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.)
Baker-to-Watters Sets Record Book Pace for Lansing Catholic Football
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 6, 2022
Lansing Catholic finished the 2021 football season as 11-player Division 6 champion at Ford Field, and the Cougars offense was paced the last two seasons by a standout quarterback and receiver who both made the MHSAA record book for single-season and career accomplishments.
Joey Baker was added for 2,536 yards passing this past season, with 162 completions on 294 attempts and 28 touchdowns through the air. He made the career passing lists with 4,153 yards over 13 games.
Senior receiver Alex Watters was added for 1,193 yards receiving on 77 catches; his 2,949 yards receiving over 40 games ranks sixth for a career, his 161 catches are ninth on that stat list and his 38 TD receptions rank ninth as well.
Senior kicker Jonah Richards was added for making 49 extra points and he finished his career with 156 (in 167 tries), good for 12th on that list. Additionally, junior Brandon Lewis was added for his 262 receiving yards in a Sept. 2 game against Williamston.
Baker will continue at Hope College and Watters will be a preferred walk-on at Michigan State.
See below for more recent additions to the 11-player football record book.
11-Player Football
DeWitt’s run to the Division 3 championship game for the second-straight season this past fall came again with big numbers from senior quarterback Tyler Holtz, senior receiver Tommy McIntosh and senior kicker Brandon Soltis. Holtz threw for 2,885 yards to finish his two-season varsity career with 5,311, and he tossed 41 touchdown passes to finish with 76 over 25 varsity games. The 41 TD passes tied for eighth-most in one season. McIntosh had 1,328 yards and 22 TDs receiving and finished his three-season varsity career with 140 catches, 2,696 yards and 44 receiving touchdowns. His career yardage is 11th on that list, his 22 touchdowns last fall tied for fourth-most for a single season and his career receiving scores rank second. Soltis connected on 74 more extra points to finish with 152 in 163 attempts over three seasons; both totals rank among the top 15 on their respective lists. As a team, DeWitt was added for scoring 635 points and piling up 6,055 total yards and 89 total touchdowns over 14 games. Holtz will continue at Brown, and McIntosh will play next at Wisconsin.
A pair of Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice athletes have been added for tying the records for longest kick and interception returns. Rocco Milia brought back an interception from deep in the end zone – officially 100 yards – against Detroit Country Day on Oct. 23, 2020. Cole Lacanaria returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown last Oct. 15 against Traverse City Central. Milia was a senior in 2020-21 and now plays at Columbia in New York, and Lacanaria has signed with Lawrence Tech.
Gladwin’s perfect regular season in the fall included three performances that made the records. Junior Anna Seebeck made the single-season extra points list, connecting on 60 of 69 tries over 10 games. The Flying Gs also twice made the total offense list as a team, with 611 yards against Clare and 603 against Shepherd, both in victories.
On Sept. 10, Belding’s Owen Meinke pulled in a deflected Wyoming Kelloggsville pass deep into his team’s end zone and ran down the right sideline the length of the field for a 100-yard interception return touchdown to also tie the MHSAA record. Meinke is a junior.
Ottawa Lake Whiteford senior Cole Giesige also returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown, on Oct. 15 against Petersburg Summerfield.
Ethan Schumaker got all of a punt during a Nov. 7, 2020, playoff game against Traverse City St. Francis. The Harbor Springs then-senior sent it 71 yards, including nearly 60 in the air, as the Gladiators took over possession from their 6-yard-line. Schumaker is punting at Michigan Tech.
Senior Bryce Stanley got off to a fast start last fall, catching 11 passes for 239 yards and four touchdowns in Carson City-Crystal’s win over Fowler. The yardage and TDs made single-game lists.
Clinton Township Chippewa Valley’s Cephus Harris and Grosse Pointe South’s Will Johnson both put up record book performances in Chippewa Valley’s 49-37 win Oct. 8. Harris made the record book scoring seven touchdowns – four rushing, two receiving and one on a kickoff return. Johnson made the receiving yardage list with 238. Harris ended up putting together one of the highest-scoring seasons in 11-player history, scoring 36 touchdowns with one two-point conversion for 218 points – making the lists for both single-season points and TDs. A senior, he’s signed with Youngstown State and Johnson signed with Michigan. Additionally for Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, it has submitted the game with the fewest first downs given up in 2021, allowing only two to Troy on Oct. 29.
Charlotte’s Braden Hill scored the first points of his team’s 60-21 win over Lake Odessa Lakewood on a 77-yard kickoff return Oct. 15, and he was just getting started. Hill also returned two more kickoffs for touchdowns, both 80 yards, to tie the record for kickoff return touchdowns in one game. Hill is a junior.
PHOTO Lansing Catholic’s Alex Watters surges forward as a Warren Michigan Collegiate defender brings him down during November’s Division 6 Final. (Click for more from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)