Record Feats Key Dakota's Historic Run
January 4, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Macomb Dakota’s historic finish to last softball season came on the bats and arm of some history-making players who are among the latest entries into MHSAA record books.
The Cougars won their first Regional title and played in their first MHSAA Final (losing in the Division 1 championship game to Farmington Hills Mercy), and finished with a record of 38-3 – the 38 wins among notable team accomplishments that made record lists. The 2016 team’s 458 hits ranked 14th for one season in MHSAA history, while its 99 doubles were third-most and its 32 home runs were tied for 12th-most in a season. (Also, the 2015 team ranked 15th on the home runs list with 30 in 37 games.)
Individually, sophomore Corbin Hison was added for 17 doubles, while senior Kelcie LaTour was added to the single-season home runs list with 11 for the second straight spring. Junior pitcher Kendahl Dunford finished 35-3 to make the single-season pitching wins list, and LaTour also graduated on the career home runs list with 29. She’s now playing at Grand Valley State University.
See below for more recent additions to record books for baseball, girls and boys basketball, football, boys soccer and wrestling. Click on the sport headings to see those record books in full.
Baseball
Homer’s Brock Ridgeway finished his four-year varsity career last spring on MHSAA career lists for runs scored (163), hits (184), RBI (142) and being hit by pitches (47) after being hit by 18 pitches this past season and three times in one April game. The 47 career HBP is tied for third-most all-time, and he also just missed the career pitching wins list with 32. Homer as a team last spring made season lists with a .354 batting average and 53 HBPs. Ridgeway is a freshman on the Central Michigan University baseball team.
Girls Basketball
Margo Brown’s perimeter shooting was a big part of St. Ignace’s dominance through the first half of this decade, and she entered the record book for 11 3-pointers – tied for third-most in a game – against Rudyard on 17 attempts on Jan. 20, 2015. She now plays at Ferris State University.
Boys Basketball
Jordan Weber knocked down 73 3-pointers last season for East Jordan to finish his four-year varsity career with 278 – fifth-most in MHSAA history. He made nearly 34 percent of his 818 career attempts and averaged 17.1 points per game total as a senior.
Football
A pair of Gaylord athletes were entered for impressive scores more than 30 years ago. Kurt Kakaviska made the records for his 90-yard punt return touchdown against Petoskey in 1982, while Mark Johnston was added for two interception return touchdowns in one quarter in a 1986 game, also against Petoskey. Johnston actually scored a third defensive touchdown in that same third quarter, on a fumble recovery. Kakaviska went on to play at Northern Michigan University.
Haslett kicker Luke Ezzo capped a three-season career this fall among career leaders in field goals with 19 in 26 attempts over 27 games. Ezzo also made the single-season field goals list as a junior with nine in 11 tries over 10 games.
Boys Soccer
Over eight days this fall, Micah Sonnenberg posted two of the highest-scoring games in MHSAA history. The Brooklyn Columbia Central sophomore netted six goals against Clinton on Oct. 6, then scored seven – tied for fifth-most in one game – against Jonesville on Oct. 13.
Softball
A pair of Reese hitters were added for batting prowess. Emily Schrader made the single-season hits list with 72 in 2010, while Monica Hagen – already on the single-season list with 73 in 2014 – was added to the career hits list with 209 over 132 games from 2011-14. Schrader went on to play at Delta College.
Wrestling
Jake Bohn finished his East Kentwood career in 2008 setting the single-season takedown record with 526 – and now also has been added for setting the career takedown record of 1,365 over 216 matches and four varsity seasons. Bohn went on to wrestle at George Mason University.
Comstock Park standout Ryan McCarthy has been added for his 209-29 record over four seasons from 2000-03. He was the first from his school to eclipse the 200-win career milestone.
PHOTO: Macomb Dakota’s Kelcie LaTour takes a swing during last season’s Division 1 Final against Farmington Hills Mercy.
South Lyon East Softball Blasts Way to Top of All-Time Home Run Chart
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 14, 2022
The South Lyon East blasted past the previous home run record of 63 last season, drilling 70 over 35 games during a successful 2021.
That previous record was set by New Baltimore Anchor Bay in 2019, when four teams hit 53 or more homers. The 2020 season wasn't played because of COVID-19, and the next-listed team for 2021 is Three Rivers with 48 home runs.
East finished 25-9-1 and was led in its record chase by senior Lauren Sciborski, who tied for fifth on the individual single-season home run list with 22. She’s continuing her career at Northwestern.
See below for more recent record book additions in softball, plus baseball, girls lacrosse and girls and boys soccer.
Baseball
Rudyard’s EJ Suggitt was 2 for 2 with two runs and two RBI in a 13-0 win over Pickford last June 4, and he made the record book single-game stolen bases list with five. He’s a senior this school year.
Marshall’s Killian Bies tied for sixth-most times hit by pitches during the 2021 season, with 22 times reaching base that way over 32 games. Bies is a junior this season.
Girls Lacrosse
A pair of Dearborn Divine Child juniors earned the school’s first girls lacrosse record book entries in 2021. Jenna Allie was added four times, including twice for single-game highs of 10 goals and her 68 goals total over 15 games. Goalie Sam Stevens was added for a single-game high of 18 saves and 153 saves total for 18 games.
Girls Soccer
Elk Rapids’ Lauren Bingham earned her first record book entry with an outstanding sophomore season in 2021. She scored 31 goals to make the single-season scoring list, and added 12 assists.
Boys Soccer
Ryan Serwa capped his Berkley career this past fall considered again among the state’s best. He didn’t allow a goal over his first seven games to earn one of three record book entries – the other two added for 13 shutouts for the season and 24 over his three-season varsity career.
Marshall’s 2018 team won its District and finished 23-1-1, its only defeat to Grand Rapids Christian 1-0 in a Division 2 Regional Semifinal. Marshall made the team record book lists for giving up only 10 goals that season, with 17 shutouts. Additionally, four-year varsity player Jake Lyon was a junior on that team and graduated after the 2019 season with 52 assists to make the career list in that category. Lyon plays at Hope College.
Softball
Shepherd then-sophomore Liv Regenfuss moved to the top of the list for hitters with two home runs in the same inning when she blasted a pair during the fifth inning of a win over Pinconning on May 20, 2021. Now a junior, she’s one of 18 on that record book list.
A trio of Watervliet standouts were added for accomplishments during the 2021 season. Samantha Dietz was added for scoring 79 runs and stealing 62 bases, both over 40 games, and Abby Whorton hit 18 doubles over 34 games. Grace Chisek was added twice for driving in six runs in a game and a third time for back-to-back home runs in one contest. Dietz’ runs tied for ninth on that list. She’s a junior this season, and Whorton and Chisek are both sophomores.
Leslie made team record book lists with 408 hits, 77 doubles and 320 RBI during the 2021 season when it finished 33-8, with a trio of individuals receiving similar recognition. Gabby Waldofsky is listed for 69 runs and 83 hits over 41 games, while Jalen Fossitt had 21 doubles over 41 games and Ada Bradford hit 18 doubles over 40. All three players are sophomores this season.
PHOTO The South Lyon East softball team commemorates its record 70 home runs during last season’s Division 1 District. (Photo courtesy of South Lyon East softball.)