving end of those passes. Long’s 297 receiving yards against Whittemore-Prescott were tied for third most, and Hurst’s 266 against Alcona rank eighth. Long set a single-season record with 1,739 receiving yards, with Hurst sixth all-time at 1,321, and Long’s 14 receptions against the Cardinals and 70 for the season also rank second on those respective lists. Hurst set a record for longest 8-player kickoff return with a 99-yarder against St. Helen Charlton Heston. All three are seniors.
Peck was one of the first MHSAA 8-player champions, claiming the title in 2013, and Cody Abrego one of the state’s first 8-player stars. The Pirates were added to the MHSAA record book 52 times, and Abrego 14 times individually. Among the most notable entries for the 2015 graduate were for 462 points scored over his two-season career (ranking sixth all-time), 74 career touchdowns (sixth), 2,202 rushing yards in 2013 (fifth) and 35 rushing touchdowns in 2013 (sixth). Current senior Caleb Lentner was one of the stars statewide this past season, and he was added eight times including for 50 points scored in a game (ranking second), 272 points for a season last fall (fifth), eight touchdowns in a game (tied for second), 42 touchdowns in a season (fifth), an 8-player record of 2,694 rushing yards from last season, and 38 rushing touchdowns also last fall (fourth). Others to make the individual lists were Nathan Robar, Caleb Dudley, Steven VanConant, Kyle Abrego and Nathan Neihaus, Dudley for a record 20 career interceptions over two seasons and VanConant for a record 12 tackles for loss in a 2022 game and 36 tackles for loss for the season last fall. The Pirates also are all over the 8-player team record book, including for a record 97 touchdowns in 2013, a record 5,895 yards of total offense that season, 528 carries, 4,346 rushing yards and 73 rushing touchdowns in 2013 (all ranking second); and 24 interceptions in 2014, which ranks second on that list.
Senior quarterback JR Hildebrand was one of the most dynamic players in 8-player football in the fall in leading Martin to the Division 1 title. He had one of his most exciting nights in a playoff opener against Tekonsha, making the single-game touchdown pass list with six in a 68-6 victory.
PHOTO Mendon’s Jack McCaw (21) eludes a tackle during the 8-Player Division 2 Final in November at Northern Michigan University. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)