Serving Up Stellar Performances

March 27, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A pair of volleyball aces, or rather acers, top this week’s list of additions to the MHSAA record book listings.

Ludington’s Madisyn Brockelbank set one MHSAA record and tied another during her team’s 25-1, 25-12, 25-15 sweep of Manistee in a Class B District opener on Nov. 4. She had 17 aces in the first game to achieve that MHSAA record, and finished with 20 aces for the match to tie with two others (achieved three more times) for that record.

St. Louis hitter Brooke Tubbs finished her career five days later with record book entries for single-season and career kills and aces, with her 1,951 career kills the 13th most since the start of the rally scoring era in 2004-05 and her 386 career aces the seventh-most during this time.

Teammate Michaela Austin was added for 1,358 career assists, 15th on that list, and 287 career aces. Kenya House made the season aces list with 112 and Bri Alspaugh is 11th on the career blocks list with 462.

Click to see the volleyball listings in full, and the sport headings below to see those record books.

Baseball

  • A number of listings for Homer’s 37-5 finish last spring were added to the record book, as well as some notables from past seasons. The team’s 395 strikeouts in 2004 and 0.95 ERA in 2006 both placed at the top of those respective lists. Among individuals, Scott Warner was added for 27 career home runs and a career batting average of .451 from 1982-85. Jim Salow was added for being hit by 33 pitches from 2009-12, and Nate Sitkiewicz’s four career grand slams over 2012-13 also made that career list.

Girls Basketball

  • Manistee Catholic Central coach Todd Erickson became the latest to be added for winning at least 300 games – he carried a 314-155 record into this season after taking over the MCC program in 1992. His run had included 10 District titles and a Semifinal appearance in 1999.
  • Kingsley senior Autumn Goggin became one of 10 who have had at least 15 assists in a game, reaching that total Dec. 20 against Benzie Central. She also had six points and only five turnovers in her team’s 61-32 victory.

Boys Basketball

  • Wyoming Tri-unity Christian longtime coach Mark Keeler won his 500th game this season to join a group of 21 who have reached that milestone. He sits with a 512-152 record since taking over the school’s varsity in 1985-86. His team finished 13-10 this winter, but has won four MHSAA championships during his tenure.

Football

  • Clarkston’s Shane Hynes contributed a big foot the last two seasons, and as his team earned the Division 1 championship this fall. He made the record book for a 53-yard field goal against Rochester in 2012 and then a 71-yard punt he launched against Pontiac on Oct. 4.
  • Menominee’s Evan Pohlmann also kicked his team to Ford Field, making 83 of 87 extra-point attempts including 36 straight. Pohlmann finished with 136 total over the last two seasons, fifth-most on the career extra points list.

Girls Lacrosse

  • Caledonia’s Keagan Pontious continued to climb the career goals list in 2013, moving up to third with 234 during her three varsity seasons and with one more to play. Teammate Helene Miller added a second entry to the season goalkeeper saves list, with the fourth-highest total of 173 to go with her 153 in 2012.

Boys Tennis

  • Traverse City St. Francis’ Jack Krcmarik tied for eighth for single-season wins with 36 last fall on the way to making the Division 4 Semifinals at No. 3 singles. Teammates Jay Jones and Brady Ray made the doubles single-season wins list as part of 27 apiece. 

PHOTO: St. Louis' Brooke Tubbs prepares to serve during a Nov. 9 match against Morley Stanwood. (Click to see more from High School Sports Scene.)

Bowers Leaves Record-Caliber Mark on Kent City Hoops

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

August 4, 2021

Senior Kenzie Bowers added a pair of record book entries this past winter as she continued to help Kent City join the girls basketball elite.

Bowers scored 46 points in a win over Lakeview on Feb. 10 this winter, and also was added for 14 assists against Ravenna during a 2019-20 victory. The assists are tied for 12th-most in one game. Bowers also had earned a record book entry as a junior for drilling nine 3-pointers in a game.

Kent City reached the Division 3 championship game in April, falling just two points shy against Grass Lake in the finale. Bowers will continue her career at Illinois State.

See below for more recent record book entries for girls basketball, baseball, boys lacrosse and girls soccer.

Baseball

Nearly 50 years later, Jim Kniivila has reached the record book. The four-year Holt pitcher finished with a 0.21 ERA over 66 innings in 1973, ranking today as the eighth-lowest ERA for a single season. He went on to play at Michigan State.

Jacob Freeman capped his Gaylord career in 2016 by making the Division 2 all-state first team – and by earning a spot in the MHSAA record book with 47 stolen bases. He also hit .403 that spring.

Girls Basketball

Houghton’s Stella Wickstrom posted major rebounding performances as only a sophomore last winter. The 6-foot forward grabbed at least 25 rebounds in three games – with that many against Calumet on Feb. 15 and Iron Mountain on March 1, and a season-high 27 against Baraga on Feb. 8.

Ella Stemmer put up big numbers over her four-season, 88-game Saline varsity career – including some of the most impressive ever from the free throw line. She made the career list with 419 free throws in 506 attempts, with her 90.9-percent success this winter tying for second-highest for one season and her 82.8 career percentage ranking fifth. She’ll continue her career at Lehigh.

Comstock Park then-senior McKenna Bent connected on 10 3-pointers in two games during the 2019-20 season, against Holland that Dec. 13 and Sparta on Feb. 7. She finished with 40 and 41 points, respectively, in those games. She’s continuing her career at Saginaw Valley State.

Boys Lacrosse

Xander Roisen saved 32 shots for Pinckney in a 16-2 loss to Canton on April 23, setting an MHSAA record for most saves in one game (but to be broken three later; see below). Roisen was a senior this spring.

Warren Cousino senior Donovan Cece took over the record for saves in a game with 35 in his team’s 12-0 loss to Clinton Township Chippewa Valley on May 14.

JJ Hawkins had another of the busiest days for a goalie March 27. He made 21 saves in Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central’s 13-4 loss to Dearborn Divine Child. Hawkins was a freshman this spring.

Girls Soccer

Lily Usher tied for the seventh-most saves in a game when she made 35 in Owosso’s 6-0 loss to Goodrich on May 5. The Martians took a total of 56 shots, including those not on goal. Usher was a sophomore this spring.

PHOTO: Kent City's Kenzie Bowers gets to the basket during the Division 3 championship game against Grass Lake in April.