Jags Top Rival, Take Back D2 Supremacy
March 7, 2020
By Tom Kendra
Special for Second Half
GRAND RAPIDS – Allen Park took its turn Saturday with the upper hand in one of Michigan’s best – and most intense – high school rivalries.
The Jaguars got the better of Downriver League and regional competitive cheer rival Gibraltar Carlson during the morning’s MHSAA Division 2 Finals at the Delta Plex.
“It was our year,” said 15th-year Allen Park coach Julie Goodwin, who previously guided the Jaguars to Division 2 titles in 2010 and 2017. “To be the best, you have to beat the best. Today was our day.”
The two schools now have combined to win the past 13 Division 2 cheer titles – Carlson has 10 and Allen Park three.
Allen Park triumphed in convincing fashion, posting the highest score in all three rounds to win by nearly three full points, a relatively lopsided victory in a rivalry that often is decided by tenths of a point.
Allen Park won with 790.88, and Carlson was second with 787.96. DeWitt (775.70) edged Walled Lake Western (775.14) for third place, and Muskegon Mona Shores (767.96) rounded out the top five.
Making the title even more impressive was the fact the Jaguars won it with no returning first team all-staters and just two seniors, co-captains Jessika Palmarchuk and Emily Obrycki-Smith.
“The past three years I’ve had eight, nine and eight seniors; now this year I only have two,” said Goodwin, who is assisted by Meghan Terry, Kim Isom, Tina Johnson, Jessica Tremonti and Theresa Couturier. “But that doesn’t change our approach at all. I do have 11 juniors, and they are a very strong, committed, bonded team this year.”
Allen Park led Carlson by 1.1 points after Round 1, then extended that lead slightly to 1.52 points after Round 2.
At that point, Goodwin broke from tradition.
“She doesn’t usually tell us (the scores), so we’re kind of blind, but she told us this year,” said Palmarchuk, a flyer. “It made us fell less nervous. We knew if we went out there and hit it, that (the title) would be ours.”
The Jaguars, performing fourth out of eight teams in the pivotal Round 3, put an exclamation point on their victory with a solid stunting performance and a score of 321.90.
That put tremendous pressure on Carlson, which went seventh in the final round. The Marauders proved their mettle with a strong showing, but their score of 320.50 was not enough.
All that was left after that was the official announcement. With all eight teams huddled on the mat, the public address announcer revealed Carlson as the runner-up, which led to an explosion from the Allen Park team, coaches and fans, who chanted: “AP! AP!”
The 11 juniors for Allen Park, who will be asked to step up to leadership roles next year, are Kylee Dietz, Cloe Dobbs, Alaina Frazier, Rayden Guthrie, Haylee Jent, Monica Karagozian, Rachel Kleinow, Skyler Longton, Hailey Lopez, Gailey Tuttle and Olivia Watts.
Carlson has posted 11 overall cheer titles, which rank second in state history behind Rochester’s 14, and now has six runner-up finishes. The Marauders beat Allen Park last month for the conference title, but took second to the Jaguars at their Regional.
First-year Carlson coach Emily Howard was seeking to become the sixth cheer head coach to lead the school to a Finals title.
“It’s a great rivalry and it’s not over, that’s for sure,” said Howard, an assistant coach last year who moved up to replace Ann Hajec, who led the team to the 2019 championship in her only season as head coach. “They had the edge all day today.”
Carlson cheer has not finished worse than second at the Finals since 2007.
Southgate Anderson took sixth, followed by Cedar Springs and Charlotte.
PHOTOS: (Top) Allen Park celebrates its Division 2 championship Saturday at the Delta Plex. (Middle) Gibraltar Carlson performs a routine on the way to a runner-up finish.
D4 Preview: Field Filled with 1st-Title Hopefuls
March 6, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Six of eight competitive cheer teams taking the mat in Division 4 on Saturday at Grand Rapids’ Delta Plex will be competing this weekend for their first MHSAA Finals championship in the sport.
In fact, two will be appearing at the Finals for the first time, and two more have only debuted over the last three seasons.
That could make for some interesting possibilities, as reigning champion Pewamo-Westphalia and last year’s runner-up Hudson again lead the chase – but with a number of contenders gaining on historic opportunities.
Below are glances at all eight teams competing for this year’s title. Round 1 begins at 2 p.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.
ADDISON
League finish: First in Cascades Conference.
Coach: Jessica Sword, 13th season
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 763.76.
Team composition: 20 total (seven seniors, four juniors, six sophomores, three freshmen)
Outlook: Addison is headed back to the Finals for the second time in three seasons and second time ever, this time with a Regional runner-up finish to Hudson. Sword grew up in the Hudson program – her mother Kelly Bailey is the longtime Tigers coach – and Sword has built Addison in a program capable of challenging the elite. The Panthers’ best Round 3 score this season of 316.3 ranks second-highest in Division 3, and their top Round 2 (221.9), total, and average total (763.8) scores all rank fourth. Seniors Abigail Zacharias, Christina Bailey and Jenica Sword all earned all-Regional honors last season.
ADRIAN MADISON
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Coach: Sarah Kope, first season
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 732.74 at the Regional.
Team composition: 9 total (two seniors, one junior, four sophomores, two freshmen)
Outlook: Madison ran its streak of third-place Finals finishes to three straight last season. Kope served as an assistant for all three of those teams before taking over her alma mater this winter. The Trojans steadily have built to this stage this winter, with their top three total scores coming in their three most recent meets. Seniors Abbey Dusseau-Garno and Hannah Lobkovich both made the all-state first team last season for the second time.
EAST JORDAN
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Coach: Lisa Clavier, 11th season
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 757.12.
Team composition: 9 total (five seniors, three juniors, one sophomore)
Outlook: East Jordan will make its first appearance at the Finals, and with some interesting possibilities. The Red Devils’ top Round 1 score (237.1) also is tops in Division 4 this season, while their best Round 2 (219.9), overall and average overall (711.6) scores all rank fifth. They took first or second in nine of 12 meets this season. Seniors Jaelyn Snyder, Lilly Ziebarth, Maggie Stevenson and junior Lexi Rake all earned all-Regional recognition in 2019.
GRAND RAPIDS NORTHPOINTE CHRISTIAN
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver
Coach: Sue Smith, eighth season
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 742.34.
Team composition: 14 total (one senior, seven juniors, five sophomores, one freshman)
Outlook: After making the Finals last season for the first time, NorthPointe is headed back again after winning a third-straight league title and posting its second-highest total score of this winter to finish second at its Regional. Round 3 is a strength, as the Mustangs’ top score of 306.0 ranks sixth in Division 4. Junior Kristi Smith made the all-state first team last season, and junior Malia Baugh made the second team.
HUDSON
League finish: First in Lenawee County Athletic Association
Coach: Kelly Bailey, 23rd season
Championship history: Division 4 champion 2018, six runner-up finishes.
Top score: 777.38.
Team composition: 22 total (five seniors, eight juniors, five sophomores, four freshmen)
Outlook: Last season’s runner-up finish was Hudson’s third-straight placing in the top two, and the Tigers look strong to make another run at the title. All of their total scores this season are above 700, and their best total score is 10 points higher than last year’s heading into the Finals. They’ve won every competition but one, and all of their high round scores rank fourth or higher in Division 4, with their best Round 2 (227.6) second on that list. Although Hudson’s all-staters from last season are not posted, seniors Summer Walker, Anna Valdez, Lyndsey Tanner, Savanna Proudfoot and Anna Loar; juniors Kaley Bloomer, Ahna Marry, Kallahan Marry and Emma Shirey; and sophomore Maize Sholl all earned all-Regional recognition in 2019.
MUNISING
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Coach: Nicole Lasak, seventh season
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 764.64 at the District.
Team composition: 7 total (three seniors, two juniors, two sophomores)
Outlook: Munising has a great opportunity to improve on last season’s eighth-place finish. The Mustangs won eight of their first nine competitions this winter with a second in the ninth before finishing third at their Regional. All but their first total score of this season has been 714 or higher. All of their best round scores rank fourth or higher in Division 4 – the 229.8 Round 2 is tops on that list – and their average total score of 742.5 ranks second and is 42.5 points higher than a year ago. Senior Kali Donnelly made the all-state first team last season, and junior Marae Ake made the second.
PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Coach: Staci Myers, 13th season
Championship history: Nine MHSAA titles (most recent 2019), 10 runner-up finishes.
Top score: 779.24.
Team composition: 15 total (four seniors, four juniors, four sophomores, three freshmen)
Outlook: The Pirates went from eighth in 2018 to champion a year ago, and they haven’t slowed down with first or second places at every competition and wins at their District and Regional. Their 745.4 average total score in tops in Division 4 and would rank sixth in Division 3 and 10th in Division 2. All three round high scores are among the top three in Division 4, with the best Round 3 (316.7) ranking first. Senior Isabelle Droste and sophomore Lindsey Pohl made the all-state first team last season, while junior Ellie Pohl made the second team and senior Olivia Richards, junior Ella Smith and sophomore Halie Myers earned honorable mentions.
ST. CHARLES
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference West
Coach: Jetta Stimac, fourth season
Championship history: Seeking first MHSAA Finals top-two finish.
Top score: 752.04 at the District.
Team composition: 18 total (seven seniors, four juniors, four sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: St. Charles also will be making its Finals debut after winning its league and District and placing fourth at its Regional. The Bulldogs have two high round scores among the top seven in Division 4 for those respective rounds, with their best Round 3 (311.6) ranking fifth. Senior Addison Stimac earned all-Regional recognition last season, while senior Lauren Rankin and junior Breya Lennox made the all-District first team.
PHOTO: Munising athletes celebrate winning their District at East Jordan two weeks ago. (Photo by Sports in Motion.)