Powerful Pair Tie for Home Run Record
August 3, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A pair of sluggers who have flexed their power strokes on the west and east coasts of the Lower Peninsula now anchor the MHSAA single-season record book list for home runs.
Muskegon Mona Shores junior Taylor Dew and Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse sophomore Brooke Nadolny both smacked 22 home runs this spring, both breaking the previous MHSAA record for homers in one season by two.
Dew, already in the record book for 19 doubles as a sophomore in 2015-16, also earned entries for 72 RBI this spring and has 38 career home runs while also qualifying for career lists in doubles and RBI. Nadolny also joined the career home run list with 28 over her first two seasons, and she's listed for three home runs in a May 10 game against Macomb L’Anse Creuse North, home runs in three straight at bats (over two games) on May 27 against Richmond, and with five more entries for home runs or RBI in one game.
Both star hitters also had teammates make the record book for accomplishments this spring. Mona Shores junior Veronica Kastelic made the listings with six RBI in a game against Holland on May 18 and 70 hits total, while junior Sammi Mills had 20 doubles this season and six RBI in L’Anse Creuse’s May 24 game against L’Anse Creuse North.
Click the softball heading below to see that sport's record book in full, and also read on for additional recent record book entries in that sport, boys lacrosse, girls lacrosse and girls soccer.
Boys Lacrosse
Grandville junior goalie Zachary Tykocki added 10 entries this season, including nine for saves in a game – with a high of 21 against Caledonia on April 11. He finished this season with 265 saves – second-most in MHSAA history – over 18 games, only three saves from tying the record. He previously was listed for 26 saves in a game during his sophomore season.
Hartland finished 21-1 this spring, setting an MHSAA boys lacrosse record with 337 goals. The Eagles won their first 21 games before falling to eventual Division 1 runner-up Detroit Catholic Central 12-11 in overtime in a Semifinal on June 7.
Girls Lacrosse
Four Troy standouts were added for their accomplishments over the last two seasons, led by sophomore Morgan MacDonald – she was added five times for goals in a game this spring, once for 12 points in a game (second most all-time), for 76 goals as a freshman and 88 goals, 43 assists and 131 points (seventh most) this past season. Senior goalie Molly Crusse was added for single-game saves three times (with a high of 23, third all-time), 151 saves as a junior and 171 total (seventh most) this season. Senior Michelle Cappetto also was added for goals (66) and points (89) this season, and junior Lindsey Davis made the single-game saves list with 15 against Novi on April 28.
Girls Soccer
Livonia Clarenceville’s Michelle Marzolo scored all seven of her team’s goals in a 7-4 win over Lutheran Westland on May 15. Marzolo was a sophomore this spring.
Newaygo goalkeeper Jenna Janke pushed to the MHSAA record for saves in a season with a pair of busy performances during the final week of her high school career. Janke, a senior, had 36 saves in a 2-1 shootout win over Muskegon Oakridge on May 31, then 32 saves in a 2-0 loss to Howard City Tri-County in a Division 3 District Semifinal on June 2. She finished this spring with 373 saves and will continue her career at Muskegon Community College.
Owosso keeper Elizabeth Hood also earned a spot on the single-game saves list with 38 against Mason on May 2, 2016. Hood graduated this spring.
Softball
Traverse City Central freshman Olivia Fiebing kicked off her high school career well this spring smacking 13 home runs. She also made the records for hitting two home runs during a win over Williamston on April 21.
A pair of Jackson Northwest standouts graduated this spring with their names cemented in state softball history. Mallory West earned entries for 13 triples this past season, 31 over her four-year career (tied for 11th most) and 36 career doubles as well. Four-year teammate Nicole Keeder made the career doubles list with 46. Keeder will continue at Jackson College, and West will play at Huntington University in Indiana.
PHOTOS: Muskegon Mona Shores' Taylor Dew (left) drives a pitch this spring; Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse's Brooke Nadolny settles into her stance. (Photos courtesy of the respective athletic departments.)
Standouts Swat to New Blocks Records
May 5, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
By nature of sports, we usually celebrate those who score the most points.
But this basketball season allowed us to marvel at two of the best ever at keeping opponents from getting to the hoop.
Kalamazoo Central senior Asia Robeson became the leading shot-blocker in MHSAA girls basketball history this winter, finishing an incredible four-year career with 723. On the boys side, Muskegon junior Deyonta Davis set the MHSAA boys single-season record with 199 blocks in helping the Big Reds to their first Class A title since 1937.
The 6-foot-4 Robeson and former Grandville standout Alyssa DeHaan (718 blocks from 2002-05) are the only female players in MHSAA girls history to block more than 600 shots. Robeson’s 228 blocks as a junior rank third for one season and her 227 as a sophomore are fourth. She was a Miss Basketball Award finalist and will continue her career this fall at Auburn University.
Davis, a 6-9 center, had 16 blocks in a game twice and also made the single-season rebounds list with 380 – averaging 13.6 per game – and scored 15 points per game.
Click for the entire boys basketball record listing, and see below for more recent entries to the girls basketball and other sports’ listings.
Girls Basketball
- Novi Franklin Road Christian’s Kristen Massey finished her high school career this winter as one of the leading scorers in girls basketball history with 2,032 points – she’s one of 27 to score at least 2,000, and this total doesn't include the 190 she scored on the school’s varsity as an eighth grader. She’s also the most frequently successful free throw shooter, tying for the career free throw record of 697 (on 926 attempts; .752 percentage) after following her season record of 213 in 2012-13 with 209 more in 2013-14. She made 52 more as an eighth-grader, but again, those were not counted toward her high school career total.
Football
- Two Ottawa Lake Whiteford players were added for seasons filled with interception return touchdowns, but 20 years apart. Troy Goetz had four scoring returns in 1987 and sits second on that MHSAA list, with Josh DuPree among those tied for third after bringing three opponents’ passes all the way back in 2007.
- Former Almont kicker Peter Deppe moved into the second spot on career extra points with 159 (in 170 attempts) he drilled during a four-year varsity career from 2010-13. He also is on the single-season list with 63 in 65 attempts as a sophomore. He currently punts for Northern Illinois University.
- Hazel Park’s Tom Stephens returned a punt 96 yards for a touchdown against Warren Fitzgerald on Sept. 13, 1963, to tie him for eighth-longest in that category. His points contributed to Hazel Park’s 24-19 opening-night win.
Hockey
- Two of the longest games in MHSAA history were played this season. Joining the 103-plus minute Traverse City West win on Feb. 24 in the record book is a 91-minute, 15-second Grand Rapids Catholic Central win over Flint Powers Catholic in a Division 3 Quarterfinal on March 5. GRCC scored the go-ahead goal 15 seconds into the sixth overtime to clinch a 2-1 victory. The win came eight years and one day after GRCC beat Mattawan in six overtimes in what before this season stood as the fourth-longest game.
Boys Soccer
- Tyler Deese gave Corunna its winning goal in an 8-0 win over Portland on Sept. 17 only eight seconds into the first half – making it the second-fastest goal scored from the start of a game in MHSAA boys soccer history.
Softball
- Morgan Rombach opened May with a record-setting performance that earned her two lines in the home runs listings. The New Lothrop standout hit three home runs in a win over Burton Bentley, in her first, second and fourth at bats. She is one of 18 tied for second on the single-game home runs list and one of a larger group of players who have hit at least two in consecutive at bats. She also had a single in her third at bat of the game.
Volleyball
- Corunna freshman Meredith Norris kicked off her varsity career with plenty of points this fall. The 6-2 hitter made the MHSAA record book with 697 kills, 30th all-time for a single season, and also made the single-match list twice with 34 and 33 kills.
PHOTOS: Muskegon’s Deyonta Davis, far right, defends the rim during Muskegon’s Class A Final win over Bloomfield Hills. (Inset) Kalamazoo Central’s Asia Robeson blocks a shot. (Photos courtesy of HighSchoolSportsScene.com and Auburn University, respectively.)