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.)
LaDuke's Defense Aids Ludington Rise
December 20, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Ludington’s run to the Class B championship game last winter was the result of a number of contributions – including senior Sam LaDuke’s on defense.
The now-graduated guard finished last season with 141 steals, third-most in MHSAA history, and with two games of 11 steals apiece (against Traverse City Central and Cadillac) that made the single-game record book list in that category.
LaDuke, who is continuing his career at Calvin College, also averaged 10.4 points per game as Ludington advanced to an MHSAA Finals for the first time since 1953.
Click to see the boys basketball record book in full and read on for more recent additions in football, girls and boys soccer, softball, volleyball and wrestling.
Football
Austin Brown set an MHSAA record on the first night of this recently-completed season, throwing eight touchdown passes for Madison Heights Madison during the first half of a 54-7 win over Warren Lincoln on Aug. 24. His six TD tosses in the second quarter tied another record, and those eight total also tied for second-most in one game. The junior quarterback finished the night 18 of 20 passing for 352 yards despite not playing during the second half.
Mesick senior Ethan Humphreys became the first entry on the list for longest fumble recovery touchdown in 8-player history when he snagged a Baldwin handoff and returned it 97 yards for a score on Sept. 8. It was one of Humphreys’ many contributions on the night – he also threw for two touchdowns, ran for two more scores and grabbed an interception in the 54-8 victory.
Girls Soccer
Kelly Bertera was a freshman on the first Southgate Anderson girls soccer team in 1996. Her nine goals in an 11-0 win over Taylor Truman that spring are tied for second-most in one game; she also had two assists in the victory.
Boys Soccer
Ithaca’s Cavun Beck scored eight goals in an Aug. 22 win over Durand, tying for the third-most scored in one game. The Yellowjackets senior also became the first to score at least that many in one contest since 2004, and he also assisted on the ninth goal as his team won 9-5.
Softball
Richland Gull Lake then-sophomore Lauren Esman was one of three players across the state to break the previous MHSAA record for home runs in a season last spring, and she ranks third on the list after knocking 21 (two others hit 22). She also has been added to the record book for 74 runs scored, 81 hits, 24 doubles, 91 RBI and a .675 batting average last season – her RBI rank fourth and her doubles tied for eighth on those lists. Esman has 25 home runs over her career so far and also was added seven times for single-game homers or RBI. Teammate Ashton Whitman (now a senior) also made the records with 20 doubles last season and six RBI in a game, and Shelby Martell (also now a senior) was added for six RBI in a game as well. Esman already has committed to sign with University of Michigan.
Utica Ford’s Meagan VerVaecke finished her career in the spring with a couple of notable accomplishments. Her 17 doubles over 37 games made the single-season list in that category, and her two third-inning home runs against Almont in a May 6 win were added to lists for two consecutive homers and in the same inning. VerVaecke is continuing her career at Saginaw Valley State.
Recent Sterling Heights graduate Shelby Segar earned a spot in the record book with eight RBI in her team’s 19-16 loss to New Haven on May 17. She finished 5 for 5 in the game with pair of doubles. Segar was a four-year varsity player.
Volleyball
Ludington senior Mackenzie Luce dominated a three-set win over Muskegon Heights Academy on Sept. 19, setting a pair of serving records with 20 aces in one game and 32 over the best-of-five match as her team won 25-5, 25-0, 25-7. Luce’s single-game record broke that of another Ludington athlete, Madisyn Brockelbank, who had 17 aces in one game during a 2013 match.
Wrestling
Connor Charping became the latest four-year standout to be added for more than 200 wins, finishing last winter with a career record of 204-24. He also made the career pins list with 119 over those 228 matches. In addition, freshman teammate Sam Rickman was added to the records for tying the fastest pin at 112 pounds, earning a victory in six seconds on Dec. 10, 2016. An MHSAA Finals runner-up in 2016, Charping is continuing his athletic career as part of the Western Michigan baseball program.
PHOTO: Ludington’s Sam LaDuke (10) applies defensive pressure during last season’s Class B Semifinal win over River Rouge.