Hackett Reaches Champion's Expectation
October 18, 2014
By Dean Holzwarth
Special to Second Half
ALLENDALE – Members of Kalamazoo Hackett’s girls golf team noticed the winter hats right away Friday night while shopping at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Grandville.
“We all wanted to match,” senior Carrie Radomsky said. “We sprinted toward them when we saw them.”
The stylish hats were needed on a frigid afternoon at The Meadows at Grand Valley State University, and they coincided with the Fighting Irish’s balanced play on the course.
Kalamazoo Hackett claimed its first MHSAA Finals title on Saturday with a dominating showing at the Lower Peninsula Division 4 championship tournament.
The Fighting Irish tallied a two-round score of 690 and defeated runner-up Harbor Springs (724) by 34 strokes.
Macomb Lutheran North placed third at 728.
“It means a lot,” fourth-year Kalamazoo Hackett coach Alan Radomsky said. “I was lucky when I came in four years ago that it already was a strong program. The players made the decision not only to be a good program, but they wanted to be great and do the best that they could.
“I believe if you set high expectations for kids, they love that, and these girls basically accepted that challenge. They practice hard every day, and they have fun every day. These girls have earned everything because of the amount of effort and work they put in.”
The Fighting Irish, who closed with a 341 in the final round, had two girls finish among the individual top 10.
Carrie Radomsky (87-82-169) tied for seventh, while junior Lizzie Stull (87-84-171) tied for ninth.
“This is so special,” Carrie Radomsky said. “I’m so happy to be able to win with my team, and this is the best team I could ask for to win a state championship with.
“At the beginning of the year we knew that we had a good chance to win state, and that has made it that much more special.”
Stull, the team’s No. 1 player, struggled on the front nine Saturday, but turned it around by shooting 1-over on the back.
“I realized that I needed to pull it together for my team because I wanted to make them proud, and I wanted to win a state championship,” Stull said. “I was playing for them and not myself. I know that it was hard conditions, but I’m so proud of everyone and everyone played really well.”
The remainder of the squad consisted of junior Rebecca Radomsky, senior Erinn Scott and sophomore Naomi Keyte.
Alan Radomsky was thrilled to share the feat with his two daughters on the squad.
“It’s incredibly special,” he said. “When the job came open, I didn’t want to coach. I thought they could learn more from someone else, and I could just be a parent.
“But I took (the job), and it ended up being the best experience I’ve ever had with anything I’ve done.”
Harbor Springs recorded its best Finals finish in school history. Senior Abbey Detmar made a fantastic comeback from a first-round 90 and carded a tournament-low 75 to place third overall.
“We strongly felt that we had a shot at it,” Harbor Springs coach Pete Kelbel said. “Coming out of regionals we had the lowest score of all the teams, so I thought coming down here that we were a legitimate contender for the title.
“We knew the history of Kalamazoo Hackett, so we’re not disappointed to lose to them. I’m very proud of the girls for runner-up and very happy.”
Maple City Glen Lake sophomore Nichole Cox captured individual honors.
Cox earned medalist with a 159 after rounds of 83 and 76. She edged Farwell’s Bria Colosky (83-77-160) by one stroke.
“I just wanted to do better than Friday and stay focused,” Cox said. “My goal coming in was to win, and when I looked at everyone who was playing, I thought I had a chance.”
Cox registered three birdies in her final round, and her only hiccup was a double-bogey on the last hole.
“That stunk, but I was still OK,” Cox said. “I was a little worried after that because I didn’t know how far ahead I was.”
Cox said an improved putting stroke and consistency from the fairway helped propel her to the top of the leader board.
“All of my putts were going in until that last hole, and I was getting on the greens in regulation,” she said. “I also hit my driver straighter.
“I don’t think I’ve comprehended all of this yet, but I’m very happy.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Kalamazoo Hackett had been a contender in the past, but claimed its first MHSAA title Saturday. (Middle) Maple City Glen Lake sophomore Nichole Cox follows through on a putt on the way to winning the individual title. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com).
Standout Pair Cards Personal Bests to Lead Mercy's Repeat Title Charge
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
October 21, 2023
EAST LANSING – Farmington Hills Mercy might have had a lead going into the second round of the Lower Peninsula Division 2 Girls Golf Final at Forest Akers East, but longtime head coach Vicky Kowalski had quite a quandary.
Kowalski didn’t have her No. 1 player, junior Maeve Casey, available to play.
Casey shot a team-best 73 and was in second place individually after the first day, but wasn’t even in the state for the second day.
“She’s a Triple AAA hockey player for Little Caesars,” Kowalski said. “She got on a plane last night to go to a hockey tournament (in Minnesota). We had to put a sub in.”
But not even not having its top player couldn’t stop Mercy from achieving some program history.
Thanks to other players stepping up, Mercy won its fourth Finals title overall and repeated as champion for the first time in Kowalski’s 47 years as head coach.
The Marlins finished with a two-day score of 636, 17 shots ahead of Catholic League rival Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood.
Mason was third with 657.
The Marlins entered the day with an 8-shot lead over Cranbrook. The Mercy player who made up for the loss of Casey the most was senior Abby Slankster, who shot a 2-under-par round of 70, a round Kowalski said was her all-time best.
Kowalski said junior Macy Morphew also shot her best score, contributing an 81 to the cause.
Junior Lila Polakowski shot a 79 and senior Brinley Nay added an 89 for Mercy during the second round.
“I’m just so happy that our girls played so well today,” Kowalski said.
In outlasting Cranbrook, Mercy capped off a season that featured a lot of back-and-forth between the two teams.
“Some of the tournaments we went to, we’d be ahead, and some they’d be ahead,” Kowalski said.
Cranbrook moved up to Division 2 this year after winning the Division 3 championship in 2021 and finishing runner-up last year.
Sophomore Sydney Behnke led Cranbrook with a two-day total of 156 (75-81), while senior Mackenzie Behnke was right behind at 157 (79-78).
“When we moved up to D2, we thought we would be able to compete,” Cranbrook head coach John Minnich said. “We did compete. It was not the finish we hoped for. Mercy beat us at the Catholic League championship, and they beat us at Regionals. They’ve been just a little bit better than us all year.
“I’m really proud of my team. They played great.”
Also playing great was Coopersville senior Lauren Davis, who was the medalist with identical scores of 70 for a two-day total of 140 in chilly and rainy conditions.
Davis finished four shots ahead of Dexter sophomore Avery Manning.
“My putting was super solid,” Davis said. “That was the biggest help for me.”
Davis capped off her career winning it all after finishing fifth last year.
“My state tournaments have been weird,” she said. “My first year we had only one day (because of a COVID-19 format change). My second states’ year I was playing great and was at the top, but then on my third-to-last hole I had a 10. Last year, I had one bad round. It’s good to put it all together this year.”
PHOTOS (Top) Farmington Hills Mercy's Abby Slankster drives during Saturday's second round at the Lower Peninsula Division 2 Final. (Middle) Coopersville's Lauren Davis celebrates her medalist honor. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)