Swan Valley Pins Down Record Entries

July 13, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Saginaw Swan Valley’s wrestling program has maintained a standing among Division 3 powerhouses with six Individual Finals champions and a number of standouts over the last decade – and now has 38 entries in the MHSAA record book for the sport.

Among those recently added for career wins were 2016 graduates KJ Suitor (223-13) and Matt Santos (193-11), in addition to the following past Vikings: Chris Theile (216-25), BJ Suitor (216-7), Shawn Whitney (209-15), Matt Beebe (208-42), Jared Germaine (200-14), Troy Lamson (200-33), Sam McLean (198-35), Justin Brandel (192-40), Dylan Ewald (191-50) and Darius Wass (191-10). A number of those athletes also earned entries for single-season wins, as did Branden Bell and Josh Flores.

Wass, both Suitors, Whitney, Santos and Brandel also were added for career pins, and Wass tied for the fastest pin – in 4 seconds – at 125 pounds during one of his victories in 2009. KJ Suitor signed with University of Michigan, while Santos signed with Michigan State University; BJ Suitor wrestled at Boston University, Beebe and Wass at Gardner-Webb in North Carolina, Germaine and Brandel at Eastern Michigan, and Lamson also competed at MSU.

Click for the wrestling record book in full and read on for more of this week’s record additions for boys basketball, boys and girls lacrosse, girls soccer and softball.  

Boys Basketball

Hillman junior guard Gunnar Libby had quite an individual performance in his team’s 67-56 win over Whittemore-Prescott on Dec. 14 – 29 points, five rebounds, six assists and 12 steals. The steals tied for sixth-most in one game in MHSAA history.

Boys Lacrosse

Tecumseh freshman Dylan Day enjoyed an excellent start to his career this spring, making the MHSAA records lists both for 65 goals and 92 total points, in 16 games. 

Girls Lacrosse

Christy Battersby put up one of the most impressive scoring seasons in MHSAA history this spring for Farmington Hills Harrison. The Hawks’ junior scored the second-most goals in one game, 13, in a 20-19 loss to Grosse Pointe North on April 15. She finished the season with 96 goals and 107 points, her goal total tying for sixth-highest in MHSAA history.

Five DeWitt players made the MHSAA records lists this season, led by junior Rachel Madar’s five entries – three for single-game goals (eight, eight and seven), 80 goals over the entire season and 95 points total this spring. Junior Jordan Markowski was added for 65 goals, five assists in one game and 100 total points. Sophomore goalie Chase Terwilliger had 19 saves in a 13-11 win over Grand Rapids Christian and 182 saves on the season. Junior Adison Salisbury was added for six assists in an 18-10 win over Swartz Creek, and junior Sierra Dietz also made the single-season goals list with 53.

Girls Soccer

Belleville’s Morgan Marshall added 27 goals this spring after making the MHSAA record book with 36 as a junior to finish her four-season varsity career with 104 goals, which also made the records listings. Marshall has signed with Spring Arbor University.

Softball

New Lothrop set an MHSAA single-season record with 276 stolen bases over 34 games this spring, led by Alayna Mantei – who had 88 stolen bases to finish with the second-most ever among individuals. The Hornets also were added for 85 doubles – led by 17 by Maddie Bitterman – .409 team batting average and 249 RBI. Bitterman was a senior and Mantei a junior this season.

Vassar’s Samantha Taylor made the record book with six RBI in a 22-6 win over Bay City All Saints on May 3. Taylor was 3 for 6 with two doubles in the game.

Niles Brandywine senior Makenna Hartline entered the record listings with 13 home runs over 35 games this season in helping her team to a District title. Hartline will play next season at Trine University.

Jordyn Look finished off a fine four-season varsity career for Tawas with 209 hits and 58 doubles, which both made career lists in those categories – the doubles are tied for 13th most. Teammate Abbie Anderson, also a senior, made the records with back-to-back home runs in a 17-3 win over Mio on May 21 and a record-setting seven RBI in one inning – she had a three-run homer and grand slam in the first.

PHOTO: Saginaw Swan Valley’s KJ Suitor works toward a win in his first-round match at this past season’s MHSAA Individual Finals. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)

Edwardsburg 'O' Piles Up Yards, Points & Record Book Entries

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

May 7, 2021

Edwardsburg’s excellence over the last decade, especially on offense, has led to 56 additions to the MHSAA football team record book.

Most notably, the 2017 team has records for rushing attempts (678) and yards (5,490), both over 14 games, and the Eddies set the single-game rushing touchdown record with 10 against South Haven in 2018.

The 2018 team – which won the Division 4 championship – ranks second with 82 rushing touchdowns, over 14 games, and third with 5,232 rushing yards. The 2018 team also ranks second for total touchdowns with 97 and fifth for total yardage with 5,886, and finished with the sixth-most points scored, 705.

Read on for more recent football record book additions:

Football

On Sept. 6, 2019, Watervliet’s Don Smith became the sixth player in MHSAA 11-player history to return a fumble the length of the field for a touchdown. Smith, then a junior, picked up the fumble in the end zone on a Saugatuck running play and raced down the sideline for the score. Watervliet as a team also was added to the record lists for some of the state’s most productive offenses over the last half-decade – the 2015 team scored 590 points and averaged 53.6 per game, the 2016 team scored 524 and averaged 52.4 and the 2017 team scored 588 and averaged 49. The 2015 team’s scoring average ranks eighth all-time and came on 5,504 total yards. The 2017 team’s 5,935 total yards ranks fifth all-time. 

Royal Oak Shrine Catholic kicker Charles Mulcahy closed a successful career in 2019 on the career extra point list with 123 made in 133 attempts over his four seasons. He also was added for his 46 in 48 tries as a freshman in 2016.

Oscoda scored a school-record 70 points in a 2019 game against Coleman, and quarterback Brayden Mallak played a big part. The senior quarterback threw five touchdowns passes, all during the first half, to make the list for most touchdown tosses over a half. 

Clevelyn Jefferson played a big part in carrying Fulton to the 2007 Division 8 Final, rushing 269 times for 2,463 yards. The Pirates’ then-senior made the single-season rushing list as his team finished Division 8 runner-up.

Although his team fell 59-35 in its 2019 matchup against East Grand Rapids, Chase Bradman showed off his passing abilities completing 31 of 52 passes for 470 yards. The Grand Rapids South Christian senior made the record book with all three totals and also for his 194 completions, 333 attempts and 2,510 passing yards over 11 games that season. He is continuing at Indiana Wesleyan University.

Although Elk Rapids fell 49-33 to Harbor Springs in 2019, the Elks kept pace with the passing game as a pair of standouts reached the record book. Junior quarterback Gordie LaFontaine made the single-game completions list with 25, on 41 attempts, while senior Marlin Starkey made the single-game receptions list catching 13 passes.

Bloomfield Hills quarterback Tanner Slazinski capped his junior season in 2019 throwing five first-half touchdown passes in a 35-14 win over Rochester to make the list for most touchdown tosses in a half. Teammate Dominic Curti was added to the records for his nine extra points the week before in a 63-31 win over Troy. Slazinski will continue at Saginaw Valley State.

Jacob Jodway became the first Quincy individual to be included in the MHSAA football record book, added for his 229 yards receiving on six receptions in a 2014 loss to Jonesville. Jodway went on to play at Olivet College.

Holland Christian’s Jonathan Keizer joined the list of kickers who have connected on field goals of at least 52 yards, connecting from that distance during a 42-39 loss to Zeeland East in 2019. The senior also had a 36-yard field goal and three extra points in the game.

PHOTO: Edwardsburg’s 2018 championship team was among those that have earned entries for the Eddies in the MHSAA football record book.