D4 Preview: Hopefuls Seek to Join Elite
March 1, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Hudson joined the list of elite small-school competitive cheer programs last winter when it won its first Division 4 Finals championship.
Could another rising team do the same Saturday?
Four of this season’s eight Division 4 contenders – including 2018 runner-up Sanford Meridian – have never won. The other four contenders, however, have combined for 24 MHSAA titles.
Below are glances at all eight teams competing Saturday. Division 4 begins at 2 p.m. and will be broadcast live on MHSAA.tv and viewable on a subscription basis. Click here for the Finals draws and other important information.
ADRIAN MADISON
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Coach: Emily Gafford, 11th season
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 752.72.
Team composition: 14 total (seven seniors, four juniors, one sophomore, two freshmen)
Outlook: Madison has finished third two straight seasons, last year three tenths of a point out of second place. The Trojans have broken 740 six times this season and 750 twice, and their average total score of 728.9 ranks fourth in the division. Senior Molly Hayes and juniors Abbey Dusseau-Garno and Hannah Lobkovich made the all-state first team last season, and junior Alyssa Sayers made the second team.
BRECKENRIDGE
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Coach: Nicki Smith, first season
Championship history: Ten MHSAA titles (most recent 2017), one runner-up finish.
Top score: 724.34 at the Regional.
Team composition: 14 total (four seniors, two juniors, one sophomore, seven freshmen)
Outlook: Breckenridge grad Smith brought the program back after there was no team a year ago, and the Huskies quickly jumped back into the mix placing fourth or higher at all of their competitions. A young team has scored substantially higher as the season has progressed, with the Regional score 55 points higher than its lowest at the beginning of this season. Seniors Olivia Mayle and Shianne Jerry made the all-state first team and seniors Amiah Cole and Carmen Collins made the second in 2017 when as sophomores they helped a nine-member Breckenridge team win its third straight Division 4 title.
GRAND RAPIDS NORTHPOINTE CHRISTIAN
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver
Coach: Sue Smith, sixth season
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 723.86 at the Regional.
Team composition: 17 total (one senior, two juniors, seven sophomores, seven freshmen)
Outlook: The Mustangs followed their second straight league title by advancing to the Finals for the first time. And talk about improvement: NorthPointe’s Regional score was more than 100 points better than what it posted in its season-opening event this winter. Sophomores Kristi Smith and Malia Baugh earned all-Regional recognition in 2018.
HUDSON
League finish: First in Lenawee County Athletic Association
Coach: Kelly Bailey, 22nd season
Championship history: Division 4 champion 2018, five runner-up finishes.
Top score: 767.18 at the Regional.
Team composition: 21 total (two seniors, six juniors, eight sophomores, five freshmen)
Outlook: After finishing runner-up in 2017, Hudson broke through for its first title last year and should be in the mix again with that Regional score the second-highest in Division 4 this winter. Hudson won 11 of its 13 competitions, and its best scores in each round all rank among the division’s top four. A number of standouts lead the way again: senior Alexis LaFollette and juniors Anna Loar, Lyndsey Tanner and Anna Valdez all made the all-state first team last season, while sophomore Kallahan Marry made the second and junior Savannah Proudfoot and sophomores Kaley Bloomer and Ahna Marry earned honorable mentions.
MICHIGAN CENTER
League finish: First in Cascades Conference
Coach: Jessica Trefry, 18th season
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2014), one runner-up finish.
Top score: 759.7.
Team composition: 20 total (three seniors, five juniors, eight sophomores, four freshmen)
Outlook: After a rare miss of the Finals last season – while competing in Division 3 – Michigan Center is back having won its 14th straight league title. All three top round scores and its average total score of 728.9 rank among the top five in the division, with the best Round 3 (315.6) coming in second. Junior Lauryll Samon, senior Carlee Lally and sophomore Jordyn Richardson all earned Division 3 all-Regional recognition last season.
MUNISING
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Coach: Nicole Lasak, sixth season
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 741.84 at the District.
Team composition: 10 total (three seniors, three juniors, two sophomores, two freshmen)
Outlook: Munising is back at the Finals for the first time since 2014, having won seven competitions and finished second in its other two this winter. All of its top round scores rank among the top 10 in Division 4, and its average total score of 700 comes in seventh. Juniors Taylin Behning and Kali Donnelly earned all-Regional honors last season.
PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Coach: Staci Myers, 12th season
Championship history: Eight MHSAA titles (most recent 2010), 10 runner-up finishes.
Top score: 764.16.
Team composition: 19 total (five seniors, four juniors, five sophomores, five freshmen)
Outlook: The Pirates are riding District and Regional wins into this weekend and could make a big jump from finishing eighth a year ago. All of P-W’s best round scores rank among the top three in Division 4 – its best Round 2 (224.3) is second on that list – and the Pirates’ average total score of 741.1 ranks second. Senior Kelsey Russell made the all-state first team last season, while senior Cierra Van Ellis made the second and junior Isabelle Droste earned honorable mention.
SANFORD MERIDIAN
League finish: First in Jack Pine Conference
Coach: Val MacKenzie, 30th season
Championship history: Division 4 runner-up 2018.
Top score: 775.98 at the District.
Team composition: 16 total (six seniors, five juniors, three sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: Coming off their highest Finals finish ever, Meridian is among favorites Saturday. The Mustangs have the highest average total score in Division 4 at 744.6 and the highest scores this season in all three rounds. They did finish second to Hudson at the Regional, 13 points back, but won nine of their 11 events this winter total. All of the team’s all-state honorees from 2018 are back – seniors Katie Blanchard and McKenna Burns and juniors Lexy North and Dalaynie O’Hare made the first team, seniors Tana Spangler and Becky O’Dell and sophomore Jade McRoberts made the second, and seniors Aubrey Erskine and Elizabeth Melchi earned honorable mentions.
PHOTO: Reigning Division 4 champion Hudson competes at the Alma College Cheer Fest. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
D2 Preview: Downriver Powers Set Pace
March 6, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
What’s become an annual season-long tussle the last few seasons between Downriver League rivals Allen Park and Gibraltar Carlson is headed for another conclusion Saturday morning at the Grand Rapids Delta Plex.
They’ve once again traded top performances, Carlson winning the league and Allen Park the Regional, and together they’ve combined to win the last 12 Division 2 competitive cheer championships. Carlson is the reigning back-to-back title winner, while Allen Park has finished runner-up these last two seasons and three of the last four. When Allen Park won in 2017, Carlson came in second.
Allen Park has the top Round 2 (233.0), Round 3 (323.8) and total score (794.2) in the state this season, regardless of division, and is second in Round 1 (239.5). Carlson has set the pace in Round 1 (239.6) statewide with the second best overall score (794.1) in any division and second-best Round 2 and 3 in Division 2.
And of course, there are challengers with the capabilities to push the powers – and they’ve posted scores to show that potential.
Below are glances at all eight teams. Round 1 begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, and the event in its entirety will be broadcast live on MHSAA.tv and viewable on a subscription basis. Click here for the Finals rotation schedule and other important information.
ALLEN PARK
League finish: Second in Downriver League
Coach: Julie Goodwin, 15th season
Championship history: Division 2 champion 2017 and 2010, four runner-up finishes.
Top score: 794.20 at the District.
Team composition: 28 total (two seniors, 11 juniors, eight sophomores, seven freshmen)
Outlook: As noted above, Allen Park appears to be surging of late in its back-and-forth with Carlson. The Jaguars have the top Round 2 (233.0), Round 3 (323.8) and overall (794.2) scores posted in Division 2 this season, and the Round 3 and overall scores are the highest in the state regardless of division. They’ve won eight meets this winter and finished second in their other three. Senior Jessika Palmarchuk and junior Skyler Longton made the all-state second team last season, and sophomore Cassidy Kuhn earned honorable mention.
CEDAR SPRINGS
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference White
Coach: Anne Olszewski, sixth season
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 773.10.
Team composition: 18 total (eight seniors, four juniors, five sophomores, one freshman)
Outlook: Cedar Springs is looking to build on last season’s fifth-place finish that saw the Red Hawks miss fourth by less than a point. Their strongest round might be Round 1, where their best of 234.1 ranks eighth in Division 2 this season, and they’ve posted their top two overall scores over their last three events. Senior Paige Pierson made the all-state first team last season, and senior Zoe Castor made the second.
CHARLOTTE
League finish: Second in Capital Area Activities Conference Red
Co-coaches: Yvonne Ridge/Liz Hoogstra, 18th and 15th seasons
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 782.36.
Team composition: 24 total (four seniors, five juniors, seven sophomores, eight freshmen)
Outlook: Charlotte finished fourth in Division 3 last season after back-to-back sixth places, one each in Divisions 2 and 3. The Orioles’ scores this winter point to another possible top-half finish – all three of their best-round scores rank among the top five posted in Division 2, with their best Round 2 (230.5) and Round 3 (319.6) both ranking fourth. Senior Erica Brock made the all-state second team in Division 3 last season, and junior Julia Phillips and sophomore Dakota Gerard both earned honorable mentions.
DEWITT
League finish: First in CAAC Red
Coach: Candace Heskitt, 12th season
Championship history: Division 2 runner-up 2015 and 2007.
Top score: 789.78.
Team composition: 28 total (10 seniors, seven juniors, nine sophomores, two freshmen)
Outlook: DeWitt has finished sixth the last two seasons but appears on the verge of a jump with their best round scores all ranking among the top four in Division 2 this season, and their best Round 2 (231.1), Round 3 (321.3) and total score all posting third. The Panthers have placed first at eight of their last nine competitions and won their Regional by nearly seven points. Junior Aubrey McKinley made the all-state first team last season, while junior Gabrielle Cooney made the second.
GIBRALTAR CARLSON
League finish: First in Downriver League
Coach: Emily Howard, first season
Championship history: 11 MHSAA titles (most recent 2019), five runner-up finishes.
Top score: 794.08
Team composition: 26 total (eight seniors, seven juniors, seven sophomores, four freshmen)
Outlook: Carlson has a new coach for the second straight season, but Howard is plenty familiar with the program’s expectations as she was an assistant during last year’s championship run and also has coached at the middle school level in the district. The Marauders haven’t missed a beat, finishing first at eight competitions and second at the other two, and scoring over 785 total six times. Howard inherited a championship cast with seniors Samantha Hamel and Elliah Shank and juniors Alex Stewart and Maguire Lindisch all returning all-state first teamers, seniors Rylee Demers and Sarah Klim back after making the second team last season and seniors Amelia Trueblood and Isabella Trueblood and Skylar Yakowich having earned honorable mention in 2019.
MUSKEGON MONA SHORES
League finish: First in O-K Black
Coach: Amanda Heethuis, 13th season
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 779.90.
Team composition: 29 total (six seniors, 10 juniors, nine sophomores, four freshmen)
Outlook: The Sailors will again look to make a run at the top two with last season’s third place finish their second in three years. Their average total score of 764.3 is a good sign as it ranks third in Division 2. Mona Shores has won 10 competitions and finished second at its other two, led by an experienced cast. Senior Logan Potts made the all-state first team last season, while senior Madilyn Ogle and sophomore Carys Mitchell made the second team and junior Brooklin Yokubonus earned honorable mention.
SOUTHGATE ANDERSON
League finish: Fourth in Downriver League
Coach: Colette Norscia, 17th season (second of second tenure)
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Top score: 774.54 at the Regional.
Team composition: 21 total (one senior, three juniors, six sophomores, 11 freshmen)
Outlook: Norscia guided a team with only four upperclassmen through the competitive Downriver League and back to the Finals after a season away. Anderson finished fourth at its Regional, but its score would’ve won the other Regional in this division. Round 2 might be the strength, as the Titans’ best score of 228.0 ranks eighth in Division 2. Senior Nevaeh Doucet, junior Breanna Unis and sophomore Alivia Ensign earned all-District recognition in 2019.
WALLED LAKE WESTERN
League finish: First in Lakes Valley Conference
Co-coaches: Amber Stocks and Michelle Frey, 10th seasons
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 783.50 at the Regional.
Team composition: 21 total (seven seniors, six juniors, five sophomores, three freshmen)
Outlook: After debuting at the Finals last season and finishing eighth, Western will return for the second year in a row and with the potential to climb. Western’s best Round 1 score this season (237.6) ranks third in Division 2, while it total score at the Regional was the fourth highest in the division this winter. Senior Makayla Sheppy earned all-state honorable mention last season while juniors Jocelyn Peets and Jordan Zayed earned all-Regional honors.
PHOTO: Gibraltar Carlson competes during its Division 2 Regional; it will look to win a third-straight Finals championship this weekend. (Photo courtesy of the Carlson competitive cheer program.)