Summerfield Surges All Over Diamond
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 8, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Petersburg Summerfield earned its first MHSAA Finals baseball championship in 2019 thanks to timely hitting and pitching and with plenty of valuable base-running mixed in – and all three at record book-caliber levels.
The Bulldogs made the MHSAA team record book with a .350 batting average, 166 stolen bases and 1.29 ERA over 32 games. Now-senior Derek Clark was added to the individual listings for 52 stolen bases and a 0.20 ERA – his ERA the seventh-lowest for one season.
Clark also was added for 45 steals in 2018 and has committed to continue his career at Northwood University.
See below for more recent record book additions in baseball, girls basketball and 8-player football.
Baseball
On June 2, 2018, Muskegon Orchard View’s Chase Keller became the first pitcher statewide since 2013 to throw consecutive no-hitters. His 7-0 win over Howard City Tri County followed a 13-0, five-inning win May 29 against Grant. Keller is a senior this school year.
Zach Butters closed his Homer career last spring on career records lists for runs scored (161), RBI (140) and ERA (1.15) over four seasons with another single-season entry as well in that category (1.01). Teammate Jacob Wilson also was added for a season ERA of 0.74 and sits on the career list at 0.91 after three years with the varsity. As a team in 2019, Homer made the records hitting .359, with a top-ranking 69 sacrifices and 1.60 ERA. He’s playing next for Glen Oaks Community College.
Croswell-Lexington’s Joey Johnston finished his four-year varsity career in the spring on career lists with 46 doubles and a 1.49 ERA over 221 1/3 innings pitched. He also made the single-season doubles list with 20 as a junior. He’s continuing his career at Northwood University.
Brett Sikorski finished his Bronson career last spring on four MHSAA career lists, with 161 runs, 194 hits and 48 doubles over four seasons and 152 games. His hits tied for 14th most, and he’s tied for 16th on the doubles list. Sikorski also was added for a 0.98 ERA over 86 innings in going 11-3 on the mound as a senior. He’s continuing at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.
Wyatt Rush posted a 0.69 ERA with five shutouts for Grand Ledge as a senior in 2017, making MHSAA records lists in both categories and also with a 0.96 ERA over 146 innings and three seasons. Recent Comets graduate Aaron West also was added after finishing his three-season varsity run last spring with a .460 career batting average. Grand Ledge as a team was added for a 1.50 ERA in 2019. Rush began his college career at Lansing Community College and now plays at Michigan State, and West will continue at Grand Rapids Community College.
Girls Basketball
Four decades after grabbing 40 rebounds in a District win over Belding, Ionia’s Mary Fox received her due for an MHSAA single-game record. She grabbed those 40 rebounds and scored 28 points in the Bulldogs’ 65-52 victory on Nov. 27, 1979.
Fowlerville made the single-game lists for 3-pointers attempted and made against Lansing Eastern on Jan. 25, 2018, connecting on 14 of 43 attempts. The Gladiators won 77-37, with Grace Wallace making a team-high four 3-pointers.
Kent City’s Jenna Harrison wasted little time earning a record book entry this season. The junior made nine 3-pointers to help her team past Comstock Park 51-48 in its season opener Dec. 3.
8-Player Football
Felch North Dickinson senior Cameron Schultz enjoyed a career receiving night Aug. 29 against Eben Junction Superior Central. He made 8-player lists with 234 yards and five touchdowns through the air, although his team fell 52-40. Schultz ended the season with 1,043 yards receiving on 52 catches over nine games – good for the fourth-most receiving yards in 8-player history.
PHOTO: Summerfield’s Mark Keller rounds second base during his team’s Division 4 championship game win over Saginaw Nouvel last June.
Swan Valley Stacks Softball Feats
May 2, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Saginaw Swan Valley's softball team has played in five MHSAA Finals and won one championship over the last 30+ seasons – and now has a significant presence in the MHSAA record book as well.
Current senior Lauren Addy had 88 hits last season to tie for fourth on the single-season list for that category, and her 89 stolen bases last spring rank second for one season. Heather Pollick’s 18 home runs in 2012 are tied for third most, while Paige Churchfield’s 32 home runs from 2012-15 are tied for 13th most for a career. Churchfield (2015) and Shannon O’Toole (1991) both were added for 77 RBI in a season, tying for sixth on that list, and Crutchfield’s 187 career RBI rank 14th. Mary Berden’s 124 walks drawn from 2009-12 are second on the career list in that category, and Heather Heinlein’s 68 steals in 2001 rank 11th. Angie Sander’s 162 steals from 1991-94 are tied for 15th most for a career.
Among pitchers, Amy Gustin is tied for eighth with 31 straight wins in 1988. Jenni Rasmussen’s 0.06 ERA in 1999 ranks second, and Amber Anderson’s 0.10 in 1986 is tied for sixth while Gustin’s 0.15 during that 1988 season is tied for 10th lowest. Rasmussen’s career ERA of 0.35 is tied for fourth lowest, while Ashley Mohr’s 490 strikeouts in 2003 rank 13th for one season and her 1,204 from 2000-03 rank 15th on the career list.
Others to earn record book listings were Jenny Neiderquill, Rebecca Curtis, Summer Zeitler, Melissa Rudzinski, Amy Vedrode, Trisha Everett, Alex Ramirez and Kathi Gilbert.
Churchfield plays for Lourdes University in Ohio, while Rasmussen played at Central Michigan University, O’Toole played at Western Michigan, Ramirez played at Delta College and current senior Curtis will begin her career at Lansing Community College next season.
Read on for more recent record book additions in girls and boys basketball, football, girls soccer, softball and wrestling, and click the headings for each sport to see those record books in full.
Girls Basketball
It’s been noted a few times that Pittsford’s Jaycie Burger and Maddie Clark finished their careers as the winningest players in MHSAA girls basketball history with matching 103-2 records over the last four seasons. But they also earned a number of record book entries along the way. Burger’s name appears nine times, including for 229 career 3-pointers (10th all-time) and 605 career assists (fifth). Clark appears in the records five times, with her 1,119 career rebounds ranking 10th on that list. Junior Marissa Shaw was added for her 179 steals in 28 games this past season – which tied her for fifth most in that category. Pittsford finished a second straight undefeated season with a second straight Class D title and is riding a 55-game winning streak. Burger will play basketball next season at Hillsdale College, and Clark will play volleyball there.
Skyler DeMeyer didn’t score a point for Centreville in its 66-25 win over New Buffalo on Jan. 6 – and didn’t have to, instead making the single-game assists list with 14. DeMeyer was a senior for Centreville, which finished 19-2.
Tawas’ Morgan Kaniszewski played a major role in her team’s Class B District title run and 15-9 season, making 81 3-pointers – tied for 13th most all-time. The Braves’ junior also connected on 16 of 16 free throws in the District Final win over Gladwin, making the lists for most free throws in a game and most consecutive in a game (tying for eighth in the latter).
Boys Basketball
Opponents of Onsted through the middle seasons of this decade knew better than to challenge the Wildcats regularly in the post. Austin Davis – now at University of Michigan – graduated in 2016 with 1,078 career rebounds, fifth most in MHSAA history, and his 414 as a junior tied for 11th most in one season. Davis also graduated with 297 blocked shots, tied for eighth most on that list. Teammate Devin Louden, a 2014 graduate, is just ahead with 300 blocked shots from his three-season varsity career. Davis was 6-foot-10 in high school, while Louden was 6-8.
A pair of Okemos sharpshooters were added for their free throw and 3-point work at the start of this decade. Chris Harrison-Docks was added for 178 3-pointers, 396 free throws made and an .807 free-throw percentage from 2010-12, plus 176 free throws made during the 2011-12 season. Conner George was added for 174 free throws in 2014-15, plus an .807 percentage from 2014-16. Meanwhile, Taylor Moton – who went on to play football at Western Michigan University and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers this past weekend – was added for 342 rebounds during that 2011-12 season. Harrison-Docks finished his college career this season at DePaul after three seasons at Western Kentucky, and George plays at Michigan State after joining the team as a walk-on in 2015-16. Okemos as a team was added for scoring 75 points in a half of a 123-73 win against Mason in 1980, and three times for free throws attempts – its 633 in 2011-12 rank fifth on that list. The Chiefs also made 418 free throws that season, which ranks fourth, and are listed with Holt as part of the game tied for third-most for free throws between two teams: Okemos had 27 and Holt 36 in a 94-86 Rams win on Feb. 10 of this season. Holt’s 36 makes also made the list for most converted free throws by one team in a game.
Football
Pewamo-Westphalia followed 8,000-yard rusher Jared Smith with one of the most prolific offenses ever last fall in winning the Division 7 title. The senior running back capped his career third in points (806) and total touchdowns (124), second in rushing yards (8,182), seventh in rushing attempts (808) and with the records for career rushing touchdowns (123) and consecutive 100-yard rushing games (33 from 2014-2016). The Pirates scored 645 points, 13th most all-time, while running for 4,067 yards and amassing 5,027 total yards with 81 touchdowns including 68 rushing. The Pirates became the first entry in a number of recently-added team offense categories and moved to the top of the list for interceptions in one game with eight in a win over Potterville. They also joined the list of teams with at least 19 straight winning seasons by posting their 21st consecutive, giving them the fifth-longest streak in the state. In addition to Smith’s numerous individual entries, teammates Devon Pung (29 tackles for losses), Mason Schneider (three interception touchdown returns in one season) and Reece Platte (10 extra points in one game, against Bath) also were added. Pung and Platte also are seniors, and Schneider is a junior. Smith will continue this fall at Michigan Tech.
Girls Soccer
Fruitport Calvary Christian’s Brianna Zehr made a four-year impact before graduating in 2014. She had 42 goals that season to make the single-season scoring list, and 101 total over four seasons to make the career list as well. Zehr went on to play at Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois.
Softball
Blissfield senior Brooke Henning made the MHSAA single-season home runs list both with 14 last spring as a junior and 11 as a freshman. Those 25 combined alone (not counting her sophomore total) also would put her on the career list; she is finishing this spring and will play collegiately at Grand Valley State.
Wrestling
Brandon Garcia never made the MHSAA single-season wins list, but finished his four-season varsity career in 2016 with 213 and only 14 losses after winning at least 50 matches all four of his seasons. Garcia also made the career pins list with 130. He finished as an MHSAA Finals runner-up twice.
PHOTO: Saginaw Swan Valley’s Lauren Addy scores a run during last season’s Division 2 Quarterfinal against Escanaba. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)