Notre Dame Prep Takes Final Cheer Step
March 1, 2014
By Dean Holzwarth
Special for Second Half
GRAND RAPIDS – Redemption was sweet for the Pontiac Notre Dame Prep competitive cheer team.
The Fighting Irish finished runners-up at last year’s Division 3 Final, but topped the eight-team field Saturday at The DeltaPlex and collected the program’s first MHSAA title.
Notre Dame Prep, making its fifth appearance at the Finals, registered a three-round total of 764.04.
Comstock Park placed runner-up with a 759.68, while Grosse Ile (749.69) was third. Two-time reigning champion Richmond (735.46) finished fourth.
“This feels great because the kids have done nothing but work every minute for this since this time last year,” Notre Dame Prep coach Beth Campbell said. “They made up their minds that we were going to come back and win this year and they did just that. Once you get that close, you want the rest, and they were awesome.”
Notre Dame Prep senior Maggie Crowe said the team used last year’s narrow loss to Richmond as motivation.
“This is probably the best feeling I’ve ever experienced in all of high school,” Crowe said. “We worked our butts off for 10 months, and everything we wanted to come true came true today.
“To come close last year, it was a ridiculous source of drive. It was a fueling fire, and we remembered how that felt.”
Fellow senior Lauren Sadowski admired the shiny medal that signified the team’s major accomplishment.
“I’m at a loss for words right now of how amazing this feels to be able to look at this gold medal in my hand and know that it’s mine,” Sadowski said. “Everything we have in our school says, ‘runner-up’, and it is so gratifying to see that it is going to change to ‘state champs.”
Comstock Park recorded its fourth runner-up finish in the last seven years under longtime coach Kathy Felty. The Panthers won MHSAA titles in 2009 and 2011.
“The girls performed great today,” Felty said. “We had new uniforms and they looked awesome, and this was a very talented team with a lot of heart.
“People look and see them crying, but we’re happy with how we did and they’re crying because it’s the last time they will be able to do this with the group together.”
The push for the championship turned into a three-team race after the opening round.
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep tallied a score of 229.9 to grab the early lead, while Grosse Ile (226.5) and Comstock Park (226.4) were within striking distance.
“Our goal in Round 1 was to come out and set the tone,” Campbell said. “It was great to see us up three right after Round 1.”
The Fighting Irish increased the advantage in Round 2, posting a high score of 223.84.
The Panthers recorded the second-highest score (220.88) and moved into second, while the Red Devils slipped to third.
Comstock Park delivered a stirring Round 3 effort and scored a 312.4, putting the pressure squarely on Notre Dame Prep to duplicate.
The Fighting Irish responded with a 310.3 to secure the title.
“I think we outscored everybody, but we just couldn’t make up that six points,” Felty said. “But we had three freshmen and a sophomore out there, so we’re happy about that.”
PHOTOS: (Top) New MHSAA Division 3 champion Pontiac Notre Dame Prep performs its Round 2 routine Saturday. (Middle) Comstock Park scored 312.4 points in Round 3 to finish runner-up. (Click for action and team photos from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
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.)