Koehler Gives State Power Rochester Another Championship-Caliber Leader
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
December 8, 2022
ROCHESTER HILLS – Understandably, Rochester competitive cheer head coach Samantha Koehler might not know exactly the emotions she will feel Friday.
After all, the occasion will mark a first in more than four decades with a Rochester program that’s historically been considered the gold standard in the state.
When the Falcons compete at their first competition of the season at Troy, it will be the first time since 1981 that somebody other than the legendary Susan Wood will be at the helm of the program.
“Even with a change in leadership, we’re eager to show the world that Rochester cheer is back and better than ever,” Koehler said.
While there will probably be some nervousness, it also might be a relief to actually get into competition mode after an offseason of transition.
Following Rochester’s fifth-place finish in March at the Division 1 Final, Wood announced her retirement after 41 years as head coach.
All Wood (formerly Susan McVeigh) did during her tenure was lead Rochester to 14 MHSAA Finals championships and three runner-up finishes between 1994 and 2017.
She also led Rochester to five Michigan Cheerleading Coaches Association state titles and three runner-up finishes before competitive cheerleading became an MHSAA-sponsored sport in 1994.
In 36 out of 41 years with Wood in charge, Rochester competed in Finals of either MHSAA or MCCA state tournaments.
But rather than look at this as having to replace an irreplaceable legend, Koehler is looking at it as a chance to continue Rochester’s rich tradition – and such an opportunity was simply too good to pass up.
“Yes, this position comes with a lot of high expectations and pressure,” Koehler admitted, while also praising the parents and team members who have helped make the transition easier. “But like George S. Patton, Jr. once said, pressure makes diamonds.”
Koehler has had plenty of success as well, having spent the last seven years as head coach at Plymouth High School, where she was named Michigan cheer Coach of the Year in 2020 after leading Plymouth to a runner-up finish in Division 1.
She also has served as the head cheerleading coach at Wayne State University and on the board for the state coaches association.
“We wanted somebody with experience that coached at a high level and had success at a high level, because that’s where we are,” Rochester athletic director Dean Allen said. “The bar is high, and keep it there. Just keep Rochester cheer as the preeminent program in the state of Michigan. That was our goal.”
Allen said the biggest challenge has been for Koehler to balance out bringing in her own ideas, but also maintaining traditions that have made the program what it is.
So far, so good.
“She’s been able to do that,” Allen said.
While the last few months have been all about getting to know her new team and community, the coming winter will be about trying to get Rochester back on top at the Finals in March.
The Falcons haven’t won Division 1 since 2017, and have seen city rivals Stoney Creek (in 2019) and Rochester Adams (2020 and 2021) claim the last three championships between them.
“We are fortunate enough to compete against two of the best teams in the state frequently throughout the season,” Koehler said. “Competing against Adams and Stoney betters our program by motivating athletes and coaches to be the best we can be each and every day. With such a talented and dedicated group of athletes, we are excited and eager to challenge our city rivals for that state championship.”
Keith Dunlap has served in Detroit-area sports media for more than two decades, including as a sportswriter at the Oakland Press from 2001-16 primarily covering high school sports but also college and professional teams. His bylines also have appeared in USA Today, the Washington Post, the Detroit Free Press, the Houston Chronicle and the Boston Globe. He served as the administrator for the Oakland Activities Association’s website from 2017-2020. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Samantha Koehler, middle, is taking over the Rochester High competitive cheer program this season. (Middle) Koehler, with her Plymouth assistants, coach their team during the 2020 Division 1 Final. (Top photo courtesy of Dean Allen/Rochester Athletics. Middle photo by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
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MHSAA Winter Sports Start with Extended Basketball Schedules, New Wrestling Weights
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
December 13, 2022
The addition of two games to basketball regular-season schedules and a new series of wrestling weight classes are likely the most noticeable Winter 2022-23 changes as an estimated 65,000 athletes statewide take part in 13 sports for which the Michigan High School Athletic Association sponsors postseason tournaments.
Girls gymnastics and boys ice hockey teams were able to begin practice Oct. 31, with the rest of those sports beginning in November – including also girls and boys basketball, girls and boys bowling, girls competitive cheer, girls and boys skiing, Upper Peninsula girls and boys and Lower Peninsula boys swimming & diving, and girls and boys wrestling.
A variety of changes are in effect for winter sports this season, including a several that will be noteworthy and noticeable to teams and spectators alike.
Basketball remains the most-participated winter sport for MHSAA member schools with 33,000 athletes taking part last season, and for the first time, basketball teams may play up to 22 regular-season games. This increase from the previous 20-game schedule allows more games for teams at every high school level – varsity, junior varsity and freshman.
Another significant change has been made in wrestling, as the majority of boys wrestling weight classes have been adjusted for this season in anticipation of a national change coming in 2023-24. The updated boys weight classes are 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 144, 150, 157, 165, 175, 190, 215 and 285 pounds. Only 215 and 285 remain from the previous lineup. There is also one change to girls weight classes, with the 255 class replaced by 235 to also align with national high school standards.
A series of notable changes will affect how competition takes place at the MHSAA Tournament levels. In hockey, in addition to a new classification process that spread cooperative and single-school programs evenly throughout the three playoff divisions, the MHSAA Tournament will employ two changes. The Michigan Power Ratings (MPR) will be used to seed the entire Regional round, not just the top two teams, and prior to the start of Semifinals, a seeding committee will reseed the remaining four teams in each division with the top seed in each then facing the No. 4 seed, and the No. 2 seed facing No. 3.
Bowling also will see an MHSAA Tournament change, as the Team Regional format will mirror the long-standing Team Final with teams playing eight Baker games and two regular games at both levels. And as also applied during the fall girls season, there is a new qualification process for divers seeking to advance to Lower Peninsula Boys Swimming & Diving Finals. In each of the three divisions, each Regional will be guaranteed 10 qualifiers for the Finals, with six more “floating” qualifier entries to be distributed to the Regionals that have one of the previous year’s top six returning Finals divers in their fields. If a team changes division from the previous season, any floating top-six spots are added to the six already allowed in the school’s new division.
A gymnastics rules change provides an opportunity for additional scoring during the floor exercise. A dance passage requirement was added in place of the former dance series requirement to encourage creativity and a more artistic use of dance. The dance passage requires gymnasts to include two Group 1 elements – one a leap with legs in cross or side split position, the other a superior element.
In competitive cheer, the penalty for going over the time limit in each round was adjusted to one penalty point for every second over the time limit, not to exceed 15 points. The new time limit rule is more lenient than the past penalty, which subtracted points based on ranges of time over the limit.
The 2022-23 Winter campaign culminates with postseason tournaments, as the championship schedule begins with the Upper Peninsula Girls & Boys Swimming & Diving Finals on Feb. 18 and wraps up with the Boys Basketball Finals on March 25. Here is a complete list of winter tournament dates:
Boys Basketball
Districts – March 6, 8, 10
Regionals – March 13, 15
Quarterfinals – March 21
Semifinals – March 23-24
Finals – March 25
Girls Basketball
Districts – Feb. 27, March 1, 3
Regionals – March 7, 9
Quarterfinals – March 14
Semifinals – March 16-17
Finals – March 18
Bowling
Regionals – Feb. 24-25
Finals – March 3-4
Competitive Cheer
District – Feb. 17-18
Regionals – Feb. 25
Finals – March 2-3
Gymnastics
Regionals – March 4
Finals – March 10-11
Ice Hockey
Regionals – Feb. 20-March 1
Quarterfinals – March 4
Semifinals – March 9-10
Finals – March 11
Skiing
Regionals – Feb. 13-17
Finals – Feb. 27
Swimming & Diving
Upper Peninsula Girls/Boys Finals – Feb. 18
Lower Peninsula Boys Diving Regionals – March 2
Lower Peninsula Boys Finals – March 10-11
Wrestling – Team
Districts – Feb. 8-9
Regionals – Feb. 15
Finals – Feb. 24-25
Wrestling – Individual
Districts – Feb. 11
Regionals – Feb. 18
Finals – March 3-4
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.3 million spectators each year.