Softball Streaks Continue into 2014
March 31, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Softball season is on the verge of starting as the snow continues to melt and fields dry out this week.
And as games begin, we’ll be keeping an eye on a pair of standouts carrying two of the longest hitting streaks in MHSAA history – including one chasing the national record.
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart senior Sara Hansen, also a star of the Irish’s Class D basketball championship run, is carrying an 82-game hitting streak that ranks second nationally and began May 9, 2011. She’s chasing the NFHS record of 103 straight games with a base hit.
Hayley Reitsma of Grand Rapids Christian is carrying a 34-game hitting streak into this season – her streak is third longest in MHSAA history.
She also made the MHSAA record book lists recently for 19 doubles as a sophomore, and needs only three more to qualify for the career doubles list.
Below are other recent additions to the MHSAA record listings. Click on the headings for all records for those respective sports.
Softball
- Fremont’s McKenze Supernaw won 101 games and struck out 1,262 batters over a varsity career spanning 2009-12. Both totals were added to MHSAA career lists – the career strikeouts rank 12th – as were her 14 strikeouts in a five-inning game in 2012 and 20 in a seven-inning Regional win over Cadillac in 2011. Supernaw currently plays second base and shortstop at Grand Valley State University.
- Sault Ste. Marie’s Megan Jean finished her career last spring as one of the state’s most accomplished power hitters, with seven entries including three for back-to-back home runs and two more for six and seven RBI in single games, respectively. Her 14 home runs in 2013 tied for 10th on that single-season list, and her 23 over three seasons tied for 14th on the career list.
- Midland made the team single-season doubles list with 67 last spring, including 15 from Jenni Wontorcik – who made the career list with 35 over her three varsity seasons. She hit .470 in 2013 to lead the team in average as well.
Boys Basketball
- Portland St. Patrick’s Ryan Wilcox scored 23 points during the second quarter of his team’s 74-55 win over Saranac on Dec. 9, 2011. He made four 3-pointers among eight field goals total during the period, and finished the game with 39 points. His points tied for ninth-most for one quarter.
Girls Lacrosse
- Caledonia’s Helene Miller became the first in MHSAA history to reach the 375-save minimum for listing under career saves. She has 449 after her first three seasons.
Girls Soccer
- Frankenmuth gave up nine or fewer goals last spring for the fourth time in nine seasons. Keeper Claire Carter finished with 14 shutouts to make the single-season list in that category and go with her 17 from 2012.
Football
- Linden 2013 graduate Shaye Brown entered MHSAA record listings for passing yards in a season (twice) and career, passing attempts in a season and completions in a single game (three times), and passing touchdowns in a season and career. Over his two varsity seasons, Brown completed 413 of 641 passes for 5,672 yards and 53 touchdowns. His career yardage ranks 16th. Also, teammate Ben Armstrong became the second to reach the 40-sack minimum for that career list, finishing his three-year varsity run with 44.
- Westland John Glenn senior Devon Spalding ran for the third-most yards in MHSAA history on Oct. 4 when he carried his team to a 49-40 win over Livonia Churchill. Spalding totaled 491 rush yards – 38 off the record – on just 26 carries. He also scored six touchdown on the ground to make the list in that category. Below is video of his fifth touchdown that night.
PHOTO: Fremont's McKenze Supernaw fires a pitch during her high school career that ended in 2012. She finished with 101 wins and 1,262 strikeouts. (Photo courtesy of Fremont High School.)
Brown Earns Place All Over Record Book
May 14, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Madison Heights Madison senior quarterback Austin Brown guided his team to its first MHSAA championship game since 2006 this past fall, and leaves behind 13 record book entries.
Among the most notable from 2018 were 238 points, 37 rushing touchdowns and 2,358 passing yards. For his four-season varsity career – which began with two seasons at Detroit Catholic Central – Brown made the records with 384 passing completions, 670 attempts, 6,909 yards (13th most) and 77 passing TDs (tied for 10th most).
Teammate Chauncey Ernest was added for 40 sacks over the last two seasons including 22 (sixth most) this past fall, while senior Caelon Eason was added for 15 sacks in the fall and 2018 graduate Deron Hood Jr. was added for 15 in 2017. As a team, Madison Heights Madison made lists with 548 points, 5,740 yards and 73 touchdowns.
Brown will play football and baseball at Grand Valley State, while Ernest will continue his football career at Saginaw Valley State and Hood plays at Hocking College in Ohio.
See below for more recent record book entries for football, girls basketball and softball, and click on the sport headings to see those record books in full.
Football
Over the last three seasons and 29 games, Chase Brown put up some of the most impressive passing numbers in MHSAA history. The Comstock Park senior finished his high school career with 22 record book entries, including for 7,283 career passing yards (11th most), 869 career attempts (seventh), 542 completions (sixth) and 64 career touchdown passes. He will continue his career at Hope College.
Sand Creek senior Alec Muck capped his high school career in the fall among the highest-scoring players in state history with 72 total touchdowns and 452 points – the TDs broken down to 59 rushing, three receiving, five on kickoff returns, two on punt returns and three on interceptions returns over 34 games and most of four seasons. He also earned entries with a 100-yard interception return score against Climax-Scotts on Aug. 30 and two kickoff return touchdowns in the same game against Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central on Oct. 26. He will continue his career at Central Michigan University.
Waterford Mott quarterback David McCullum and receiver Tariq Hardy made their way into the record book on the first day of the 2017 season, as McCullum completed a 99-yard scoring pass to Hardy to tie the longest all-time.
Morrice’s march to its first football championship this past fall was highlighted by a number of top performances. The Orioles set the 8-player record for rushing touchdowns in a season at 65, to go with their 2015 record for most overall touchdowns in a season, 84. Morrice also had the second-most rushing yards for one fall, 3,721, despite playing just 12 games (one win was a forfeit). Quarterback Hunter Nowak made the list for single-season points (254) and career points (496 from 2016-18), the career touchdowns list with 75 and set the career rushing touchdowns record as well as all 75 came on the ground. Jake Rivers made the records 12 times, including for 1,020 yards and 18 touchdowns receiving as a senior in 2015. He scored 296 points that fall on 46 touchdowns (second all-time) and 430 points over his three-season career (the first playing 11-player). He also sits alone on the list for career kickoff return touchdowns with five. Quarterback Jake Hart was added for 30 touchdown passes in 2015, including six in a game against Kinde-North Huron. Rivers plays at OIivet College.
Girls Basketball
Maxine Moore and Kaela Webb finished their Detroit Country Day careers in 2018 tied for 14th for career wins after helping their team to a combined 96-11 record over four seasons. Moore now plays at Western Michigan, and Webb is continuing at Providence.
Over the course of five days in 2014, Morrice’s Courtney Wolf made the record book twice for sinking 16 free throws – first against Byron on Feb. 11 and then against Dryden on Feb. 15. Hannah Rothney also was added for making 15 free throws in a 2006 game against Perry. Chelsea Wesley was added for 15 steals in a 2010 game against Ashley, while Krystal Hiveley was added for 391 career steals over three seasons at Morrice (but not including her 2006 steals at Grand Blanc). Ashley Rothney was added to the career blocks list with 328 over four seasons from 2003-06. Ashley and Hannah Rothney both went on to play basketball and University of Northwestern Ohio, Courtney Wolf played at Lansing Community College, Wesley played at Schoolcraft College and Hiveley went on to play softball at Mott Community College.
Kent City set multiple 3-point shooting records during its run this winter to the Division 3 Regional Finals. The Eagles made a record 25 in a win over Holton on Jan. 18 on the way to setting the season record of 263 3-pointers in 815 attempts over 24 games. Individually, Zara Weber was added for 10 in that game, tying for eighth most, 87 total for the season (also tied for eighth all-time) and 166 over her three-year career. Sophomore Jenna Harrison was added for 75 3-pointers this season.
Softball
Almont’s Breanna Cleland was added for 16 doubles in 37 games as a senior in 2015. She played the last three seasons at University of Findlay.
Morrice’s Jamie Wesley was best-known for her basketball career at Michigan State, but she also owns multiple entries in the softball record book – including the most recently-added for 28 triples during her career from 1991-94. A number of other Orioles also were added to the records, including Jadyn Wood for 18 doubles in 2015, Taylor Hewitt for 11 home runs in 2017 and nine players for driving in at least six runs in one game – Mikera Patterson, Krystal Hiveley, Lorraine McNeill, Lea Ann Fox, Hannah Rothney, Lisa Grinbergs, Shelly Shaw, Trudy Gutting and Pat Carr.
PHOTO: Madison Heights Madison's Austin Brown prepares to unload a pass during November's Division 7 Final against New Lothrop.