South Lyon East Softball Blasts Way to Top of All-Time Home Run Chart

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

April 14, 2022

The South Lyon East blasted past the previous home run record of 63 last season, drilling 70 over 35 games during a successful 2021.

That previous record was set by New Baltimore Anchor Bay in 2019, when four teams hit 53 or more homers. The 2020 season wasn't played because of COVID-19, and the next-listed team for 2021 is Three Rivers with 48 home runs. 

East finished 25-9-1 and was led in its record chase by senior Lauren Sciborski, who tied for fifth on the individual single-season home run list with 22. She’s continuing her career at Northwestern.

See below for more recent record book additions in softball, plus baseball, girls lacrosse and girls and boys soccer.

Baseball

Rudyard’s EJ Suggitt was 2 for 2 with two runs and two RBI in a 13-0 win over Pickford last June 4, and he made the record book single-game stolen bases list with five. He’s a senior this school year.

Marshall’s Killian Bies tied for sixth-most times hit by pitches during the 2021 season, with 22 times reaching base that way over 32 games. Bies is a junior this season.

Girls Lacrosse

A pair of Dearborn Divine Child juniors earned the school’s first girls lacrosse record book entries in 2021. Jenna Allie was added four times, including twice for single-game highs of 10 goals and her 68 goals total over 15 games. Goalie Sam Stevens was added for a single-game high of 18 saves and 153 saves total for 18 games.

Girls Soccer

Elk Rapids’ Lauren Bingham earned her first record book entry with an outstanding sophomore season in 2021. She scored 31 goals to make the single-season scoring list, and added 12 assists.

Boys Soccer

Ryan Serwa capped his Berkley career this past fall considered again among the state’s best. He didn’t allow a goal over his first seven games to earn one of three record book entries – the other two added for 13 shutouts for the season and 24 over his three-season varsity career.

Marshall’s 2018 team won its District and finished 23-1-1, its only defeat to Grand Rapids Christian 1-0 in a Division 2 Regional Semifinal. Marshall made the team record book lists for giving up only 10 goals that season, with 17 shutouts. Additionally, four-year varsity player Jake Lyon was a junior on that team and graduated after the 2019 season with 52 assists to make the career list in that category. Lyon plays at Hope College.

Softball

Shepherd then-sophomore Liv Regenfuss moved to the top of the list for hitters with two home runs in the same inning when she blasted a pair during the fifth inning of a win over Pinconning on May 20, 2021. Now a junior, she’s one of 18 on that record book list.

A trio of Watervliet standouts were added for accomplishments during the 2021 season. Samantha Dietz was added for scoring 79 runs and stealing 62 bases, both over 40 games, and Abby Whorton hit 18 doubles over 34 games. Grace Chisek was added twice for driving in six runs in a game and a third time for back-to-back home runs in one contest. Dietz’ runs tied for ninth on that list. She’s a junior this season, and Whorton and Chisek are both sophomores.

Leslie made team record book lists with 408 hits, 77 doubles and 320 RBI during the 2021 season when it finished 33-8, with a trio of individuals receiving similar recognition. Gabby Waldofsky is listed for 69 runs and 83 hits over 41 games, while Jalen Fossitt had 21 doubles over 41 games and Ada Bradford hit 18 doubles over 40. All three players are sophomores this season.

PHOTO The South Lyon East softball team commemorates its record 70 home runs during last season’s Division 1 District. (Photo courtesy of South Lyon East softball.)

Records Report: Duo Among All-Time Best

December 19, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Birmingham Brother Rice’s Alex Malzone and Grant Perry finished up careers this fall that leave them among the most accomplished pass catch duo in MHSAA history. 

Malzone, the quarterback, was added recently to 12 MHSAA record book listings; he was 29 of 42 for 419 yards in an 28-20 win over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s on Oct. 3 and finished this season 211 of 325 for 2,998 yards and 38 touchdowns (the touchdowns tying for eighth-most for one season). Malzone played only one game and didn’t attempt a pass on varsity as a freshman, but over the following three seasons completed 428 of 641 attempts for 6,254 yards and 69 touchdowns – his touchdowns again tied for eighth over a career. 

Perry set an MHSAA record with 105 receptions in 12 games this fall, finishing with 1,727 yards and 20 touchdowns including 14 catches for 247 yards in that Oct. 3 victory. He played two games without a catch as a freshman, but over his final three seasons caught 176 passes for 2,771 yards and 27 touchdowns. His catches and yards both rank among the top five in MHSAA history. 

Malzone has committed to sign with the University of Michigan and Perry with Northwestern University.

See below for more recent additions to MHSAA record books. Click each heading to view that record book in full. 

Baseball

  • Longtime Shepherd coach Jack Nartker was added as one of 21 who have led teams to at least 600 wins, with a 605-257-6 record since taking over in 1990. The Bluejays finished 23-13-1 this spring.

Football

  • In addition to Malzone and Perry, former Warriors standout Tony Gioutsos was added for five sacks in a game against Sterling Heights Stevenson in 1999. He went on to play at Western Michigan University.

  • Pewamo-Westphalia’s Colin Smith became the latest of four to tie an MHSAA record with a 99-yard kickoff return, bringing his back for a score against Detroit Loyola in their Division 7 Semifinal on Nov. 22.

  

Ice Hockey

  • It took some digging in a scrapbook, but Calumet’s Korey Rowe, Marc Pomroy and their teammates have been credited with setting (now since tied) the record for fastest two goals by the same team in an MHSAA game. In a 4-0 win over Hancock on Jan. 23, 1993, Rowe scored at 4:36 in the third period, with Pomroy putting a shot under the cross bar six seconds later. Rowe scored again five minutes later.

Boys Soccer

  • Tecumseh sophomore Josh Nowak became the first from his school to be listed in the MHSAA soccer record book after tallying 30 assists this fall to go with 15 goals. His assist total is tied for 16th for one season.

  • Saline’s defensive prowess the last two seasons was key in its pair of District titles and run to the Division 1 Semifinals this fall. The Hornets set an MHSAA record giving up only five goals (in 21 games) in 2013, and had 18 shutouts that season. They followed up with 14 shutouts this season, all by keeper Noah Taritas.

  • Plymouth Christian’s Lucas Albrecht capped his career with 88 goals, including 48 this fall in leading the Eagles to 14-5-1 record and appearance in their Division 4 District Final. Albrecht also had 15 assists to make the total points single-season list with 63.

Girls Soccer

  • Saline’s girls team also kept the majority of its opponents out of the net in 2014, with 18 shutouts in 25 games on the way to playing in a Division 1 Regional Final. Keeper Sofia Sweier had 16 shutouts in 21 games and has committed to play at Grand Valley State University after graduation this spring.

Softball

  • Wyoming Lee’s Amanda Emelander had one of the most powerful hitting days in MHSAA history May 21 against Hastings. She hit home runs in five straight at bats over the doubleheader, the last homer a grand slam as Lee claimed a share of the O-K Silver championship. Emelander finished the afternoon with 12 RBI, including eight in the second game, and got both pitching wins. She will play next season at Spring Arbor University.

  • Midland Bullock Creek catcher Maison Kalina capped her stellar high school career with seven entries in the MHSAA record book, including 82 hits this spring to tie for seventh-most in one season. She graduated with 231 hits, 50 doubles and 158 RBI over her four-year career that saw her hit .483 in 469 at bats. She’s continuing her career at Central Michigan University. 

PHOTO: Birmingham Brother Rice's Alex Malzone, carrying the ball during the 2013 Division 2 Final at Ford Field, ended his career among MHSAA elite in a number of passing categories.