Preview: Among Championship Drives, Spotlight to Shine on Historic Pursuit
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 17, 2024
Four seasons of excellence have put Ann Arbor Greenhills senior Mia Melendez in position to make MHSAA girls golf history this weekend.
By capping her high school career with one more Finals individual championship, she would become the first in Lower Peninsula history to finish with four titles – and the fourth statewide to accomplish the feat, joining Marquette’s Kendra Palmer (1996-99) and Carley Saint-Onge (2008-11) and Escanaba’s Paxton Johnson (2016-19).
Of course, she’s only one of several standouts playing across four sites this weekend, as all four 2023 team champions are back and ranked among the favorites in their respective divisions.
Play begins both Friday and Saturday at 10 a.m., and live scoring is available through iWanamaker. See the Girls Golf page for programs for all four divisions. Below is a glance at several team and individual contenders:
LP Division 1 at Katke at Ferris State
Top-ranked: 1. Northville, 2. Okemos, 3. Rochester Adams.
Rochester Adams has won the last two Division 1 championships, with Brighton (ranked No. 6 entering this Final) runner-up both years. Northville claimed four straight titles from 2018-21 and is expected back in the mix after finishing sixth a year ago, and Okemos is seeking its first championship coming off an eighth-place finish in 2023.
Northville: The Mustangs carded a 319 at Polo Fields in Ann Arbor last week to win their Regional by 39 strokes. They graduated three of last year’s lineup but have only one senior this time and added standout freshmen Cam Baker and McKenzie Stevens, who finished first and second, respectively, at the Regional. Senior Sanya Singhal and sophomore Naaz Gill are the two returning golfers from last year’s Final, and they tied for fifth at the Regional.
Okemos: The Wolves are coming off a runner-up Regional finish to league rival Grand Ledge, but carded a solid 329 at Michigan State’s Forest Akers East while led by senior medalist Alena Li and freshman co-runner-up Anika Srivastava. Li posted a 64 and has put up similarly eye-popping scores all season, and she enters having finished seventh at last year’s Final, tied for sixth in 2022 and tied for ninth in 2021. Li is the only senior but is joined by sophomore Emma O’Shea from last year’s lineup.
Rochester Adams: Led by junior medalist Hannah Wang, Adams also was a Regional runner-up last week, trailing No. 4 Clarkston at Prestwick Village in Highland Township. She is joined by senior Peyton Sage as returning golfers from last year’s championship lineup, and senior Alexa Camargo also has championship experience as she and Wang split rounds during the 2022 Final. Junior Brianna Park carded the Highlanders’ next-lowest score at the Regional, tying for eighth.
Individuals: Last season’s top five finishers graduated, but five of the next six from the top 10 (including a tie) will be back this weekend. Plymouth junior Annie Flavin is the highest returning placer after coming in sixth a year ago, when she was followed by Li, and Caledonia senior Coplin O’Krangley and Grand Ledge senior Isabel Kelly, who tied each other for 10th. Li, Northville’s Baker and Wang from Adams were joined last week among Regional champions by O’Krangley, Brownstown Woodhaven senior Adilynn Rushlow and Rochester senior Madison Yang. Kelly was co-runner-up behind Li at Forest Akers East.
LP Division 2 at The Meadows at Grand Valley State
Top-ranked: 1. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 2. Farmington Hills Mercy, 3. Dexter.
Mercy is coming off two straight championships and finished 17 strokes better than runner-up Cranbrook a year ago. The Cranes most recently were Division 3 champions in 2021, and they also finished Division 3 runners-up in 2022. Dexter’s three Finals championships all came within four seasons from 2004-Spring 2007, and the Dreadnaughts are coming of a seventh-place finish from last season.
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood: Despite graduating three starters from last year’s Finals top five, Cranbrook has risen to the challenge and won last week’s Regional at Farmington Hills Golf Club by three strokes ahead of Mercy – jumping the Cranes from No. 6 in the rankings to No. 1. Junior Sydney Behnke was Cranbrook’s low scorer at last year’s Final, tying for ninth, and she was the medalist at Farmington Hills GC. Junior Harriet Cortez also was part of last year’s Finals lineup and finished 15th at last week’s Regional.
Farmington Hills Mercy: The Marlins have been ranked as high as No. 2 this season with a lineup including four seniors and three who were part of last year’s championship five – Maeve Casey, Lila Polakowski and Macy Morphew. Casey and Polakowski were also part of the 2022 Finals lineup as Casey finished fourth individually for the team champ. Polakowski was fifth and Casey seventh to lead the Regional runner-up finish last week.
Dexter: The Dreadnaughts reached No. 1 in the Sept. 30 Division 2 rankings and then won their Regional at Coldwater Golf Course by 12 strokes ahead of No. 6 Mason. Junior Avery Manning led that effort finishing as medalist, with freshman Maddy Manning seventh and junior Millie Truesdell tied for eighth. Avery Manning was the Finals runner-up last season, four strokes back, and she and Truesdell also are joined by seniors Eleni Michos and Sophia Dettling from last year’s lineup.
Individuals: Only three from last season’s top 10 are back this weekend – Manning, Behnke and Richland Gull Lake junior Charlotte Boudeman, who tied for seventh in 2023. But also joining the field is Spring Lake senior Zoe Dull, who finished co-runner-up in Division 3 a year ago. Several more upperclassmen appear ready to contend as well. Joining Manning and Behnke as Regional champs were Cadillac senior Samantha VanBrocklin, Mattawan senior Charlotte Stenger (one stroke ahead of Boudeman), Dearborn Divine Child senior Erin McCormick and Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern junior Chaille Payne.
LP Division 3 at Battle Creek’s Bedford Valley
Top-ranked: 1. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 2. Goodrich, 3. Grand Rapids Christian.
Grand Rapids Catholic Central won its first Finals championship in this sport last season, and now the Cougars are expected to extend their streak to two – or at least be the start of a trend. Goodrich is expected to be in the mix for what would be a first championship in this sport; its best Finals finish was second place in Division 3 in 2015. Those two teams have held down the top two spots in the rankings all season. Grand Rapids Christian missed qualifying for the Final by placing fourth at its Regional, but No. 4 Williamston did advance and also is seeking its first championship in this sport – and finished runner-up a year ago.
Grand Rapids Catholic Central: The Cougars carded a 317 at Pigeon Creek in West Olive to win their Regional by 34 strokes. They graduated only one golfer from last season’s Finals lineup, and the four returnees were joined by senior Claire Sullivan at the Regional as all five finished among the top seven – Sullivan and juniors Kelsey Preston and Margaret Deimel all tied for second, junior Sofia Piccione tied for fifth and senior Ava Wisinski finished seventh. Wisinski tied for sixth and Preston tied for eighth at last season’s Final
Goodrich: The Martians are hoping to take a jump from eighth place last season and return their top four golfers from last year’s Finals lineup. They won their Regional at Heather Hills in Romeo by 10 strokes with those four from last season the low scorers – senior Sanora Kochan placed second, junior Madilyn Sheerin third, sophomore Brooklyn Webb seventh and junior Hailey Madill 11th. Kochan missed the top 10 at last year’s Final by one stroke.
Williamston: The Hornets actually carded the low score of the second round at last year’s Final to pull within 12 strokes of catching Catholic Central, cutting 19 from their Friday total. They made it back to championship weekend thanks to four top-20 Regional performances and three among the top 14 by golfers from last season’s lineup – sophomore Paige Radebach was the medalist at Wolf Creek in Adrian, while senior Nicole Schafer was co-runner-up and senior Athena Hart tied for 14th. Schafer was fourth individually at last year’s Final.
Individuals: Six of last season’s top 10 are back, led by Grand Rapids Christian junior Lillian O’Grady, who tied for second in 2023 and won the Regional at Pigeon Creek last week with a 72. In addition to her, Schafer, Wisinski and Preston, Dowagiac senior Rebecca Guernsey tied for eighth and Macomb Lutheran North senior Saige Rothey placed 10th last season. Guernsey and Rothey also won their Regionals last week, as did Ada Forest Hills Eastern junior Stella Bernhardt and Freeland sophomore Alexis Heinz.
LP Division 4 at Michigan State’s Forest Akers West
Top-ranked: 1. Kalamazoo Christian, 2. Lansing Catholic, 3. Ann Arbor Greenhills.
Kalamazoo Christian and Lansing Catholic decided last season’s championship, with Lansing Catholic taking its first Finals title since 2012. The runner-up finish was Christian’s highest, and if rankings hold true they’ll take the next step this weekend. Greenhills finished fourth last season and also is seeking its first team championship. The Gryphons’ best Finals finish in girls golf was runner-up in Division 3 in 2006.
Kalamazoo Christian: The Comets cut 17 strokes between Rounds 1 and 2 last season to finish 26 behind Lansing Catholic but one ahead of third-place Brooklyn Columbia Central. Now-senior Jordyn Bonnema finished sixth individually as one of four juniors who posted scores for K-Christian that weekend, and those four were the team’s scorers again at last week’s Regional at Heritage Glen in Paw Paw as the Comets outpaced Lansing Catholic by 14 strokes. Senior Scarlett Hindbaugh was the medalist, Bonnema was one stroke back, senior Kennedy Gernaat was two strokes back in third, and senior Ella Adams placed 14th.
Lansing Catholic: As noted just above, Lansing Catholic finished second last week to Kalamazoo Christian at their Regional, with senior Brynn Anderson fourth, senior Julia Sambaer seventh and junior Addi Rule eighth and all five golfers among the top 15. Those three all carded scores at last year’s Final as well, led by Anderson finishing 12th individually.
Ann Arbor Greenhills: Most eyes will be on Melendez and her pursuit of individual and team history. But she will hardly be alone in that latter effort. The Gryphons also return senior Hannah Lee and sophomore Kayla Young from last season’s fourth-place Finals lineup, and those two finished 11th and tied for 16th, respectively, at the Regional at Links of Novi as Melendez was medalist with a 64. Lee was 11th at the Final last year as well.
Individuals: If Melendez is to win a fourth championship, she’ll have to overcome the strongest returning field of this weekend’s tournaments as six of last year’s top eight in this division are back. Brooklyn Columbia Central senior Logan Bentley finished runner-up and only two strokes off the lead last year and is coming off a Regional title at Cascades in Jackson, and Traverse City St. Francis’ Grace Slocum was fourth last season and won her Regional last week by 14 strokes. Bath senior Anna Schaibly was second at Links of Novi to Melendez and placed eighth at last year’s Final, and Wixom St. Catherine senior Rachel Fay was third at the same Regional and fifth at last year’s Final. Saginaw Valley Lutheran senior Murphy Linehan and Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian senior Ava McConnon both were Regional champions as well.
PHOTO Ann Arbor Greenhills' Mia Melendez follows an approach shot during last season's Lower Peninsula Division 4 Final. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
GR Catholic Central Earns 1st Finals Title, Timpf Claims 3rd Medalist Honor
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
October 21, 2023
ALLENDALE – Adverse weather conditions couldn’t prevent the Grand Rapids Catholic Central girls golf team from making school history.
Despite two days of rain, wind and chilly temperatures, the Cougars overcame the elements to win their first Lower Peninsula Division 3 Final.
Catholic Central shot a 673 at The Meadows at Grand Valley State to win by 12 strokes.
Williamston finished runner-up with a 685, while 2022 champion Macomb Lutheran North (696) was third.
“It’s exciting,” Catholic Central coach Kim Napieralski said. “Just think about it. The boys had their first a couple years ago, and now the girls have their first. We’re on a roll.
“The good news about this weather is I have mudders for players. They don’t care about the conditions as much as some other teams perhaps. It was hard to get through the puddles of water, but they just kept playing.”
Lutheran North senior Lauren Timpf won the medalist honor, claiming her third individual Finals title. She became the seventh golfer in MHSAA Lower Peninsula girls golf history to achieve the feat, carding a 5-under-par 67 to finish with a two-round 141.
The Cougars’ previous best team finish at the Finals was fifth, which happened last year, but they got contributions from across the line-up to prevail.
“It’s been that way all season,” said Napieralski, who returned three of her top four golfers from a year ago. “A couple of girls at the top and then our three, four, five and sometimes even six. It could switch up any day. We go really deep as far as talent across the board.”
Junior Ava Wisinski led the Cougars with a 158 and finished sixth individually.
“I'm just so proud of my teammates," Wisinski said. “We knew it was going to be a challenge when we went into it, but we really stuck it out and it was a good fight.
“It was really wet out there, but I think we did well despite the conditions.”
Sophomore Kelly Preston also placed in the top 10 with a 159, while sophomores Margaret Deimel and Sofia Piccione and senior Katie Cook also played well.
Cook, the team’s lone senior, said it was even sweeter to win in her final tournament.
“I’ve been on the team since my freshman year, and just seeing it grow has been awesome,” Cook said. “We worked so hard to get here. We’ve had a really good season, and our depth is where we shine and we can all put together good scores on any day.
“We came into today thinking we were even with everyone around us. The conditions were awful, and half of it was playing golf, but half the battle was dealing with the conditions out there. It was really hard, but we did it. We were willing to battle through it.”
Catholic Central opened with a 334 and led Lutheran North and Williamston by 18 strokes heading into the final round.
“It was important to play well the first day and it felt good, but we came into today with the mentality that we’re going first day again,” Napieralski said. “We are all even, straight up.”
Timpf fired a first-day 74 and was tied with Spring Lake’s Zoe Dull entering the final 18 holes. Dull and Grand Rapids Christian’s Lillian O’Grady both finished with two-day totals of 149 to tie for second.
“I know I didn’t play my best golf yesterday, and I just really tried to block it out of my head and know that I am capable of going low,” Timpf said. “Since it was my senior year and last high school tournament, it just really meant the world to me to come out here. I've been working all four years to try and accomplish this goal, and to just come back from where I started today and end up winning is super special.”
Timpf recorded a double-bogey on her first hole, but recovered with four straight birdies on the back nine.
“After the first hole I thought that I’m not going to win this if I don't start making some putts,” Timpf said. “I started draining a bunch of birdie putts, especially on the back nine, and that got it going for me.
Williamston was tied with Lutheran North entering Saturday, and the two teams were still knotted on the back nine.
“What my girls did the last hour and a half is kind of a blur to me,” Hornets coach Brian Kent said. “We started making putts, we started making chips and I thought for the first time in school history we are in the top five and might get state runner-up.”
The Hornets shot a 333, the lowest in the final round. This was their first top-two Finals finish.
“I'm proud of my team,” Kent said. “I knew on day one of practice that we had a special team, but this is not what I thought. This course is tough on a good day, let alone with these conditions. We all had to play the same conditions, but they were hitting greens and fairways all day long and that's what saved us.”
Leading the way for Williamston was junior Nicole Schafer, who finished fourth overall with rounds of 77 and 73.
Freshman Paige Radebach and seniors Ellie Thorburn and Allison Kane rounded out the top four.
PHOTOS (Top) Grand Rapids Catholic Central's Ava Wisinski follows a shot during the weekend's LP Divison 3 Final. (Middle) Macomb Lutheran North's Lauren Timpf putts during her run to a third medalist honor. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)