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.)
Coleman Scores Records Recognition
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
August 21, 2020
With Jaden Berthume playing a leading role, Coleman made three straight Division 4 Semifinals trips in softball from 2017-19 – and her work has resulted in her ranking among the best in multiple MHSAA record book categories.
Berthume has entries for 189 runs, 257 hits (tied for 12th all-time) and 175 RBI over 166 games and four seasons before graduating in 2019. Coleman as a team was added to the records for winning 35 games both in 2017 and 2019 and for a variety of other stat totals over her career.
Additionally, teammate Faith Barden was added for striking out 14 Ashley batters in a five-inning game in 2018 and driving in six runs in a 2019 win over Morrice, and Liz Dana was added for six RBI in a 2017 win over Carson City-Crystal.
Berthume plays at Northwood University, and Barden plays at Lawrence Tech. Barden graduated in 2018, and Dana graduated in 2017.
Click to see the softball record book, in full and check out below more recent record book additions in girls basketball, hockey, boys soccer, boys tennis and volleyball.
Girls Basketball
Stephenson’s Tori Wangerin had one of the most prolific rebounding games in MHSAA history Feb. 3, 2015 against West Iron County. Wangerin grabbed 28 rebounds in the 51-28 win. She went on to play at University of Wisconsin at Marinette.
Plymouth was added to the team record book for attempting 482 3-pointers and making 155 over 23 games last season, led by then-junior Ella Riley’s 75 3-pointers to make the individual record list. She had seven as Plymouth made the single-game list with 14 3-pointers in a Jan. 17 win over Salem.
Hockey
Nicklas Lockhart became the second player in the category for two goals scored during the shortest amount of time. He tallied two over six seconds for Caledonia/Lowell against East Kentwood on Feb. 8, at 13:19 and 13:13 to play in the second period, as his team went on to a 7-2 victory.
Boys Soccer
Zachary Cepo completed one of the most notable high school careers in Michigan history last fall, finishing his fourth varsity season at Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central with 41 goals, 33 assists and 74 points. All three made record book lists, as did his career numbers of 102 goals, 146 assists and 248 points. The career assists extended the MHSAA record he reached as a junior; he also owns the single-season assists record set as both a sophomore and junior. His career points rank third all-time.
Boys Tennis
The No. 2 pair of Trevor Teunis and Jared Berghorst and No. 4 of Chad Koenig and Josh Sommers were among strong doubles that helped Hudsonville qualify for last season’s Lower Peninsula Division 1 Finals. Teunis and Berghorst made the record book finishing 28-6, as did Koenig and Sommers finishing 31-5. Both No. 2 players were seniors last fall, and both No. 4 players were sophomores.
Volleyball
Spring Lake setter Kyla Kobylak finished her sophomore year last fall with an MHSAA record after tallying 71 assists over five games against Grand Rapids Catholic Central on Oct. 8. Spring Lake won 25-27, 31-29, 25-23, 21-25 and 15-11.
Melina Robertson just missed making the single-season assists list as both a junior in 2018 and a senior last fall, when she totaled a career-high 1,054 for Sault Ste. Marie. But with those four seasons together, Robertson ranks 21st with 3,730 career assists.
Hopkins senior Brianna Miller will be working to move up the MHSAA career lists in kills and aces this fall after reaching both as a junior. She has 1,435 kills and 289 aces over 405 games and three seasons with one to play, and she also was added for 675 kills last year. Teammate Ashley Bultema also was added to the records last fall as a senior with 11 aces during a two-game win over Grand Rapids Union on Oct. 12.
Makenzie Bonnell finished her Marshall four-season varsity career last fall with the ninth-most assists in rally scoring history, 4,225, and three listings on the single-season assists list. Her single-season high came as a senior, with 1,293, and she also topped 1,200 as both a sophomore and junior.
PHOTO: Coleman’s Jaden Berthume crosses the plate during a 2019 Division 4 Semifinal at Secchia Stadium.