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.
Cass City Ace Fires to Near Perfection
July 17, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Cass City junior Kendall Anthes helped his baseball team to a 25-3 record this spring, in the process turning in one of the most impressive single-season pitching performances in MHSAA history.
Anthes finished 10-0 on the mound, making the record book in three categories. His 0.11 ERA over 65 2/3 innings pitched tied for fourth lowest all-time, while his four walks allowed tied for second fewest. He threw eight shutouts, tied for fifth most for one season.
See more recent baseball record book additions below, and click the heading to view the record book in full.
Baseball
Travis Hill tied the MHSAA record for stolen bases in a game in Onsted’s five-inning 13-3 win over Adrian Madison on May 9. The junior stole eight bases – both second and third base four times – and scored four runs. He tied Jeremy Freed’s eight steals for Morrice in a 2002 game.
A pair of Paw Paw standouts were added for extra-base hitting – Parker Marcon for seven triples in 2015 and Jimmy Wressel for 19 doubles in 2017. Wressel graduated a year later and played this spring at Grand Rapids Community College.
Novi’s Evan Yokie was added for seven triples, hit during his senior season in 2018.
Hartland’s Max Hendricks also made the record book for single-season triples, tying for fifth all-time with 11 in 2018. A senior that spring, he’s now playing at Wayne State University.
Zach Hopman’s power-hitting display this spring included two games with three homers. The Brighton senior hit three the first time against Plymouth on May 1 and then three against Ann Arbor Pioneer on May 20.
Kingsley tied for the eighth-most stolen bases in a season this spring, totaling 181 over 35 games in finishing 25-10. Jacob Radtke stole 38 bases and Owen Graves had 36 to lead the way.
Blake Borck capped a four-season career at Hudson this spring with 181 hits, 136 RBI and 34 times hit by pitches – which all made career record book lists. He also tied for third after being hit by pitches three times in a May 21 game. Younger brother Ethan Borck was added for his 1.12 ERA over 74 2/3 innings pitched this spring.
Sterling Heights Stevenson finished 28-7, pushing coach Joe Emanuele over 500 career wins and into the record book. Emanuele has led Stevenson to a 521-244 record since taking over the varsity in 1998, with three trips to at least the MHSAA Semifinals. Stevenson won the Division 1 title in 2005.
Flushing junior Nick Powers held opponents to a 0.77 ERA this spring, making the single-season list in that category while finishing with an 8-2 record. He’s committed to continue at Michigan State University after graduation next year.
PHOTO: Cass City’s Kendall Anthes begins his move toward the plate against Unionville-Sebewaing this spring. (Photo courtesy of Varsity Monthly.)