Consistency Reigns as Northville, Okemos' Li Top Division 1 Finals Fields
By
Scott DeCamp
Special for MHSAA.com
October 19, 2024
BIG RAPIDS – Twenty-two years ago, Northville’s Kate (MacDonald) Schultz earned the medalist honor at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 Girls Golf Final with Trish Murray as her head coach.
Schultz and Murray were side-by-side again Saturday, both as coaches, for another historic feat by the Northville program. Their Mustangs exhibited uncanny consistency in cruising to the Division 1 championship at Ferris State University’s Katke Golf Course.
“Truly special. (Murray) was my mentor, she was my high school coach 20-some years ago. It’s nice to be back here winning a state championship with her,” Schultz said.
All of Northville’s top four scorers posted two-day totals of 162 to tie for eighth individually and finish with a team score of 648 to clear runner-up Caledonia (692) by 44 shots. It was the Mustangs’ first Finals championship since 2021, when they capped a run of four straight.
Okemos senior Alena Li also displayed incredible consistency over the weekend with a pair of 73s en route to the medalist honor.
“I have no words right now …,” Schultz said with an incredulous laugh when asked to describe winning her first title as a head coach. “Kind of speechless.”
Murray interjected: “Ecstatic, ecstatic.”
“Excited,” Schultz continued. “We knew they could do it, but now that it’s happened, it’s real.”
Senior Sanya Singhal, sophomore Naaz Gill, and freshmen McKenzie Stevens and Cam Baker were in virtual lockstep for Northville. On Friday and Saturday, respectively, Singhal, Stevens, and Baker shot 80-82, respectively, while Gill went 82-80 in that order over the two days.
Romeo freshman Tula Puzzuoli finished second individually (150) and Caledonia senior Copelin O’Krangley took third (152). Rochester senior Madison Yang and junior Ananya Kumar were fourth (157) and fifth (160), respectively. Grand Ledge senior Isabel Kelly and Grand Blanc senior Sadie Kondel tied for sixth (161).
“I’m super excited to win the state championship. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and I’m so proud of myself for being able to get it done,” said the left-handed Li, who in June won the Michigan Junior Girls’ State Amateur Championship.
Li’s fired three birdies during Friday’s round and two more Saturday on the way to her 2-over-par 146 overall score for the weekend.
Like Northville, it was all about consistency for Li.
“I think I was just trying to stay consistent and focused throughout my rounds since it’s a long round as well,” Li said. “Just focusing on each shot and what I wanted to do on each hole, and I was able to stay focused and consistent with my play. Trying to keep everything in the fairway and then just trying to hit the green and trying to set myself up for some birdie opportunities.
“I think winning some tournaments in the summer gave me a lot of confidence coming into the high school season. I was really confident with my game, and I was feeling good and it’s super exciting to win states for my senior season.”
As one of two senior captains on the Northville team, Singhal was “overjoyed” to finish her high school career in grand fashion. Singhal stressed the fact that every shot matters, and that’s how the Mustangs played throughout their special season.
It was all about the mindset, according to Murray.
“That was the one thing we really said, going in, we really wanted to think about, ‘Hey, let’s play like we’re down five. Never let up. Just grind it out, battle, keep it going, and just try to finish strong, and widen that margin,’” said Murray, who was Northville’s first girls golf coach when the program launched in 1991. She stepped down from coaching in 2004 after retiring from the school district.
Speaking of history and the 2002 season, that was the year Caledonia claimed its Division 2 title. This weekend marked the highest finish for the Fighting Scots since that season.
“There is a little bit of unbelievability just because we knew that we could play this way, but the fact that they showed up and actually did it is just total excitement – sadness that it’s over, but I’m just so proud of these girls,” Caledonia coach Veronica Van Wagoner said. “I’m really, really proud of them.”
Macomb Dakota finished third (703) as a team, 2022 and 2023 champ Rochester Adams was fourth (704), and Okemos fifth (711) to round out the top five squads.
Singhal believes the Northville program’s success comes down to coaching. She said the Mustangs’ practices are very good, and the coaches have a knack for delivering effective pep talks.
Those things instill confidence in the team, said Singhal, who could not have drawn up a better finish to her high school career.
“I’m so excited,” she said. “For the last four years, I’ve always wanted to be a part of this, so I’m so glad that we ended it off like this.”
In Schultz’s opinion, it’s all about the Mustangs’ players, who never let the coaches down.
In Schultz’s words, they showed grit and determination. They took what they wanted and by large margins throughout the season.
“Our two captains, seniors, really led the team well. One of them was in the top (eight). Two freshmen and a sophomore being in the top (eight) is unheard of,” said Schultz, in her third year as head coach. “I look forward to continue building that tradition, and hopefully we can get four more in a row. That would be great.”
PHOTOS (Top) Northville’s Sanya Singhal lines up a putt during Friday’s first round at Katke at Ferris State. (Middle) Okemos' Alena Li. (Below) A competitor chips out of the Katke sand. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
Cougars' Third Title 'A Lot More Special'
October 20, 2012
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
EAST LANSING – Every championship effort is not created equal.
The last two seasons, Lansing Catholic cruised to MHSAA Finals wins of 38 and 63 strokes, respectively. In 2010, the Cougars placed all five players among the top eight individuals, and last year they put four among the top 10.
But only three of those high placers remained this season. And that made Saturday’s third-straight Division 4 title special for additional reasons.
Lansing Catholic shot a two-day 658 at Michigan State’s Forest Akers West to finish 64 strokes ahead of runner-up Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Central. Those three players again placed among the top 10 – junior Jacqueline Setas second, senior Janie Fineis third and senior Dani Crilley tied for fourth. Lansing Catholic also got a score each from fourth player Mary Beth Maddalena and fifth player Lauren Burnett, both juniors.
“Last year, we had four players who could all shoot in the 70s. This year, we had to have a (number) four that really needed to work hard and count her score,” Setas said. “That made (winning) a lot more special.
“We just had to make sure they worked hard day in and day out. I just like to have fun at practice, (so) it was just easy.”
After dominating the last two regular seasons as well, Lansing Catholic loaded its schedule this fall with tough opponents from every division – and nearly dominated in the same fashion.
Only Division 1 champion Plymouth and 2011 Division 1 champion Grosse Pointe South finished ahead of the Cougars in events this season.
Lansing Catholic led by 37 strokes after Friday's round, but that didn't allow coach Mary Schafer any relief. Only at the end did it come pouring out.
“I’m not a crier, believe it or not, but something just took over,” a tearful Schafer said. “It’s very tough to be the target of everybody.
“I think I was pacing out there at 17. I think I wore a line into the mud. And then with the playoff, I thought it was one of the longest 18 holes I’ve ever had.”
Before the Cougars could claim that third MHSAA team trophy, their best had to play one more hole.
Setas and Muskegon Catholic Central senior Aya Johnson both shot 153 over the two rounds, Johnson with a 73 after firing an 80 on Friday. The two close friends and frequent summer opponents had to face off once more in a sudden-death tie-breaker.
Both hit their drives off West’s No. 1 into a group of trees on the right. But Johnson’s shot found a friendlier tree, and she ended up with a clean approach that she finished for par. Setas ended with a bogey and finished second.
“I was really nervous because I had a playoff hole sophomore year too, and I totally blew it,” said Johnson, who fell in a playoff to Caro’s Bailey Cockerill at the 2010 Final. “I hit my tee shot right and I was thinking, ‘Oh no, now I have to punch out.’ But I guess I hit a tree and it ended up in the middle of the fairway, so that was kinda good.
"I was excited because I had a tough day (Friday) and I needed to come back, and I did.”
Frankenmuth senior Kaitlyn Watkins, first individually after Friday’s round, finished tied with Crilley for fourth. Hackett junior Abby Jasiak shot a 180 to miss the top 10 by four strokes, and senior Abby Radomsky missed by six. But all five of the Fighting Irish shot 198 or lower for the tournament, and that balance allowed them to edge third-place Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian by three strokes.
All three top finishers graduate top players and significant chunks of their line-ups. But Setas didn’t take more than a few minutes to start thinking ahead to 2013.
“Three straight, it’s great, but I want to win one more if possible,” Setas said. “It’ll be hard because we’ll have a ton of new people from the junior varsity. But we’ll overcome it, hopefully.”
Also of note, Imlay City's Hannah Campbell scored a hole-in-one on No. 7. An individual qualifier, she finished the tournament with a two-day 216.
PHOTO: (Top) Lansing Catholic's Jacqueline Setas (left) and Kalamazoo Hackett's Abby Radomsky line up a putt during Saturday's final round. The Cougars finished first and the Fighting Irish runner-up. (Middle) Muskegon Catholic Central's Aya Johnson finished as the individual champion after defeating Setas in a one-hole tie-breaker. (Below) Hannah Campbell views her scorecard, which includes a notation for her hole-in-one. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
