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.)

Mercy Star Scores Record in 1st Season

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

March 28, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Few freshmen in any sport have broken onto the scene like Farmington Hills Mercy’s Jillian Smith did in girls lacrosse in 2018.

The now-sophomore earned 20 entries in the MHSAA record book, including the top spot for points in one game when she scored 12 goals and tallied three assists for 15 points against Detroit Country Day last March 26.

Smith scored 12 goals in a game (tied for third most) three times, and her 132 goals for the season ranked third. Her 155 points over 17 games tied for sixth most all-time as she led Mercy to the Division 2 Semifinals.

See below for more recent MHSAA record book additions in girls lacrosse, girls soccer, boys basketball and football. Click the headings to see those record books in full.

Boys Basketball

A few seasons after hoisting his final high school shots, Drew Zuidema has an updated and rightful place on the career 3-pointers list. He made the list initially after his first three seasons at Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, but with his senior total from 2013-14 now included Zuidema ended with 226 3-pointers – good to rank 16th in the category. He went on to play at Spring Arbor University.

A pair of standouts put up record book numbers over four seasons for Ann Arbor Skyline as they led the team to the Class A Regional Finals in 2017-18. Brandon Wade was added for making 352 of 486 free-throw attempts over 87 games, and also for his 210 career steals (his 469 career assists just missed that list). Jack Ammerman was added for connecting on 227 3-pointers in 533 attempts also over 87 games. Wade is playing at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, and Ammerman is continuing his career at Northwood.

Football

Hemlock junior quarterback Brady Devereaux enjoyed a game worthy of record book recognition this past season, rushing for six touchdowns in a 47-12 win over Saginaw Nouvel. He finished with 183 yards on 22 carries.

Clare senior Aidan Boyd tied for sixth with 159 extra points for his career over just three seasons, finishing this past fall with 159 in 171 attempts over 32 varsity games. He also made the single-season list for extra points all three, with a high of 55 in 61 attempts as a junior.

Three St. Joseph kickers were added for field goals in a season this decade – Cullen Hoffman for 10 in 2013 and nine in 2014, Sean Akins for nine in 2015 and senior Antonio Buhrfiend for nine this past fall. Hoffman also was added to the career list with 19 field goals in 25 attempts over three varsity seasons (all 25 tries came during his final two years). Additionally, then-senior Jack Turak was added for 43 carries in a playoff game (for 391 yards) against Sturgis on Nov. 1, 2013, and 40 carries two weeks earlier (184 yards) against Portage Central.

Schoolcraft junior Kobe Clark made statewide headlines with his MHSAA record nine rushing touchdowns on Sept. 28, and he finished the fall with 38 rushing touchdowns (tied for eighth) and 45 scores total (sixth). Clark’s 270 points scored ranked 10th all-time for one season.

While Holland Christian defeated Ada Forest Hills Eastern 40-16 on Aug. 30, Forest Hills Eastern senior Brady Doyle earned a slight statistical advantage – and record book entry – in a matchup of busy receivers. Doyle caught six passes for 266 yards (and two touchdowns), making the single-game yardage list. Holland Christian’s Brady Howe just missed the cut-off for that list with nine catches for 217 yards and a score.

Girls Lacrosse

A number of entries were added for the history of Rochester lacrosse, most notably for Kendall Jordan, Jessica Leininger and goalies Kyleigh McCarthy and Aly Rosenau. Jordan’s 96 goals in 2017 are tied for ninth most, and her 272 goals over four seasons through last spring rank third. She also ranks 10th on the career points list at 294. Leininger is tied for 17th on the career points list with 215, with her 211 goals 11th on that list. McCarthy had 207 saves last spring, tied for third most, and took over the career saves lead with 560 through three seasons with one more to play. Rosenau had 488 career saves from 2010-12, including a high of 189, ranking sixth, in 2012. Martha Koch, Julia Koch, Sarah Mattingly, Maggie Ng, Claire McPherson, Jessie Lannan and Laura Hein also were added for achievements. As a team Rochester was added for scoring more than 200 goals four times with a high of 242 in 2017, and has the record for goals in a game with 27 against Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse in 2006. McCarthy has signed to continue at Northern Michigan University. Julia Koch played ice hockey at Amherst College in Massachusetts.

Girls Soccer

New Baltimore Anchor Bay made the team record list giving up only nine goals last spring as it finished 18-2-3. Then-junior keeper Ally Gaunt was added for 16 shutouts to go with her 14 as a sophomore – and she was joined by 2015 graduate Emily Zweng, who made lists with 13 shutouts as a senior and 32 over her three-season varsity career. Michelle Dear, a 2013 graduate, was added for 83 career goals over four seasons with a high of 30 as a junior. Dear went on to play at Michigan State, Zweng played at Oakland and Gaunt has signed with Saginaw Valley State.

PHOTO: Farmington Hills Mercy’s Jillian Smith (24) considers her options during a game last season. (Photo courtesy of the Farmington Hills Mercy athletic department.)