BATTLE CREEK – It is America’s 250th birthday this year. That gives us a good reason to come up with the 250 best high school athletes ever in Battle Creek. Have high school sports been around in Battle Creek since 1776? Well, no. But there have been 250 athletes who have shined in the city since high school sports did begin and the Enquirer will take this opportunity to come up with a list worthy of this banner year.
The Battle Creek Enquirer combined with other USA Today Network newspapers recently to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States with the top 250 athletes from around the state. You can see that list here, broken down by regions.
But, this is Battle Creek’s 250. We are showcasing the greatest athletes of the ‘last 250 years’ at each school in the city of Battle Creek.
So join us for this 10-part series with each chapter focusing on the top 25 male or female athletes at each of the five current traditional core city schools. Each list will be in alphabetical order, with Enquirer Readers getting to choose who should be No. 1.
When we are done with all five schools, we will have Battle Creek’s 250.
MORE:
Battle Creek’s 250: Pennfield boys
Battle Creek’s 250: Pennfield girls
Battle Creek’s 250: St. Philip boys
Battle Creek’s 250: St. Philip girls
Top 25 Female Athletes at Harper Creek for the Battle Creek 250:
(Alphabetical order)
Maddie Alexander – Class of 2020
A multiple-sport standout, Maddie Alexander was a four-year starter on the soccer team and signed to play at Indiana State University after high school. She helped the Beavers to the school’s first all-city tourney title as a junior. Alexander also had offers to play basketball at the next level as well. A four-year all-city performer, she was a 1,000-point scorer at the school.
Charlie Andrews – Class of 2016
Charlie Andrews was named the Enquirer Athlete of the Year twice. Andrews was all-city in basketball, volleyball and track and was all-state in both volleyball and track. In volleyball, she helped Harper Creek to back-to-back historic seasons, advancing to the state semifinals two years in a row. In track, she won a state title in the high jump twice and broke the school record in the 400. Upon graduation, she accepted a scholarship to run track at Michigan State University. She later went on to play volleyball at Western Michigan University.
Angela Bailey – Class of 1982
Inducted in the inaugural Hall of Fame class at Harper Creek, Angela Bailey was a standout swimmer, winning the state title in the 100 backstroke. She also finished in the top four at the state meet in multiple events during her three seasons on the varsity. Upon graduation, she held all but one swimming event record at the school.
Leigh Barea – Class of 2011
Leigh Barea made a huge impact on Harper Creek athletics in the sports of volleyball, basketball and softball. Barea received 11 varsity letters, was awarded all-city nine times, all-league eight times and was a two-time all-state selection in volleyball. A captain in all three sports, she was a member of league or district championships in all three at least once during her career. Barea went on to have a standout volleyball career at Lewis University, where she was all-conference three times and made four trips to the NCAA tournament.
Suzanne Beaver – Class of 2003
A three-sport standout and Harper Creek Hall of Fame honoree, Suzanne Beaver competed in basketball, volleyball and track. She was a two-time all-city selection in basketball and a three-time all-city and all-conference pick in volleyball. She was a team captain twice in volleyball and earned all-state honors. She was a three-time state qualifier in track in the high jump an discus. She went on to play volleyball at Kellogg Community College and at Saginaw Valley State University.
Breanna Birmingham – Class of 2011
A multiple-sport standout, Breanna Birmingham had her most success on the basketball court. During her senior year, she guided Harper Creek to its most successful regular season in program history with a 19-1 record, averaging a team-best 12.1 points and 7.4 rebounds. She signed to play at Division II Saint Joseph College in Indiana. She then transferred to Kalamazoo Valley Community College, where she was the Cougars’ top offensive player and rebounder during a conference championship season. She finished out her college playing career at Division I University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio.
Brianne Burritt – Class of 2013
A two-sport standout, Brianne Burritt played varsity all four years of high school in both basketball and softball. In basketball, Burritt was a team captain and earned team MVP honors three times. She helped her team to three league titles and two district championship crowns. She was an all-city member for four years and earned all-league three times. In softball, she was all-city and all-league all four years, helping her team to two league titles and three district championships as a two-time team captain. Burritt graduated as the school record holder in runs and stolen bases for a single season. She also held career records in stolen bases, runs, hits and RBI. She was named Enquirer Athlete of the Year in 2013.
Marie Cameron – Class of 2001
Marie Cameron is in the Harper Creek Hall of Fame after a standout tennis career. She played No. 1 singles all four years for the Beavers and was all-conference and all-state all four years. She went on to play at Grand Valley State University, where she was No. 1 singles at the collegiate level for four years, earning all-conference honors every season and competed in the NCAA Division II National Championships.
Donna Craig – Class of 1988
A three-sport standout in high school, Donna Craig also played two sports in college while at Western Michigan University, excelling in both track and basketball. While in high school, Craig was both all-city and all-league in volleyball, basketball and track. She was voted team MVP and led the Beavers to a city title, league championship and a district crown in volleyball. She was also MVP of her basketball and track teams. In track, she graduated as the school record holder in the discus.
Kennedy Halverson – Class of 2026
A four-year varsity player, Kennedy Halverson made her fourth all-city team this past spring as she was a record-breaking hitter and standout shortstop for the Beavers. The career leader in home runs at the school, Halverson finished her senior year with a .545 batting average with 50 RBIs, 13 home runs, 59 runs scored. Halverson will play at Western Michigan University next season.
Kate Hemker – Class of 1996
A standout on the basketball court, Kate Hemker averaged a double-double in her junior and senior seasons with Harper Creek and helped the Beavers to three straight district titles. She finished with over 1,000 career points. She continued her basketball career at Division III University of Chicago, where she was a three-time All-University Athletic Association selection and finished among the career leaders in several categories.
Kendall Latshaw – Class of 2015
A four-year varsity member in volleyball, she was the lone senior starter on Harper Creek’s 2014 team that finished with a school-record 55 wins and the first state semifinal appearance in program history. She received first team all-state honors in Class B. She continued her volleyball career at Division I DePaul University. She also played No. 1 singles for the Harper Creek tennis team and was city champ her senior year.
Olivia Leson – Class of 2016
A multiple-sport standout, Oliva Leson had her most success on the volleyball court. A four-year starter and four-time all-city selection, Leson finished with 155 career wins at Harper Creek. She guided the Beavers to their first state semifinal appearance in 2014, and helped the team return to Kellogg Arena for the state semifinals as a senior. The outside hitter earned all-state recognition three times, and finished her senior season with with 550 kills, 455 digs and 80 aces before signing with Davenport University.
Laurette Mallard – Class of 1983
Laurette Mallard was a two-sport standout, earning all-city and all-league honors in both basketball and track. Mallard was also all-state in track and held five school records in that sport upon graduation. Mallard went on to run track at the University of Michigan and earned all-Big Ten honors for the Wolverines.
Christa Moody – Class of 2013
A cornerstone from her catcher position throughout her softball career, Christa Moody was a hit machine at the plate as well as she hit an impressive .527 from her leadoff spot her junior year, with 49 runs scored and 23 stolen bases on a team that set the school record for wins. Her senior year, she hit .412 on a club that broke that school record and went 35-3 as she finished with the school record for triples. A multiple-sport standout, Moody went on to play women’s college hockey at St. Cloud State.
Mary Beth Myers – Class of 1991
Mary Beth Myers was a multiple-sport standout, excelling in basketball and softball. In basketball, Myers was an all-city and all-conference selection and earned honorable mention all-state honors as she graduated as the school’s all-time leader in career points in that sport. In softball, she earned all-city, all-conference honors and was voted all-state, holding numerous school records, including career RBI, stolen bases and fielding percentage.
Tara Plaunt – Class of 2003
A four-year varsity member, Tara Plaunt was the all-time leading scorer at Harper Creek High School – for boys or girls basketball – at the time of her graduation with 1,189 career points. She went on to play at Kellogg Community College, helping the Lady Bruins to their best season in program history in 2004-05 when they placed sixth at the NJCAA Division II Nationals. An All-Michigan Community College Athletic Association selection, she ranked second on the team in scoring at 16.3 points per game.
Cassidy Pratley – Class of 2025
Harper Creek’s Cassidy Pratley was also a three-sport standout, earning postseason honors every season. Pratley led the Beavers to one of the best volleyball seasons in school history as Harper Creek spent time ranked No. 1 in the state and advanced to the state semifinals. Pratley was a Miss Volleyball Award finalist and has signed to play at Western Michigan University. Pratley was also a four-year member of the girls basketball team, earning all-city honors there. And, she was a state qualifier in the high jump in track as part of a league and regional championship team.
Payton Rice – Class of 2023
The Enquirer Athlete of the Year in 2023, Payton Rice was a three-sport standout, excelling in volleyball, basketball and soccer. A high point for Rice was helping the Beavers to the first league title in school history in soccer during her senior year, when she earned all-city honors in that sport. In volleyball, she earned all-state honors three times and was an All-City pick four times and nominated for the state’s Division 2 Player of the Year award. A three-year varsity basketball player, Rice was all-city twice and academic all-conference twice. She went on to play volleyball at Albion College.
Amy Sackrider – Class of 1981
As a junior, she helped the Beavers post an 18-4 record while winning their first Twin Valley Conference championship. She continued to shine as a senior on a 16-6 team, averaging a double-double. She was one of the first three-time all-city selections in girls basketball, and at the time of her graduation ranked fifth in city history for career points at 839.
Abby Sikora – Class of 2003
Abby Sikora was a three-sport athlete at Harper Creek with much of her success coming in softball and volleyball. She went on to Adrian College and established several records while playing as a four-year starter in volleyball for the Bulldogs. Sikora was a four-year varsity player in softball, named as team captain twice and earned all-city honorable mention honors. She was also a four-year varsity player in volleyball, where she was a captain three years, all-city and all-region three years and first-team all-state as a senior.
Laurie Smith – Class of 1975
A pioneer in women’s sports at Harper Creek, Smith was on the first girls basketball team at the school, and helped the Beavers to the program’s first girls basketball district title. Smith held the school record for highest season scoring average with 24 points a game and was all-league and captain for two years. Smith also shined in volleyball and golf, where she earned all-league honors in both. Smith went to compete in basketball at Tarkio College and was all-league and captain for two years at the school.
Katie Wade – Class of 2017
Katie Wade finds herself all over the Harper Creek volleyball record books as a two-time all-city selection from the setter position. Wade graduated with the most assists in school history and was third in state history for a career with 4,031. As a senior, she had 1,523 assists with 268 kills and 355 digs. She helped the Beavers to the state semifinals and to conference crowns as a four-year varsity member. She went on to sign with Ohio Northern University and was Ohio Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year.
Alysa Wager – Class of 2020
Alysa Wager did something that had never been done before at Harper Creek – becoming a two-time state champion in swimming in the same season. She was also a member of a district championship basketball game and was a record-breaking track standout. She was the Enquirer Athlete of the Year in 2020. In swimming, she won the state title in 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly as a senior. In doing so, she set the Division 3 state meet record and a school record in the butterfly. She also set a school record in the breaststroke at the state meet. Upon graduation, she held five other school records in swimming. In track, she was was the school record holder in the 400 and the 3,200 relay. She went on to swim at Grand Valley State University and was named captain of her squad.
Michelle Worthington – Class of 1987
Michelle Worthington starred on the only team in Harper Creek history to ever play for a state championship, and had an impressive post-high school career to boot. As a junior, she was the ace on a 1986 Beavers team that finished runner-up in Class B. She went on to play three seasons at Central Michigan University. Her 1.53 career ERA for the Chippewas ranks 10th in program history.
Contact Bill Broderick at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on X/Twitter @billbroderick.
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Top 250 athletes in Battle Creek. Which girls made the list from Harper Creek?
Reporting by Bill Broderick, Battle Creek Enquirer / Battle Creek Enquirer
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By Bill Broderick, Battle Creek Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
