Schoolcraft's Thompson Shatters Soccer Scoring, Total Points Records
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 8, 2022
Schoolcraft’s Hannah Thompson obliterated the girls soccer single-season goals record during the 2021 season that had stood since 2001.
Thompson, now a senior, scored 87 goals over 20 games as a junior, and also set the single-season points record with 93. She also is listed for 43 goals as a freshman and on the career list with 130 despite not being able to play as a sophomore because that season was canceled.
She will continue her career at Eastern Michigan.
See below for more recent record book additions in girls basketball, girls and boys soccer, softball and wrestling.
Girls Basketball
A pair of seniors capped their four-year varsity careers in 2021 by leading Kent City to its first Final and runner-up finish in Division 3. Kenzie Bowers graduated with five record book entries, including for 233 career 3-pointers (ranking 13th) and 426 career steals, both over 96 games. Jenna Harrison has four record book entries, with her 289 3-pointers over 96 games ranking second all-time on the career list. Bowers played this past season at Illinois State, and Harrison is continuing at Sienna Heights. Additionally, Kent City as a team made the 3-pointers attempted list multiple times with a high of 56 against Hesperia on March 1, 2021, and the 3-pointers made list with 18 (in 44 attempts) against Lakeview on Feb. 10, 2021. Total, the team attempted 730 last season (ranking sixth all-time) and made 235 (ranking fourth) despite playing only 22 games. The 125 points scored that day against Lakeview were the fifth-most in one game.
Girls Soccer
Despite her sophomore season being canceled due to COVID-19, Madalyn Freitas already is on the career goals scored list with a season to play at Clinton. Freitas had made the single-season scoring list as a freshman while at Tecumseh in 2019 and added 63 goals over 16 games for Clinton in 2021 for a career total of 125. She also had six assists last season to make the points list with 69 total.
Owosso’s Lily Usher made 286 saves over 15 games during the 2021 season, ranking third on the single-season saves list. She had a high of 35 that May 5 against Goodrich. She is a junior this season.
Boys Soccer
Benzie Central senior Kevin Hubbell scored 16 goals during a 17-0 win over Kingsley on Sept. 29, breaking the MHSAA record for goals in a game previously set in 2003.
Watervliet’s Brady Bornas was added for his six assists in a Sept. 8 win over Parchment. The total tied for fifth-most in one match. Bornas is a junior.
Softball
Lake Orion’s Tessa Nuss finished her four-season varsity career in 2019 with nine record book entries, including the record for consecutive stolen bases – she was never caught stealing in 122 attempts over her career. She hit a combined .587 for her career, ranking 11th, and she also was added for 253 career hits and 220 career runs. She’s continuing her career at Binghamton in New York.
Grass Lake’s Olivia Turner enjoyed a brilliant varsity debut last spring as a freshman, making the record book in three categories – with 23 doubles, 16 home runs and 92 RBI. The RBI total ranks fifth all-time on that list.
Schoolcraft 2021 grad Danielle Blyly made the career doubles list with 37 despite having her junior season of 2020 canceled due to COVID-19. She also made the single-season doubles list with 18 as a sophomore in 2019. She’s continuing her career at Indiana Wesleyan.
Wrestling
Samuel Rickman capped his Trenton career in 2020 as a two-time Finals placer and 200-match winner. He finished a combined 203-25 over four seasons, with a fourth place at 145 pounds in Division 2 as a senior and fifth at 135 as a junior. He’s wrestling at Alma College.
PHOTO Schoolcraft's Hannah Thompson (22) makes her move during last season's Division 4 Regional Semifinal against Kalamazoo Christian. (Photo courtesy of JoeInsider.com.)
Stokes' Saves Add Record Book Fame to Cass Tech's Historic Start-Up Story
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
July 29, 2022
Na’ja Stokes was part of history as Detroit Cass Tech played its first two seasons of girls lacrosse over the last two years. And her historic achievements as a senior this spring provided the Technicians with their first two entries in the MHSAA record book for her sport.
Stokes made 30 saves – the second-most for a single game in MHSAA history – against Clinton Township Chippewa Valley during a 9-7 overtime win May 10. She finished the season with 207 saves – tying for third-most all-time – in just 14 games played.
Cass Tech as a team, meanwhile, improved from 2-10 its inaugural season to 6-8 this year, with a notable three wins and three one-goal losses over its final six games. Stokes was named to the Division 1 all-state first team.
See below for more recent record book additions in girls lacrosse and 11-player football.
Girls Lacrosse
Saline’s Erin Melcher quickly made an impact on the record book this past season, registering nine goals twice in two games over three days – April 11 vs. Novi, and then April 13 vs. Lansing Catholic. She was a senior this spring.
Hudsonville senior Anna Lobbezoo also got on the record board early this season with nine goals April 27 against Lowell. She will continue next season at University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky.
Football
Belleville’s Brayden Lane became the third kicker from his school to be listed, making the single-season list with 52 extra points over 14 games in 2021 and the single-game list with 10 in a win over Wayne Memorial. He’ll be a sophomore this fall.
Despite a 43-28 defeat to Sterling Heights Stevenson last Sept. 2, Utica senior quarterback Darren Welch enjoyed a memorable performance. He made record book lists with 34 completions, 54 attempts and 410 passing yards. He will continue his career at Hillsdale College.
Bloomfield Hills’ Andrew Siepierski became one of 19 players with at least four interceptions in a game when he snagged four against Troy on Oct. 11. The then-senior also scored the go-ahead touchdown that ended up the game-winner in the 21-10 victory.
Schoolcraft quarterback Alex Thole was entered into the record book eight times for accomplishments over his 35 varsity games from 2018-20. Among highlights, his 7,318 career passing yards rank 11th in state history, and his 93 touchdown passes are fifth on that list. He is playing at Tarleton State in Texas.
Morenci’s 60-41 win over Stockbridge last Sept. 2 made the record book for total points scored between two teams – and a few more times for the Bulldogs’ substantial offensive output. Morenci was added for its 630 total yards (just missing the single-game rushing list with 596) and 61 rushing attempts. Senior Carsyn Varga made the single-game rushing TDs list with six.
Quinn Fracassi and Aidan Vaughan opened their senior seasons last fall in big ways by becoming the first of the 2021 season to return kickoffs 99 yards for a touchdown – and against each other’s teams. Fracassi, for South Lyon, and Walled Lake Western’s Vaughan achieved the feat with their teams facing off last Aug. 26. Vaughan is continuing at Wisconsin, and Fracassi at Eastern Michigan.
Frankfort’s Adam Mills also joined the 99-yard kickoff return list, scoring last Oct. 1 against Maple City Glen Lake. He was a senior and will continue at Albion College.
PHOTO Cass Tech goalie Na’ja Stokes makes a save this past season. (Photo courtesy of the Detroit Cass Tech girls lacrosse program.)