The Center for D4 Cheer Champions
March 2, 2013
By Dean Holzwarth
Special to Second Half
GRAND RAPIDS – The Michigan Center competitive cheer team didn’t perform to its full potential in Round 3 of the MHSAA Division 4 Final.
A strong Round 2 performance prior to that more than made up for it.
The Cardinals sputtered in their final round Saturday afternoon at the DeltaPlex, but it didn’t prevent them from pulling off the three-peat.
Michigan Center won its third straight MHSAA Division 4 crown by less than four points over runner-up Pewamo Westphalia.
The Cardinals tallied a three-round score of 731.26, while the Pirates made a late charge and finished with a 727.52.
“If it wasn’t for having such a strong Round 1 and Round 2 score, we wouldn’t have won this competition,” Michigan Center coach Jessica Trefry said. “We struggled a little bit in Round 3, and unfortunately it wasn’t as high as we hoped to be. But as a whole, we did enough to get it done.”
Michigan Center, which also won the title in 2009 before its current run, took a commanding 11-point lead following a dominating Round 2 that has been its trademark.
The Cardinals, who didn’t get outscored in Round 2 all season, registered a score of 219.96 to provide a much-needed cushion entering the final round.
“Round 2 has been a strength of ours all year, and my girls are incredible athletes and are strong with their skills in that round,” Trefry said. “I tell them that no one can out-do them in that round, and it’s true. It is an amazing group that is so in sync and powerful.”
Michigan Center had an early fall in Round 3, and its score (288.1) was the second lowest of the eight teams.
The team, however, recovered from the early miscue.
“I did take a fall, but it didn’t matter because I knew the rest of the round I had to stick everything perfectly,” said Michigan Center’s Megan Shown, the team’s lone senior. “In every round I knew we could dominate in, and obviously we did. This is amazing, three of them in a row back-to-back-to-back. I can’t believe it. I’m a senior, so it’s the best way to go out.”
Pewamo-Westphalia was seeking its ninth MHSAA title, and first since 2010, but wound up with a runner-up finish for the third straight year.
“It was hard to come back from that difference in Round 2, but they did amazing,” Pirates coach Staci Myers said. “It is the best they’ve ever done in all three rounds, and I couldn’t be prouder. We were excited to be here, and to come out with a medal and second place.”
Pewamo Westphalia narrowed the gap on Michigan Center by delivering the second-highest Round 3 score.
“They came out and hit Round 3, and I couldn’t ask them to do anymore,” Myers said. “It was the best they have performed it this year, and we were able to stay in second.”
Michigan Center defended despite graduating nine seniors from last year’s squad, and with the return of all but one for next season, the future remains bright.
“We returned some strong athletes, and they had this in their mind from the very beginning,” Trefry said.
“This was their goal, to be here and win it again. I have a big group of juniors, and now they want to get it done again next year. It gets harder and harder every year, but I’m proud of this group and the effort they’ve put in this year. I’ve enjoyed this year.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Michigan Center competes during Saturday's Division 4 Final at the DeltaPlex. (Bottom) Michigan Center poses with its latest MHSAA championship trophy. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
D2 Preview: Contenders Chasing Carlson
March 3, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Saturday’s Division 2 Competitive Cheer Final will have a nice mix of familiar and new – even as the favorite is one of the most dominant powerhouses in the history of the sport.
Gibraltar Carlson has won six straight championships, and Allen Park is expected to make the greatest push after also finishing second last winter. But three more of eight teams at Saturday morning’s 10 a.m. competition will be taking the mat at the Finals for the first time.
Following are glances at all eight Division 2 teams competing. All four Finals will be broadcast live on MHSAA.tv and viewable on a subscription basis.
ALLEN PARK
Rank: No. 2.
League finish: Second in Downriver League.
Coach: Julie Goodwin, 12th season.
Championship history: Division 2 champion 2010, runner-up 2016 and 2008.
Top score: 789.12.
Team composition: 25 total (six seniors, eight juniors, eight sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Allen Park improved from fourth in 2015 to second last winter, and its top score heading into this weekend is seven points higher than at this time a year ago. The Jaguars have finished first or second in every competition this season except when they took third at their District; their top round scores are all among the top three in Division 2, and their average overall score of 777.7 is the highest in the state regardless of division. Seniors Olivia Grab and Delaney Millner and junior Carolyn Morris made the all-state first team last season, while junior Faith Ridolfi made the second and junior Hailey Woodworth earned honorable mention.
CHARLOTTE
Rank: Honorable mention.
League finish: First in Capital Area Activities Conference White.
Coach: Yvonne Ridge, 14th season.
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 756.82 at the District.
Team composition: 20 total (seven seniors, seven sophomores, six freshmen).
Outlook: The Orioles are making their first trip to the MHSAA Finals in this sport after maintaining a spot among mid-Michigan’s top teams throughout this decade. They won their sixth straight league title and first District championship under Ridge this winter and have posted their three highest scores over their most recent six competitions. Sophomore Madyson Conklin earned an all-region honorable mention last season, and the future looks bright as well with 13 underclassmen making up more than half of the roster.
DEARBORN DIVINE CHILD
Rank: No. 3.
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League.
Coach: Amber Genevich, 12th season.
Championship history: Four runner-up finishes (most recent 2014).
Top score: 789.2 at the District.
Team composition: 27 total (11 seniors, six juniors, six sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: Divine Child has finished among the top four, including fourth last season, at six straight Division 2 Finals and could be poised to climb again led by a large senior class. The score posted at the District is the second-highest in the division this season, and its top round scores all are among the top three in the division as well. Seniors Hannah Cifaldi and Paige Frye made the all-state first team last season, while junior Kristina Waldenmeyer made the second and senior Rylee Cronin and junior Megan O’Leary earned honorable mentions.
FLINT KEARSLEY
Rank: No. 6.
League finish: First in Flint Metro League.
Coach: Carrie Seymour, 13th season
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 763.74.
Team composition: 19 total (six seniors, eight juniors, four sophomores, one freshman).
Outlook: Kearsley is having a banner season with its first league and District titles and first trip to the MHSAA Finals. The Hornets won eight of their first nine competitions – finishing second in the other – and then came in fourth at their Regional to qualify for Saturday. Senior Hailey Baltosser made the all-region second team in 2016, and senior Madison Teed earned honorable mention.
GIBRALTAR CARLSON
Rank: No. 1.
League finish: First in Downriver League.
Coach: Ayrn Ziesmer, third season.
Championship history: Nine MHSAA titles (most recent 2016), four runner-up finishes.
Top score: 793.48 at the District.
Team composition: 19 total (one senior, six juniors, three sophomores, nine freshmen).
Outlook: Carlson won its eighth title over the last nine seasons in 2016 with almost all underclassmen – and will look to extend the streak with a roster that has a little more experience but still is among the youngest in this division. That hasn’t mattered; the 793.48 score is the highest in the state, any division, this season, and the Marauders also have the top round score in the division in all three – and the tops in all divisions in Round 2 (233.1) and Round 3 (321.4). Senior Jordyn Hodge and juniors Hannah Pryba, Emily Scheffler and Samantha Zdankiewicz all made the all-state first team last season, while junior Katy Bradley and sophomore Madison VanBrimer made the second team and junior Morgan Thomas earned honorable mention.
GRAND RAPIDS KENOWA HILLS
Rank: No. 5.
League finish: Second in Ottawa-Kent Conference Black.
Coach: Chris Hudson, seventh season.
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 776.72.
Team composition: 25 total (three seniors, six juniors, eight sophomores, eight freshmen).
Outlook: Kenowa Hills improved from sixth in 2015 to third last season and ranks among the top four in Division 2 in highest score for Rounds 1 and 2 and overall. The Knights have finished first or second at all of their events, including the District and Regional behind league rival Muskegon Mona Shores. Junior Brianne Elliott made the all-state second team last season.
MUSKEGON MONA SHORES
Rank: No. 4.
League finish: First in O-K Black.
Coach: Amanda Heethuis, 10th season.
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 771.22.
Team composition: 24 total (eight seniors, seven juniors, six sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Mona Shores is hoping to take another step at the Finals after moving up to win its league, District and Regional and all events but two where it finished second. The Sailors were seventh at last season’s Final but have the fourth-highest average score in Division 2 of 752.4. Junior Grace VanArendonk made the all-state first team in 2016, and senior Autumn Lambert made the second.
MUSKEGON REETHS-PUFFER
Rank: Unranked.
League finish: Fourth in O-K Black.
Coach: Brittany Hoffman, third season.
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 753.48.
Team composition: 22 total (four seniors, nine juniors, six sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Hoffman, a member of the first cheer teams at the school before graduating in 2003, returned to coach in 2014 after then-coach Danielle Nash was diagnosed with brain cancer. Nash died in December of that year, and the team went on to reach Regionals for the first time – and now earn its first MHSAA Finals berth. The Rockets’ top three scores have come during their last three meets, including in a second-place finish to Mona Shores at the Greater Muskegon city competition.
PHOTO: Muskegon Mona Shores, here competing in Round 3 last season, is among teams hoping to challenge Gibraltar Carlson’s dynasty Saturday.