Carlson Raises Bar with Perfect Run
March 1, 2014
By Dean Holzwarth
Special to Second Half
GRAND RAPIDS – Gibraltar Carlson senior Sarah Tritt was sporting three shiny MHSAA championship rings on her left hand following Saturday’s competitive cheer Division 2 Final.
She soon will be adding another one to the collection.
“Yes, we are going to be designing our fourth one,” Tritt said after the Marauders captured their fourth consecutive Division 2 crown at The DeltaPlex.
Gibraltar Carlson tallied a three-round score of 780.10, while Dearborn Divine Child placed runner-up for the fourth year in a row with a 772.24 total. Allen Park finished third at 769.06.
The Marauders continued their string of dominance in Division 2. They have won the Finals six of the last eight years and were runners-up in 2010.
“It never gets old,” Gibraltar Carlson coach Danielle Jokela said. “I think that these kids did something that was close to impossible – they won four state titles in a row.”
In fact, the Downriver League champions never lost a competition this season – an impressive feat in itself, especially considering the league includes four MHSAA Finals qualifiers and three-time reigning Division 1 champion Southgate Anderson.
“This is the first season that I’ve ever coached an undefeated team where they have won every single competition,” Jokela said. “They fought hard, they did everything I asked them to do, and today they became state champions.”
Tritt joined teammates Alexis Kopchia and Maelyn Russo as the only seniors to compete on the mat all four years at the Finals.
“This feeling is indescribable,” Tritt said. “It’s like nothing I could ever imagine, and I could not ask for anything more. We were able to overcome so much this year and we pushed through it all and still were able to end on top every time.”
Senior Kiah Manthei agreed with her coach – winning championships never gets old.
“No, it feels better every time,” Manthei said. “This year’s team is the best that we’ve had. There was no drama and we’re all really close. We just knew today that if we performed how we practiced, that it was ours.”
Gibraltar Carlson charged to an early advantage with a pair of dominating rounds.
It posted high scores in Round 1 (234.9) and Round 2 (230.1).
“Round 1 has been our saving grace this year and is amazing, and we have very talented girls in Round 2 who have beautiful skills,” Jokela said. “Getting those high scores definitely boosted our confidence and kept us ahead. That’s what won the state title for us.”
The Marauders held a nearly eight-point cushion entering the final round.
“It’s always good to be a little ahead after Rounds 1 and 2,” Tritt said. “It makes it so much easier going into Round 3.”
Gibraltar Carlson registered a 315.1 in Round 3, which was the third highest among the eight teams.
“We nailed the first two and Round 3 was good enough to seal the deal,” Jokela said.
Dearborn Divine Child, which won the Detroit Catholic League title, trailed Gibraltar Carlson by four points after Round 1 despite scoring a solid 230.2 to open the Final.
It had another superb Round 2 (226.84), and capped the day with the second-highest Round 3 score (315.2).
“It was their goal today to hit three perfect rounds, and really, at the end of the day, we don’t have any control over anyone else or what the judges give us or anybody else,” Falcons coach Amber Genevich said. “They haven’t hit three perfect rounds all season and they did that today. We would’ve loved to finish first, but we’re proud because not many teams here can say that they hit solid rounds, and we did.”
While the frustration of placing runner-up again still lingered, Genevich said this year’s team peaked at the end of the year.
“You get a little tired of being second best, but this year’s second place feels a little different than maybe last year,” she said. “We weren’t a second place team all season. We were third place or fourth place, so we had to work from the bottom and really climb our way to the top.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Gibraltar Carlson athletes look into the crowd during Saturday’s Round 2. (Middle) Dearborn Divine Child performs its Round 3 routine. (Click for action and team photos from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
D3 Preview: Familiar Favorites Lead the Way
March 4, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Three of the last five seasons, Richmond and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep have finished first and second in some order atop the MHSAA Division 3 Finals standings. The same was true again at this winter’s District and Regional competitions.
So it wouldn’t stun many to see those teams compete for the top prize again this weekend – although six more teams would love to provide a surprise or two along the way.
Following are glances at all eight Division 3 teams competing at the Grand Rapids DeltaPlex beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday. All four Finals will be broadcast live on MHSAA.tv and viewable on a subscription basis.
COMSTOCK PARK
Rank: No. 7.
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue.
Coach: Kathy Felty, 26th season.
Championship history: Division 3 champions 2011 and 2009, three runner-up finishes.
Top score: 762.56 at the Regional.
Team composition: 19 overall (seven juniors, seven sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: After graduating 11 seniors from last season’s team, Comstock Park has none but an exciting future after winning 10 of 14 events this season including the District with its highest score of the winter. The Panthers have finished fourth, second and fourth, respectively, at the last three Division 3 Finals, and this season surges during Round 3 with its top score of 762.6 ranking seventh in the division and its average total score of 733.1 listing sixth. Juniors Alyssa Geraghty, Heather Damuth and Haleigh Brown and sophomore Jakela Davis earned all-region honors last season.
ESCANABA
Rank: Unranked.
League finish: First in Great Northern Conference.
Coach: Kristopher Langlois, second season.
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 752.66 at the District.
Team composition: 22 total (nine seniors, four juniors, six sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Escanaba blasted onto the downstate scene by winning a Regional last week that included No. 7 Comstock, No. 5 Lakewood, No. 10 Paw Paw and No. 8 Freeland, and advanced to the MHSAA Finals for the first time. Round 3 is where the Eskymos shine most, with their top score of 315.3 ranking third in Division 3 this season. Escanaba won nine of its 10 events, finishing second just once. Junior Samantha Flinn made the all-region second team last season as the Eskymos competed in Division 2.
LAKE ODESSA LAKEWOOD
Rank: No. 5.
League finish: First in Greater Lansing Activities Conference.
Coach: Kim Martin, 22nd season.
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 750.40.
Team composition: 19 total (seven seniors, seven juniors, four sophomores, one freshman).
Outlook: Lakewood is back at the Finals for the second straight season after finishing eighth in 2015. The Vikings’ third place at the Regional was its only place lower than second this season. Similar to last winter, they’re especially strong in Round 1, with a top score this season of 233.7 that ranks third in Division 3, and their average overall score of 728.6 ranks seventh in the division. Senior Samantha Morrison made the all-state first team last season, while senior Carley Bennett made the second team and senior Haley VanValkenburg earned honorable mention.
MONROE JEFFERSON
Rank: No. 4.
League finish: First in Huron League.
Coach: Sara Griffin, eighth season.
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 766.68 at the Regional.
Team composition: 18 total (six seniors, five juniors, five sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: Griffin, who formerly led Flat Rock to the Finals in 2006, brings a team that won five events this season and never finished lower than third. The Bears’ top Round 1 and 2 scores rank among the top five in Division 3 this season – with the Round 2 score of 228.2 second and their average overall score of 737.6 ranking fifth. The Regional score was 24 points better than their previous best this season. Seniors Kayleigh Adams, Chrissy Boitnott and Ashleigh Carroll and junior Haylie Jewell all earned all-district honors last season.
OVID-ELSIE
Rank: No. 3.
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference Central and overall.
Coach: Katie Calverley, fourth season.
Championship history: Class C champion 2005 and 2004.
Top score: 765.26 at the Regional.
Team composition: 19 total (nine seniors, one junior, five sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: Ovid-Elsie will return to the Finals for the first time since finishing fifth in 2013 and after reaching the Regionals both of the last two seasons; Calverley was a member of the teams that won back-to-back Class B titles. A fourth-place at the Regional was the Marauders’ lowest this season; they won 10 events and finished second once. Round 2 is a strength, as the team’s top score of 228.5 is tops in Division 3 and would rank fourth in Division 2. Seniors Courtney Loynes, Leah Batora and BreAnna Deming and junior Riley Caswell earned all-region honors in 2015.
PAW PAW
Rank: No. 10.
League finish: First in Wolverine Conference.
Coach: Stefanie Miller, seventh season.
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 748.56 at the District.
Team composition: 18 total (six seniors, three juniors, nine sophomores).
Outlook: Paw Paw finished sixth a year ago, its fourth straight finish of seventh or higher. The Redskins won seven events this season including their District, and also broke 740 points to win their league meet. The team’s best Round 3 score of 313.4 ranks fifth in Division 3, and its best Round 2 score is ninth. Seniors Hannah Diaz and Georgia Waldron and juniors Brianne Korteway and Mary Schincariol earned all-region honors last season.
PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP
Rank: No. 2.
League finish: Second in the Detroit Catholic League.
Coach: Beth Campbell, fourth season.
Championship history: Division 3 champions 2015 and 2014, runner-up 2013.
Top score: 778.58 at the Regional.
Team composition: 26 total (six seniors, eight juniors, seven sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: Notre Dame Prep has continued its string of success and is a favorite again after winning Division 3 the last two seasons. The Fighting Irish have finished first or second in every event this season and posted scores of 770 or higher four times and dating to their third meet of the season. Notre Dame Prep has the highest Round 1 (235.3), Round 3 (318.5) and overall scores (778.6) in Division 3 this winter. Seniors Paige Lombardo and Lauren Kavanagh made the all-state second team last season, and senior Allison Kot and junior Grace Mackey earned honorable mentions.
RICHMOND
Rank: No. 1.
League finish: First in Blue Water Area Conference.
Coach: Kelli Matthes, eighth season.
Championship history: Division 3 champion 2013 and 2012, runner-up 2015 and 2011.
Top score: 778.2 at the Regional.
Team composition: 28 total (two seniors, 11 juniors, five sophomores, 10 freshmen).
Outlook: Back and forth Richmond has gone with Notre Dame Prep most of the last five seasons, and was the favorite heading into the postseason after finishing second to the Fighting Irish a year ago – but before finishing second to the Irish at the District and Regional last month. Still, Richmond has the highest average overall score in Division 3 – 765.1 – and the second-highest top scores in Rounds 1 and 3. Seniors Emily Fitzsimons and Jessica Hatcher made the all-state first team last season, while juniors Kaleigh Taylor and Kari Olsen made the second team and juniors Haley Saikowski and Lauren Duche earned honorable mentions.
PHOTO: Reigning champion Pontiac Notre Dame Prep performs its Round 1 routine during last season's Division 3 Final.