Whiteford's Title Team Runs Into History
April 25, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Ottawa Lake Whiteford’s perfect season last fall concluded with its first MHSAA title.
The Division 8 champion also finished with a number of lasting record book accomplishments.
Whiteford set MHSAA 11-player records with 6,570 total yards and 5,167 rushing yards, and also set the record with 103 total touchdowns. The Bobcats also were added recently for a record 672 rushing attempts from 2016, when they finished Division 8 runners-up.
Read on for more recent additions to the MHSAA football record book, and click the heading to view those listings in full.
Football
Bloomfield Hills senior receiver Ty Slazinski made the record book with 14 catches twice during the early weeks of the 2017 season, but that was just the start. Slazinski set the single-game record for receptions with 22 in a 58-39 win over Oak Park on Oct. 20. Slazinski also made the record book with 224 yards receiving on Sept. 1 against West Bloomfield.
As Ionia completed the biggest comeback in MHSAA history Oct. 13, coming back from a 32-0 deficit at halftime to defeat McBain 41-40, John Meyer did his share to move the Bulldogs down the field. The senior quarterback completed 29 of 65 passes for 406 yards, making single-game lists in all three categories – the 65 attempts are tied for fifth-most in one game.
Suriya “Susu” Davenport Jr. quarterbacked Wyoming Godwin Heights to the playoffs as both a junior and then a senior last fall, making the MHSAA records with 2,414 yards and 25 touchdowns passing in 2016 and 2,173 yards passing last season. He also made the career passing yardage listing with 4,846 yards, with 259 more from his sophomore campaign. Teammate MarShawn Kneeland, a junior, was added to the records for 16 sacks and 26 tackles for loss this past season as well. Davenport will continue his career at Davenport University.
Reed City’s rush to its first Semifinal this past fall came in large part on the legs of junior Phillip Jones. His 266 total points ranked 11th for one season, and his 42 touchdowns tied for 11th. Jones also ran for 2,335 yards and 37 of those scores (tied for 11th-most rushing touchdowns), including six TDs in a game against Stanton Central Montcalm.
Milan’s Hunter Aeschbacker returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in his team’s 51-45 win over Carleton Airport on Oct. 13. The junior’s scoring sprints both came in the fourth quarter.
Dakota Knieper joined eight others who have recorded 99-yard rushing touchdowns, adding his against Hanover-Horton on Oct. 13. The Addison senior scored after an interception gave his team the ball inside its 1-yard line, and his sprint contributed to a 38-3 win that helped Addison clinch its first Cascades Conference title since 2008.
A trio of Homer quarterbacks from this decade were added in multiple categories. Alex White was added for 2,333 yards and 30 touchdown passes over 13 games in 2013, while Caleb Drumm was added for 2,400 yards and 33 TDs in 11 games in 2015 and Jordan Sherman was added for 2,237 yards and 30 TDs as well over 10 games this fall. White went on to play football and golf at Kalamazoo College.
Lawrence has been one of the top 8-player programs in Michigan since the sport began at the start of this decade, and a number of standouts were added for passing game accomplishments. Among throwers, Connor Murney now has the records for single-game (521) and single-season (3,236) passing yards, single-game (66) and single-season (276) passing attempts, single-game (40) and single-season (176) passing completions and he sits tied for the single-season passing touchdowns record of 45. Derek Gribler and Hunter Coombs also were added in multiple passing categories, Gribler most notably for 2,607 yards and 43 touchdowns in 2014 and Coombs for 2,179 yards and 33 TDs in 2015. Matthew Cammire, the go-to receiver in 2013 and 2014, moved to the top for career receiving yardage (2,832), career receptions (126) and career touchdowns (53) among other entries. Gribler and Jacob Alburtus also were added for single-game receiving accomplishments. Murney went on to play baseball at Olivet College, and Gribler plays baseball at Lake Michigan College.
Mayville senior Jackson Schenk earned the first entry for tackles for loss in the 8-player record book with 26 in the fall. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound defensive end had six in a Sept. 22 win over Burton Madison Academy to make the single-game list as well.
PHOTO: Ottawa Lake Whiteford lines up for a snap during last fall’s Division 8 Final at Ford Field.
Cepo Sets Up Teammates at Record Pace
April 10, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
For the second straight season this past fall, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central sophomore Zachary Cepo tallied 48 assists – tying the MHSAA record he set in 2016 as a freshman.
He’s also put together a career-full of assists – with two more years to play.
His 96 career assists already rank fifth all-time, and Cepo also finished 2017 with 71 points to push his career total in that category to 129.
See below for more recent record book updates in boys and girls soccer and softball, and click on the sport headings to view those record books in full.
Boys Soccer
Midland Dow senior goalkeeper Kyle Hop had a string of 10 straight shutouts from Sept. 25-Oct. 21 this past season and finished the fall with 18 shutouts – tied for fourth most in MHSAA history. That string of 10 straight and 19 overall for the Midland Dow also made team record book lists, as did its 108 goals in finishing 21-4-1.
Comstock’s Evan Veenhuis earned four entries for his work in the fall, starting with six goals in his team’s win over Niles Brandywine on Sept. 13. Veenhuis also was added for 52 goals and 62 points over 22 games, and he’s on the career points list as well with 121 over his first three years on varsity and with one more to play.
Brooklyn Columbia Central junior Micah Sonnenberg added a pair of season and career entries to his previous two for goals in a game from 2016. Sonnenberg had 45 goals this past fall to make the single-season list, and his 101 goals are on the career list with one more season to play. He also had 60 points in the fall and has 130 total to make the season and career lists, respectively, in that category.
Cadillac’s Alexus Little capped her three-year varsity career last spring with a pair of goal-scoring entries. Her 35 goals in 2017 made the single-season list, as did her career total of 80 from 2015-17. She finished with 111 points total.
Softball
A trio of Vicksburg four-year standouts graduated last spring with their accomplishments all over the MHSAA record book. Shaidan Knapp capped her career with 13 entries, including for 247 runs scored (fifth all-time), 234 hits, 63 doubles (10th all-time), 20 triples, 25 home runs, 173 RBI and 95 walks drawn. Teammate Carlie Kudary was added for her 189 runs and 223 career hits, plus a 37-game hitting streak in 2016 that is tied for fifth longest in MHSAA history. Grace Stock made career lists with 179 runs, 224 hits, 55 doubles and 195 RBI – those RBI rank 11th all-time. Knapp is continuing her career at Central Michigan University, while Kudary is playing at University of Missouri-St. Louis and Stock is playing at Calvin College.
Mattawan celebrated the final campaign for three record-setting four-year seniors last spring with one of the most impressive offensive runs in MHSAA history. The Wildcats, who finished 32-8 in 2017, set an MHSAA record with 126 doubles, while their 492 hits total ranked 10th, their 46 home runs ranked sixth, their 348 RBI came in ninth and their .437 batting average is tied for ninth all-time. Joanna Bartz, Alexis Taube and Meaghan Markus left their marks all over the records as well. Bartz had 75 hits and 22 doubles last season and 229 hits, 54 doubles, 29 home runs and 194 RBI over her career. Taube had 71 hits, 20 doubles and 13 homers last season and 42 doubles, 30 homers and 164 RBI for her career. Markus had 41 doubles and 23 homers over her career to go with a single-season 11 home runs in 2016. Junior Emily Koperdak also was added for her 21 doubles last spring. Bartz is now playing at Michigan State, with Taube at Kent State.
Byron’s Parker Viele capped her career last spring with five record book entries, including for 56 career doubles and 29 career triples over 143 games. She also had two single-season marks for doubles and another for career pitching strikeouts. She’s playing at Lake Erie College in Ohio.
Mercede Daugherty capped her Watervliet career in 2017 with eight record book entries, including for 48 career doubles, 24 career home runs and 157 career RBI over three seasons and 104 games. She’s continuing her career at Trine University.
Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard’s Julia Kennedy has entered her senior season this spring with 33 career home runs, 16 off the record, and with a career-high of 18 as a sophomore in 2016. Her total that season is tied for sixth-highest in one season, and she’s already tied for 15th on the career list. She will continue her career after high school at Miami University (Ohio).
PHOTO: Monroe St. Mary's Zach Cepo surveys the field during a game last season. (Photos courtesy of Monroe News.)