Mona Shores Rides Air Show to Playoffs

April 16, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Muskegon Mona Shores made the MHSAA football playoffs for the first time in 2013, boosted by the highest-scoring offense in school history.

Two of the top contributors now appear on the MHSAA records lists as well, with more sure to come this fall for the one running the show.

Quarterback Tyree Jackson ranks on the MHSAA career lists with 328 completions, 611 attempts and 61 touchdown passes after three seasons and with one more to play; he threw 31 TD passes last season alone.

Receiver Asantay Brown, who will continue at Western Michigan University, finished his two-season varsity career in the fall with two listings on the single-game receiving yards list, plus the 19th-most receiving yards for a season (1,281) and 20th-most for a career (2,120). He also finished with 109 career receptions and 23 career touchdown catches. 

(Former Mona Shores receiver Aaron Doriot also was added to the single-game receiving yardage list twice during this round of record book updates.)

See below for additional recent entries to the MHSAA football and other record listings, and click on the headlines to see all entries for those respective sports.

Football

  • Lowell seniors Kyler Shurlow and Ben Bigham also capped their careers in the fall with big numbers through the air. Shurlow completed 140 of 250 passes for 2,501 yards and 28 touchdowns – and the latter three of those four statistics made MHSAA single-season lists. Bigham caught 53 passes for 1,043 yards and 10 scores; his season yardage made the list for receivers.

Baseball

  • It’s never too late to submit for the record book: Grandville’s Terry Johnson finished his pitching career in 1979 and sits tied for the fourth-lowest career ERA of 0.78. He also made the single-season list as a senior with a 0.58 ERA. He finished a combined 16-1 over those two seasons.

  • Brady Johnson made the single-season stolen bases list with 49 last season for Union City, and the single-game list with six against Athens. Twice after walks and a third time after an error, Johnson stole both second and third base. His team won 9-8.

Girls Basketball

  • Ashley junior Meggan Andrews became one of only nine players in MHSAA history to grab 30 rebounds in a game, doing so Jan. 31 against Holt Lutheran. Andrews finished the 62-32 Bears victory with 27 points, 30 rebounds, three assists and two steals.

  • East Jordan senior Tori Goodrich became one of 11 players to make nine 3-pointers in a game, doing so in a Class C District opener Feb. 24 against Mancelona. She finished with 27 points in leading her team to a 70-46 win.

Boys Basketball

  • Dundee’s Aaron Anthony joined a group of shooters who have made at least 150 free throws in one season, sinking that many in 212 attempts for a success rate of nearly 71 percent. Total, he averaged 21.4 points per game this winter.

Hockey

  • Two of the four longest games in MHSAA hockey history were added, and both included schools from the Traverse City area. The second longest, reported in detail on Second Half this winter, was a seven-overtime marathon lasting more than 103 minutes before Traverse City West edged Traverse City St. Francis (Bay Reps) 2-1. The fourth-longest game, stretching more than 90 minutes, was a five-overtime loss by Traverse City Central to Toledo St. John’s Jesuit of Ohio on Dec. 30, 2011.

Softball

  • North Muskegon’s Taylor Fris, now a sophomore at Grand Valley State University, finished her high school career in 2012 on career lists with 34 doubles, 28 home runs and 164 RBI, and also made the single-season home run list with 12 as a senior. Her career home runs rank 13th on that list. Also, former teammate Corinne Witham, now at Alma College, finished her career in 2011 with 50 career doubles – 17th on that list. 

Volleyball

  • Madeline Rysztak was the leading hitter as Traverse City St. Francis finished 40-15-1 this fall, but also a top server, making the single-season aces list with 128. 

PHOTO: Muskegon Mona Shores quarterback Tyree Jackson (3) unloads a pass toward receiver Asantay Brown (6) during a game last season. (Photo courtesy of Mona Shores High School). 

St. Ignace Star Wright on Target

July 10, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Kelley Wright played in 107 games for the St. Ignace varsity girls basketball team. She was part of 102 wins.

Those games played rank second in MHSAA girls hoops history, and the wins are first, adding to a number of accomplishments by the recently-graduated Saints star.

Wright also amassed two of the highest single-season steals totals (169 and 175) in MHSAA history and finished second with a career total of 557.

See more of the recent additions to the MHSAA record books and click on each heading below to view all of the listings for that sport.

Girls Basketball

  • Sarah Addy was a dangerous long-range shooter during her four-year varsity career for Saginaw Swan Valley, which came to an end this winter. She made 198 3-pointers over her four varsity seasons, good for 10th-most in MHSAA history. Of her 816 career points in 82 games, 594 points came on 3-pointers. She made more than 50 every season but her sophomore year.

  • A number of other entries from St. Ignace’s successful history were added; others noted were Barb LaTour, Krista Clement, Nicole Emblad, Michelle LeCount, Kristie Garcia and coach Dorene Ingalls.

Boys Basketball

  • Benzonia Benzie Central's Aaron Whaley made the blocked shots season list with 103 this winter, including 14 in a game Jan. 9 against Kingsley. The 6-foot-3 junior also averaged 6.4 points and seven rebounds per game.

  • A number of entries also were added for St. Ignace boys basketball, including multiple for Gerrit Mortenson (3-pointers and steals from 2007-10) and Gage Kreski (free throws and steals from 2011-14). Others noted were Adam Matelski, John McKinnon, Leo Donovan, Steve MacDonald and Curtis St. Louis.

Boys Lacrosse

  • Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood’s Matthew Giampetroni rewrote the MHSAA record book during his four-year career ending this spring. He finished with career bests of 276 goals, 179 assists and 455 points, and also set the single-season goals record with 99 this year. A number of additional entries were added for teammate Taylor Ghesquiere and former standouts Andrew Miller, Drew Leitch and Christopher Brown. Giampetroni will play next season at Duke University.

  • Similarly, Bloomfield Hills goalkeeper Hunter Stephans took over his position's categories in the record book with a season-best 268 saves as a sophomore and 719 during his three-year varsity career.

  • Haslett/Williamston’s Noah Taylor graduated this spring with a number of entries. He tied the record for assists in one game with nine against East Lansing on May 8, and also made the career goals list with 174, season assists list with 44 and the career assists list with 119 from 2011-14. He owns season points listings with 82 and 102 and made the career list with 293. Teammate Connor Westerlund made the season saves list for goalkeeping with 182 this spring.

Girls Soccer

  • Portland didn’t have much offensive success in its 7-0 Division 3 District loss to Williamston on May 27. But Raiders keeper Jordyn Spitzley finished with one of the highest save totals in MHSAA history. Spitzley made 35 saves, good for third all-time for one game.

Softball

  • Bullock Creek’s Maison Kalina became the 14th player to hit home runs in three consecutive at bats in one game, May 9 against Freeland. (The feat has been accomplished 15 times, twice by the same player.) Kalina singled in the first inning of a 10-7 win, flew out to left field in her second-inning at bat, and then drilled home runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings.

Wrestling

  • A number of Allegan’s recent achievements were added, including the season and career records for notables over the last decade. Among those noted were Kyle Simaz (242-8 from 2011-14), Taylor Simaz (241-17 from 2009-12), John Rizqallah (230-28 from 2007-10), Steve Poffenberger (228-29 from 2006-09), Matt Smith (222-39 from 2007-10), Austin Kelley (201-35 from 2010-13) and Andy Krcatovich (194-44 from 2005-08). Kyle Simaz’ career takedown total of 923 moved to the top of that list, and Poffenberger’s 791 ranks third. Tyler Caron, Dan Stamm, Stosh Mintek and coach Murray Rose were among others added in other categories.

PHOTO: St. Ignace’s Kelley Wright pushes the ball upcourt against Saginaw Nouvel this season at the Breslin Center.