Mercy Star Scores Record in 1st Season

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

March 28, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Few freshmen in any sport have broken onto the scene like Farmington Hills Mercy’s Jillian Smith did in girls lacrosse in 2018.

The now-sophomore earned 20 entries in the MHSAA record book, including the top spot for points in one game when she scored 12 goals and tallied three assists for 15 points against Detroit Country Day last March 26.

Smith scored 12 goals in a game (tied for third most) three times, and her 132 goals for the season ranked third. Her 155 points over 17 games tied for sixth most all-time as she led Mercy to the Division 2 Semifinals.

See below for more recent MHSAA record book additions in girls lacrosse, girls soccer, boys basketball and football. Click the headings to see those record books in full.

Boys Basketball

A few seasons after hoisting his final high school shots, Drew Zuidema has an updated and rightful place on the career 3-pointers list. He made the list initially after his first three seasons at Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, but with his senior total from 2013-14 now included Zuidema ended with 226 3-pointers – good to rank 16th in the category. He went on to play at Spring Arbor University.

A pair of standouts put up record book numbers over four seasons for Ann Arbor Skyline as they led the team to the Class A Regional Finals in 2017-18. Brandon Wade was added for making 352 of 486 free-throw attempts over 87 games, and also for his 210 career steals (his 469 career assists just missed that list). Jack Ammerman was added for connecting on 227 3-pointers in 533 attempts also over 87 games. Wade is playing at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, and Ammerman is continuing his career at Northwood.

Football

Hemlock junior quarterback Brady Devereaux enjoyed a game worthy of record book recognition this past season, rushing for six touchdowns in a 47-12 win over Saginaw Nouvel. He finished with 183 yards on 22 carries.

Clare senior Aidan Boyd tied for sixth with 159 extra points for his career over just three seasons, finishing this past fall with 159 in 171 attempts over 32 varsity games. He also made the single-season list for extra points all three, with a high of 55 in 61 attempts as a junior.

Three St. Joseph kickers were added for field goals in a season this decade – Cullen Hoffman for 10 in 2013 and nine in 2014, Sean Akins for nine in 2015 and senior Antonio Buhrfiend for nine this past fall. Hoffman also was added to the career list with 19 field goals in 25 attempts over three varsity seasons (all 25 tries came during his final two years). Additionally, then-senior Jack Turak was added for 43 carries in a playoff game (for 391 yards) against Sturgis on Nov. 1, 2013, and 40 carries two weeks earlier (184 yards) against Portage Central.

Schoolcraft junior Kobe Clark made statewide headlines with his MHSAA record nine rushing touchdowns on Sept. 28, and he finished the fall with 38 rushing touchdowns (tied for eighth) and 45 scores total (sixth). Clark’s 270 points scored ranked 10th all-time for one season.

While Holland Christian defeated Ada Forest Hills Eastern 40-16 on Aug. 30, Forest Hills Eastern senior Brady Doyle earned a slight statistical advantage – and record book entry – in a matchup of busy receivers. Doyle caught six passes for 266 yards (and two touchdowns), making the single-game yardage list. Holland Christian’s Brady Howe just missed the cut-off for that list with nine catches for 217 yards and a score.

Girls Lacrosse

A number of entries were added for the history of Rochester lacrosse, most notably for Kendall Jordan, Jessica Leininger and goalies Kyleigh McCarthy and Aly Rosenau. Jordan’s 96 goals in 2017 are tied for ninth most, and her 272 goals over four seasons through last spring rank third. She also ranks 10th on the career points list at 294. Leininger is tied for 17th on the career points list with 215, with her 211 goals 11th on that list. McCarthy had 207 saves last spring, tied for third most, and took over the career saves lead with 560 through three seasons with one more to play. Rosenau had 488 career saves from 2010-12, including a high of 189, ranking sixth, in 2012. Martha Koch, Julia Koch, Sarah Mattingly, Maggie Ng, Claire McPherson, Jessie Lannan and Laura Hein also were added for achievements. As a team Rochester was added for scoring more than 200 goals four times with a high of 242 in 2017, and has the record for goals in a game with 27 against Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse in 2006. McCarthy has signed to continue at Northern Michigan University. Julia Koch played ice hockey at Amherst College in Massachusetts.

Girls Soccer

New Baltimore Anchor Bay made the team record list giving up only nine goals last spring as it finished 18-2-3. Then-junior keeper Ally Gaunt was added for 16 shutouts to go with her 14 as a sophomore – and she was joined by 2015 graduate Emily Zweng, who made lists with 13 shutouts as a senior and 32 over her three-season varsity career. Michelle Dear, a 2013 graduate, was added for 83 career goals over four seasons with a high of 30 as a junior. Dear went on to play at Michigan State, Zweng played at Oakland and Gaunt has signed with Saginaw Valley State.

PHOTO: Farmington Hills Mercy’s Jillian Smith (24) considers her options during a game last season. (Photo courtesy of the Farmington Hills Mercy athletic department.)

LaMange Climbing Career Scoring Lists for Annual Contender East Grand Rapids

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

April 30, 2024

East Grand Rapids senior Vivian LaMange entered this season 15th on the MHSAA career girls lacrosse goals list with 225, fifth on the career assists list with 172 and eighth on the career points list with 397.

Her single-season goals, assists and points for all of her first three seasons all made those lists as well, with highs of 102 goals last spring, 64 assists as a sophomore and 147 points a year ago in leading the Pioneers to a Division 2 runner-up finish and their fourth-straight Finals appearance.

She has signed with Robert Morris University in Pennsylvania.

See below for more recent updates to the MHSAA girls lacrosse record book and click the heading to see the record book in full.

Girls Lacrosse

Huron Valley United, a cooperative program with athletes from White Lake Lakeland and Milford, added 16 record book entries during the 2023 season, including as a team for 309 goals over 19 games – which ranks seventh on that list. Senior Emily Prell earned three single-game entries, two more for 76 goals and 120 points and career listings for 171 goals and 145 assists over 52 games and three seasons. Chloe Caldwell, a freshman in the spring, earned six single-game listings and two more for 88 goals and 107 points over 19 games.

Seven DeWitt players were added with a series of accomplishments over the last three seasons. Caleigh Randall, a 2022 graduate, was added 12 times including for 157 goals and 205 points over her three-season career interrupted by COVID in 2020. Kerrigan Brown, a 2021 graduate, was entered 10 times including for 149 goals and 221 points over her three-season career that also missed out on 2020. Elliana Hillard was added three times for 2023 achievements, including for 75 goals over 23 games, and teammates Ireland Brown and Taylor Young also earned listings. DeWitt as a team was added for its goal total all three seasons, with the high during that string of 323 goals over 22 games in 2021. Randall and Brown have continued their careers at Hope College. Hillard, Brown and Young are all seniors this school year.

Grand Ledge’s Averie Gordon concluded her career in 2021 with a pair of record book-scoring games. She made the single-game goals list with 10 against Holt and seven against Davison that spring.

Leah Reid capped her three-season Lansing Catholic career last spring among the all-time leading scorers both for goals and total points. She scored 73 over 17 games as a senior and finished with 205 goals (tied for 18th) and 236 points for her career. She and senior teammate Sarah Hicks both also made the single-game goals lists, senior Bella Hagen made the single-game assists list and now-senior Emily Putman made the single-game goalie saves list.

Warren Regina’s Holly Watson closed her three-season varsity career in 2023 with 18 record book entries, including some of the highest for goalies over the history of the sport at the MHSAA level. Watson finished with 176 saves over 18 games as a senior – tied for 16th-most – and her 545 saves over 42 games rank second on the career list.

Haslett/Williamston finished 19-3 last season on the way to the Division 2 Semifinals, led by several standouts who contributed to multiple record book entries for team achievements as well. H/W scored 291 goals over 22 games, led by then-freshman Abby Russell – who made single-season lists with 83 goals, 42 assists and 125 points. Breyer Fenech, a senior this spring, made season lists with 70 goals and 87 points, and she, Russell and senior Brianna Nedwick all made the single-game scoring list. Haslett/Williamston also gave up only 96 goals, with then-junior Kylie Pastor making the single-season saves list with 150, the single-game saves list for the second time, and also the career list with 402 and a season to play. Fenech is continuing at Maryland, Nedwick at Detroit Mercy, and Pastor has committed to Coastal Carolina. Additionally, 2021 graduate Natalie Kurdziel was added for seven goals in a game twice and 80 points during her senior season.

Troy Athens goalie Claire Balintfy added three more single-game saves performances to her list of record book listings in 2023, with her 197 saves over 18 games ranking eighth all-time (and with her 2022 total still second on the list). Balintfy is up to 522 career saves over 51 games and three seasons, ranking third on that record book list.

Rochester Adams was added for 245 goals over 18 games last season, and Lucy Lagman and Raegan Jerrell combined for 20 record book listings in goal and assist categories. Lagman had a game-high 10 goals and scored 103 for the season, and has 151 goals over her two-year varsity career. She also had 12 points in a game and 125 points for the 2023 season. Jerrell had seven goals in a game twice, five assists in a game three times, finished with 70 goals and 48 assists last season and also made the points list with 118. Additionally, Kate Kramm was added for eight goals in a game and 58 for the season over 18 games as a senior in 2022. Lagman is a junior this spring, and Jerrell is a sophomore.

PHOTO East Grand Rapids’ Vivian LaMange (24) is introduced before last season’s Division 2 Final.