Pilgrims Pair Leads Semifinal Journey

June 28, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Lansing Christian’s boys basketball team reached the Class D Semifinals this past season in part on the efforts of two four-year seniors whose accomplishments are now recorded among the notable in MHSAA history.

Guard Forrest Bouyer had 109 steals in 26 games this winter, and his 296 career steals over 88 games rank ninth all-time. He also had 552 assists during his career, which rank 10th on that list. Guard Matthew Havey previously had listings for points and 3-pointers in one quarter, and he finished his career with 238 3-pointers – which rank ninth all-time. Bouyer will continue his career at Calvin College.

Click to check out the boys basketball record book in full, and read on for more recent record book additions in girls basketball, football, girls soccer, softball, volleyball and wrestling.

Girls Basketball

Kalle Martinez finished a successful career for Bay City John Glenn this winter and added a pair of record book entries during a 64-56 win over Saginaw Swan Valley on Feb. 23. Martinez scored 48 points, making the single-game scoring list, and tied for third for most 3-pointers in a game drilling 11 in 18 tries. As a team, Bay City John Glenn was added for making 14 3-pointers in that game and for making 154 and attempting 453 3-pointers on the season. Former teammate Cassidy Boensch was added for her 332 rebounds and 154 blocked shots as a senior in 2015-16. Boensch currently plays at Grand Valley State University, and Martinez will begin her career next season at Central Michigan University.

Edwardsburg’s Savannah Dixon added to her entry for single-season 3-pointers (69) as a sophomore by finishing her career with 173 over 87 games through her last this winter. Dixon also was a softball all-stater this spring.

Football

Daniel Nocerini played only one season of 8-player football, but he set the pace for those who will chase his records for seasons to come. Nocerini, a running back, was added to the 8-player records 15 times, including for 50 points, five touchdowns in a quarter and seven in a game all against Ontonagon this season, seven more scores against Rapid River, and 45 touchdowns total over 11 games. He also ran for 2,409 yards, including 431 against Rapid River. His career totals of 82 touchdowns and 586 points also were added to the 8-player record book, although his first three seasons were played in 11-player. He will continue his career at Michigan Tech.

Girls Soccer

Natalie Righetti finished her four-season varsity career at Trenton in 2013 among MHSAA leaders in career goals (106), assists (76) and points (182). Her points continue to rank 16th, while her career assists are 11th most. Including single-season accomplishments, she earned nine record book listings. Righetti went on to play at Oakland and then University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Softball

A pair of Midland Bullock Creek hitting standouts contributed to significant team totals as well over the last four years. Rylie Kalina had 75 hits this spring to cap her four-year career with 216, and ranked second all-time with 30 doubles this season to finish her career with 54 two-base hits. Former teammate Shelby Bailey also made the single-season doubles list with 20 as a senior in 2015 and 35 over her four-year career. Midland Bullock Creek as a team was added eight times for team achievements over the last four seasons, most notably for 94 doubles this spring and 90 in 2015 – tying for sixth and 11th all-time, respectively. In addition, Lauren Beougher was added for hitting two home runs during the fifth inning of a game against Clare on April 11. Kalina will continue her career at Davenport University and Beougher will play at Albion College, while Bailey went on to play at Delta College.

Frankfort freshman Hayley Myers’ debut season included a record entry for seven RBI in a win over Lake Leelanau St. Mary on April 7. Myers was 4 for 4 and hit two home runs.

Lowell sophomore Maddi Jordan earned two record book entries in her team’s win over Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills on April 18. She was 5 for 5 with four triples – tying for second-most triples in one game in the national record book and earning the first MHSAA record entry for that category – and drove in 10 runs to tie for second all-time in MHSAA history. Jordan already has committed to continue her softball career at Central Michigan University.

Volleyball

A number of past plus a few current Bronson standouts were added for accomplishments since the start of rally scoring with the 2004-05 season. Katherine Carpenter was added for 632 kills and 179 blocks in 2010 and 211 blocks (tied for seventh most in one season) in 2009, while Alexa Ratkowski was added for 1,399 assists in 2014 and a career 410 aces from 2002-15 – second-most all-time in that category to go with her previously-added career record for assists. Skyler Sobeski was added for 1,543 career kills from 2011-14, while recent graduate Jill Pyles was added for 1,504 career kills and 524 aces over the last four seasons; Pyles' aces rank second all-time. Hailey Brewer made the career blocks list with 509 from 2006-09, and Kylei Ratkowski made the career aces list as well with 388 from 2009-12. Junior Kiana Mayer had 1,541 assists in setting Bronson to a second straight Class C title last fall – her total ranking seventh during the rally scoring era. Junior Adyson Lasky (117), Pyles (114) and sophomore Kiera Lasky (112) also all were added for aces this past season. Carpenter went on to play at Hillsdale College and Pyles has signed to continue this fall at Ohio Dominican University.

Wrestling

Coloma freshman Ian Ishmael tied an MHSAA record at 130 pounds for fastest pin, winning a match by fall in five seconds on Jan. 21. He was competing as part of the Shawn Cockell Memorial Tournament in Quincy.

PHOTO: Lansing Christian's Forrest Bouyer (23) pushes the ball upcourt against Buckley during a Class D Semifinal in March, as teammate Matthew Havey (5) is among those trailing.

Missed Junior Season Can't Keep Mercy's Smith from All-Time Greatness

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

May 18, 2023

Despite the 2020 season being canceled due to COVID-19, Jillian Smith finished her Farmington Hills Mercy career in 2021 with 49 record book listings – and one of the most accomplished careers in MHSAA girls lacrosse history.

Despite not playing a junior season, Smith tallied 340 goals – third-most all-time – and 423 points, good for sixth all-time on that career list. She had 119 goals and 157 total points over 17 games as a senior, and did set the single-game points record with 21 against Canton that spring.

Smith is continuing to star at Michigan.

See below for more recent record book additions for girls lacrosse:

Girls Lacrosse

Grandville’s Madeline Kreiger was added to the single-game goals list twice last spring, both times for seven goals. The then-sophomore scored seven in her team’s 24-5 win over Lowell on April 18, 2022, and then seven again in a 20-6 win over Jenison on April 25.

A trio of Hartland standouts earned record book listings for their accomplishments in 2022. Then-junior Ava Gilardone was added twice for seven goals in a game and for 69 goals and 87 points for the season. Madeline Turcotte, also a junior last spring, was added for eight goals in a game, five assists in another, and 59 goals, 44 assists and 103 points for the season. Senior Tessa Chuba was added for seven goals in a game twice, 83 goals and 104 points for the season and also 50 goals in 2021. Senior Rebecca Schaller was added for a 2021 junior-year achievement, when she posted 188 saves, good to tie for eighth all-time.

Bloomfield Hills now-junior Ella Lucia earned five record book entries during the 2022 season, including for six goals and 12 total points in a June 1 game against Birmingham United. She also made the single-game assists list with five in an April 11 game against Clarkston, the single-season goals list with 50 and the single-season points list with 89 over 20 games. Now-senior teammate Ilana Watson also was added for five assists in a game twice, and now-junior goalie Sydney Butler made the single-season saves list with 165 across 21 games.

Several standouts helped Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central reach the Division 2 Regional Finals last spring, including four who made the record book. Now-senior Gabby Hendricks had 111 points and earned seven listings total including for 69 goals and 42 assists. Also now a senior, Shannon Murphy earned six entries including for 68 goals and 101 points, and Julia Brown earned three entries including for 78 goals and 92 points in her final season. Another senior this school year, goalie Tori Bates, was added for her 18 saves in a 21-16 win over Grand Rapids Catholic Central. Brown is playing at Hope College, Murphy has committed to Marquette University, Hendricks has committed to Jacksonville University, and Bates has committed to George Mason University.

Stella Bottum capped her Caledonia career last spring with four record book entries. She made the single-season goals list with 76 – including eight in one game – and the career goals list with 134 over 48 games and three seasons (due to the cancelation of 2020). She also made the single-season points list with 90. She’s playing at Aquinas College.

Warren Regina’s Holly Watson earned seven record book entries last spring, including for 175 saves over 12 games – which is tied for 13th-most all-time. She had a season-high of 27 against Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett on April 25, which is tied for second most in one game. She’s a senior this school year.

Jenna Allie finished her two-season varsity career at Dearborn Divine Child last spring with her second scoring 68 goals – and she also made the single-season points list with 93 over 19 games. Allie’s 136 career goals also earned a record book entry, and her scoring last season contributed significantly to Divine Child making the team single-season goals list with 274. Additionally, then-senior teammate Sam Stevens was added for 15 goal saves against Bloomfield Hills last May 16. Allie is continuing her career at Siena Heights.

Amanda Granader capped her career last spring by leading Brighton to the Division 1 championship, and she made the MHSAA record book 18 times – including for career goals and points again despite the 2020 season being canceled. She made the single-game goals list several times including with a high of 10 last April 30 against Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central. Her 113 goals last spring rank 10th, and her 118 as a junior are eighth on that list – as are her 259 over three seasons. Granader’s 322 points for her career rank 11th all-time.

Lansing Catholic’s Leah Reid is cruising into the elite of scoring all-time in this sport, and entered this season with nine record-book entries. She had at least seven goals in a game six times and finished last season with 89 goals over 20 games. She also made the single-season points list with 106 total as a junior.

PHOTO Farmington Hills Mercy's Jillian Smith directs the attack during her team's 2021 Semifinal against Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood. (Photo courtesy of Detroit News.)