Newaygo Eyeing Another Playoff Run Led by Crew That's Been There
By
Tom Kendra
Special for MHSAA.com
December 2, 2021
NEWAYGO - Newaygo made a “Hoosiers”-like run to the Division 2 girls basketball championship game in April, but in its first game back Tuesday, the Lions found themselves trailing at halftime.
Time for seventh-year Newaygo coach Nate Thomasma to peel the paint off the locker room walls?
Nah.
“We were in there about three minutes,” laughed Thomasma, who returns five of the eight players from last year’s magical team. “I just told them we need to do this, this and this and, if we do, then our shots will start falling.”
The Lions must have done those three things, as they outscored visiting Shelby 29-7 in the second half to turn a one-point halftime deficit into a comfortable 47-26 nonleague victory.
Over the final 16 minutes, the Lions looked like a team that could make another tournament run like last season’s, which didn’t end until a 52-32 Finals loss to Portland at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center.
Newaygo got the state’s attention in 2020 with a stunning upset of No. 5-ranked Grand Rapids Christian in the Regional Semifinals on a long-range, 3-pointer from then-sophomore Jaxi Long with six seconds remaining. That excitement was wiped away quickly, as the season ended abruptly the next day due to the COVID pandemic.
The “Little Lions” with their eight-player roster picked up right where they left off last postseason, knocking off perennial powers Grand Rapid West Catholic in Regionals and Detroit Country Day in the Semifinals at Van Andel Arena, before running out of gas in the championship game.
It was a ride to remember for the town of 2,471 residents, located about 30 miles northwest of Grand Rapids, which has just two state championships in school history – won by the back-to-back Class C girls basketball champions in 1985 and 1986.
The Lions are back at it again with a 10-player roster, including five starters who were part of last year’s team – senior forwards Emmerson Goodin, Kayla Fisk and Lily Swinehart, senior guard Jaxi Long and junior guard Grace Painter.
“I really think we have a chance to go just as far,” said Long, whose older sister Jaylee was the star last year and is now getting increasing minutes on the varsity team as a freshman at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids. “We need to play great defense, rely on each other and trust our abilities.”
Jaxi Long showed the ability to heat up from long range, nailing five 3-pointers and scoring 16 of her game-high 24 points to key the second-half run and bring the excited student section in “The Jungle” to its feet. Long added six rebounds and three steals.
As good as Long was after halftime, it was the 5-foot-10 Goodin who kept Newaygo close in the first half, scoring 10 of her 15 points before the break. Goodin grabbed a game-high nine rebounds (putting her over the 500-career rebounds plateau), along with three blocked shots.
Long and Goodin are the captains and unquestioned leaders of this year’s team, which played elevated competition this summer after the Finals appearance, including a demanding week at Grand Valley State’s team camp.
“It felt like we had a target on our backs and that everyone was coming for us,” said Goodin, who was also one of the standouts on Newaygo’s volleyball team this fall, which won a District championship. “We learned how to fight back. It made us a lot better playing those bigger teams that we are not supposed to be able to beat.”
Goodin is the team’s top returning scorer (13 points per game) and rebounder (nine per game). Long averaged 11 points, five assists and four rebounds last year.
Fisk could be the “X factor” on this year’s Newaygo team, with her 5-10 height and long wingspan making her a disruptive force on defense, particularly on the point of the Lions’ halfcourt trap. Fisk finished Tuesday’s game with six points, six steals and four rebounds.
Thomasma, who received honorable mention Division 2 Coach of the Year recognition last season, knows he has a seasoned, veteran team this fall – with four of the team’s five starters being seniors – while all five players on the bench are underclassmen.
“He is positive, and his criticism is always constructive criticism,” said Goodin. “He gets after us, but he doesn’t just yell at us for no reason.”
Newaygo entered last year’s postseason unranked, before reeling off a series of upsets. The Lions finished 14-0 in the Central State Activities Association Gold and 21-2 overall, with both losses coming against Portland.
Newaygo celebrated its runner-up finish with a new banner for the gymnasium, which was unveiled before a football game Sept. 24. Since that time, Thomasma has tried not to look back.
“These girls are confident because of the success we’ve had the past two years,” said Thomasma, who is assisted by Dan Maki. “But this is a new season. We’re going to attack it and make our own legacy.”
Tom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.
PHOTOS Newaygo's Jaxi Long (13) directs her teammates during last season's Division 2 Semifinal win over Detroit Country Day. (Middle) Kayla Fisk brings the ball up court at the Breslin Center. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
Rockford's Miss Basketball Caps Career Among State's Top Shooters, All-Time Winners
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
December 19, 2025
Rockford’s Anna Wypych finished her high school career in March with four record book listings earned during her four-year varsity career and Miss Basketball Award-winning senior season.
She made 94 3-pointers last winter, good for fifth all-time, and finished her career with 203. She also made the career games played list with 107 and career wins list helping the Rams to a 99-8 record. Rockford won the Division 1 championship in 2023, finished runner-up last winter and also made the Semifinals when Wypych was a freshman and junior.
She’s continuing her career this season at Butler.
See below for several recently-added listings to the girls basketball record book, and click the heading to see the record book in full. Several more applications have been received and are in the process of being confirmed.
Girls Basketball
Mia McGregor is up to 26 listings in the record book after her first two seasons at Mio. Her 58 points in a game against St. Helen Charlton Heston as a freshman is tied for ninth and one of her 12 games scoring 45 or more points. Her 866 points (41.2 ppg average) that debut season rank second all-time, and she’s already on the career 3-pointers (160) and free throw (345) lists. She also made the single-game assists list with 14 against Atlanta last season.
Jaxi Long’s heroics at the end of a 61-54 win over Muskegon Western Michigan Christian on Jan. 4, 2022, have her second on a record book list. She scored 29 points, including 22 in the fourth quarter, as Newaygo came back from an 11-point deficit that period. She’s playing at Cornerstone.
Baraga senior Kara Roberts made the single-season 3-pointers list as both a sophomore (74) and junior (70). Baraga as a team also made multiple 3-pointer lists over the last few seasons, including with 13 in a game last winter. Roberts has committed to continue at Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Morrice’s Aubrey Rogers totaled 20 steals during a Feb. 2, 2024, win over Burton Bendle, tying for second-most in one game. She was a senior and has continued at Spring Arbor.
Ishpeming’s march to the Division 4 championship in 2024 includes several record-book accomplishments as a team and individually. As a team, Ishpeming tied the single-season record of 28 wins in finishing 28-1, and made lists with 195 3-pointers and 710 attempts from beyond the arc. Then-junior Jenessa Eagle made the record book with 72 of those 3-pointers. She has signed with Michigan Tech.
Evart junior Kyrah Gray made the single-season steals list with 15 in a Dec. 6, 2024, game against Beal City, and finished the season with 188 over 25 games – the season total ranking fifth all-time.
Averie Zinn has entered her senior season at Genesee with 20 record book listings – and a chance to add several more. Zinn’s best from her first three seasons included 851 points scored (32.7 per game) last winter, which rank third all-time; 186 free throws last season, which rank 10th; and 218 steals also from last season that rank third on that list. She has committed to Wayne State.
Charlotte senior Peyton Howarth cemented her name in the record book with nine 3-pointers in a Dec. 7, 2024, game against Quincy. She finished with 29 points.
Vivian Idziak earned Grand Rapids Union’s first record book entry in this sport with 15 blocked shots against Muskegon Reeths-Puffer on Jan. 16, 2024, and added a second with 27 rebounds against Wyoming Kelloggsville this past Feb. 25. She graduated this spring and will continue at Grand Rapids Community College, where she will run cross country.
Braxcynn Baker finished her Lowell career in 2024 with several record book listings, including for 183 free throws (in 223 attempts) as a senior and 479 free throws (ranking eighth) in 587 attempts with an .816 percentage for her career. She also made the career 3-pointers list with 180 over 91 games. Her senior-season free throws contributed significantly to Lowell’s MHSAA-record 319 over 25 games that season. She’s continuing her career at Murray State.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s earned its first girls basketball record book listings during the 2023-24 season. As a team, the Eaglets made 171 3-pointers in 487 attempts – both totals making lists – and Allie Crighton made the single-season free-throw shooting list by connecting on 87 percent of her attempts. She’s a junior and has committed to Northwood.
Fallon Behrick launched a quick start on her 32-point night for Otisville-LakeVille Memorial against Mt. Morris on Jan. 23. The senior scored 21 first-quarter points to make the single-quarter scoring list.
Milan’s Emily Bladen scored 39 points on Dec. 10, 2024, against Britton Deerfield, with 27 coming on nine 3-pointers as she made that single-game list. She’s currently a junior.
Parc Liggins also earned a spot on the single-game 3-pointers list with 10 in 14 attempts for Grand Blanc against Lapeer on Jan. 24. She’s a senior this winter.
Parchment’s 61-30 win over Delton Kellogg on Jan. 28 saw the winning team tie for the sixth-most 3-pointers made in one game – 17 – while also making the single-game attempts list with 47.
Adelyn Moore finished her career at Caro in 2023 by making single-season lists with 150 steals and 336 rebounds – and also career lists with 442 steals and 1,047 rebounds over four seasons and 80 games. She played a season at University of Chicago and is now at Denison in Ohio.
Kent City added to its growing list of top 3-point performances when it connected on 16 – on only 37 attempts – in a Feb. 11 game against Howard City Tri County.
White Cloud’s Alexis Strait tied for the fourth-most 3-pointers in a game when she made 11 on the way to scoring 37 points total on Feb. 7, 2020, against Hesperia. She was a junior that season.
Tamerah Peterson capped her Sterling Heights Parkway Christian career last winter with 633 steals – good for second on the career list – over four seasons and 86 games. Her 213 steals as a sophomore rank fourth for a single season. She was joined in the records by now-junior Angelina Marchesi, who made the single-season rebounds list with 312 over 24 games. Peterson is running track at Spring Arbor.
Merrill’s Maddy Desmyter entered her senior season with a record book entry after grabbing 316 rebounds over 23 games last winter. She has committed to Adrian College.
Twice over five days in February, Analeis Ming made the single-season assists list with two of the highest-ranking performances in state history. She had 15 assists in Au Gres-Sims’ game Feb. 13 against Atlanta and 17 steals on Feb. 17 against Fairview. She is a senior and has committed to play soccer at Knox College in Illinois.
Jayna Schwartz capped her Battle Creek Calhoun Christian career last winter with 73 3-pointers over 21 games, making that single-season list. She just missed the single-season list as a junior with 64.
Madeline Pier tied for 13th all-time on the single-game rebounds list when she grabbed 30 in Swartz Creek’s win over Flint Kearsley on Jan. 31. She’s a junior.
Saline’s Keira Roehm drained 100 3-pointers last winter – third-most in MHSAA history – and had 238 entering her senior year to already rank 12th on the career list after 73 games. She contributed significantly to Saline’s team total of 174 over 24 games. She’s committed to Wayne State.
Hanna Vaughn added 46 more 3-pointers as a senior last season to finish her four-year Ironwood career with 201 over 92 games. She’s playing volleyball and basketball at Gogebic Community College.
Nearly 50 years later, the longest overtime game in MHSAA girls basketball history has been uncovered. Michigan Center defeated Grass Lake 57-50 in six overtimes on Oct. 11, 1978. Coincidentally, Michigan Center also played in a five-overtime game that was tied for the record before this result was added to the top of the list.
Niles Brandywine added to its several listings for 3-pointers attempted and made, connecting on 198 of 689 attempts over 28 games last season. Both rank among the top 15 in their respective categories.
Victoria Hauffe has entered her senior season at Hemlock already on the career 3-pointers list with 159 over her first three seasons and after connecting on 69 last winter. Hemlock as a team was added to the records for making 13 3-pointers against Essexville Garber last December and attempting 529 over 25 games.
Dena Droste played four varsity seasons for DeWitt through graduation in 2011, and finished on the career 3-pointers list with 152 in 415 attempts. She went on to play at Kent State and Ferris State.
PHOTO Rockford's Anna Wypych (2) makes a move toward the lane during last season's Division 1 championship game.