Westwood's Aces Finish with Four
June 21, 2012
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Neither Megan Manninen nor Berkley LaFreniere had seen their complete body of work all in one place before coach Jared Koski laid it out on a table at Ishpeming Westwood’s girls golf team banquet earlier this month.
Standing tall among a number of accolades were four MHSAA Finals championship trophies.
“It was exciting. It was the first time I really saw them all together,” LaFreniere said. “It’s a great accomplishment. Coming into high school, I didn’t think anything of (being able to do) it.”
Only a few have achieved that feat. It’s the fourth such streak in 35 years of the Upper Peninsula Girls Finals.
But what makes this one stand out is that the championships came across two divisions – the Upper Peninsula is split into three – with Westwood, a school of roughly 350 students, winning three in Division 2 and the fourth in Division 1 against schools with two and three times more students.
The first three titles were won by nearly the same group of players. Three new ones filled in this spring. And the constants on all four were Manninen and LaFreniere, the recipients of Second Half's final High 5s of 2011-12.
Three times – in 2009, 2011 and this season – Manninen was medalist. This spring, she won with an 87, while LaFreniere finished second with a 90.
They’ve been good friends since first grade and grew closer still when both started playing more basketball together during sixth. Manninen was the Patriots’ 5-foot-4 point guard during the winter, and LaFreniere, at 5-9, was one of her post players.
LaFreniere also played No. 1 doubles in the fall as Westwood's tennis team won its third-straight MHSAA Finals in that sport. And Manninen has signed to play hoops next season at Lake Superior State University.
“Golf is a game where you’re out there alone. You either get it or you don’t … and they’re used to that pressure,” said Koski, who also is Manninen’s uncle. “They’re competitive, and academically also, fighting for grades and standing in their class and in (National) Honors Society. They are a little more seasoned.”
Despite a season often affected by weather – Koski said his players usually don’t get outside until April, and the Finals this spring were May 31 and June 1 – Manninen and LaFreniere both averaged 45.3 strokes for nine holes.
And Manninen continued her strong play despite missing nearly three weeks of practice while traveling to the University of Michigan hospital to visit another uncle and huge sports supporter, Jamie Reichardt, before he died May 14.
Those hospital trips helped Manninen decide to pursue a degree in pre-med. And that sad event led to one of the most touching stories of this spring’s tournaments. At the Final at Newberry Country Club, Manninen carried in her bag a sleeve of balls that had belonged to her uncle and were labeled with his nickname “Colonel.”
She played the entire 18 holes using just one ball.
“That was some extra motivation,” Manninen said. “I told myself I couldn’t lose that ball.”
Both girls got their golfing starts at Wawonowin Country Club in Champion, about three miles west of Ishpeming – Manninen’s father Kevin manages the course and LaFreniere’s father Paul is a longtime member. The girls grew up playing Marquette County Junior Golf Association events together. Both got their toughest individual competition from each other most of the last few seasons, but neither thought about it that way.
Their performances at the top made a difference throughout the line-up. Koski said the pair would build a 20-stroke lead against the opposing top-two players, which allowed the Patriots’ 3-5 players to work on holding their own instead of facing pressure to put up a low number.
“They drive themselves the best they can,” Koski said. “They’re both good students, and they know how to make good decisions on the course. (And) they don’t like to lose.”
Click to read more about their favorite players and future plans.
PHOTOS: (Top) Ishpeming Westwood's Berkley LaFreniere and Megan Manninen pose after all four of the Patriots' Finals wins in 2009, 2010, 2011 and this spring. (Middle above) LaFreniere finished runner-up at this season's Final at Newberry Country Club. (Middle below) Manninen won her third individual championship this spring, this time shooting an 87. (Bottom) LaFreniere (left) and Manninen pose with their four trophies and various other accolades during the team banquet earlier this month.
Dexter's Manning Takes Next Step, Walker Steps In to Key Mercy 3-Peat
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
October 19, 2024
ALLENDALE – Farmington Hills Mercy brought a senior-laden team with extensive experience to this weekend’s Lower Peninsula Division 2 Final.
However, one senior in particular made the biggest difference during Saturday’s closing round at The Meadows at Grand Valley State.
Senior Emily Walker provided a major contribution in helping Mercy complete a three-peat as the Marlins fended off a late comeback from runner-up Dexter to win by five strokes with a two-day total of 677.
Seniors Maeve Casey and Lila Polakowski led the Marlins as a consistent tandem at the top of the lineup, placing fourth and 20th, respectively, on the individual leaderboard. But Watson, who didn’t play on Friday, proved to be the unsung hero with a second-round 83, the team’s second-best score of the final round and her career-low.
“We have a mix of players, so today we inserted Emily Walker and she had the score of her life,” Mercy coach Vicky Kowalski said. “And that’s why we’re standing here with the three-peat.”
“If she didn’t shoot the round of her life today, then we wouldn't be standing here with a win,” Polakowski added. “We are so thankful that she pulled through here today and continued to support everyone else.”
Casey’s fourth place individual finish came from rounds of 73 and 79. She and Polakowski concluded their careers with a fourth-place team finish as freshmen and three straight wins at the Finals.
“It feels amazing to three-peat, but I’m really proud of the team for battling through the adversity that we had to experience on the course today,” Casey said. “But we got it done, and I’ve had some great experiences the last four years with this team. We’ve meshed really well on and off the course.”
Polakowski finished with a two-day 169, while senior Macy Morphew shot 179 and sophomore Megan Guerrera had a 186.
“It was a crazy day today,” Kowalski said. “The scores were bouncing up and down, and girls were having their good holes and bad holes and at one point we were down by one.
“And then Lowell kinda faded, but then Dexter shot lights out today. We are very fortunate to be able to do this three-peat, and it’s a great team. I've enjoyed coaching these young ladies.”
Mercy led by eight strokes over Lowell after the first round.
“I was feeling pretty good because we still had a lead early, and it got iffy, but I had all the confidence in the world in them and I knew they could do this,” Kowalski said. “They really wanted it, and they came through in the end.”
Polakowski said the team was confident despite the slew of others chasing them.
“We were a little worried because there were a lot of good teams here, but we knew we had the potential,” she said. “We felt like we had the opportunity to win it again, and we had positive vibes coming in.”
Dexter junior Avery Manning claimed the medalist honor with a 1-under-par 141. She finished ahead of Spring Lake’s Zoe Dull, who shot 146.
Manning fired a 3-under-par 69 on Friday and followed with an even-par 72. She placed runner-up at last year’s Final.
“If I came in second last year, then I can’t drop, right?,” Manning said with a small grin. “As a team we knew we had a chance to win, but individually I knew I had to have it. I just tried my best, I didn’t look at the leaderboard at all and I just went with the flow.
“It was just two great rounds overall. I think being able to do well on the same holes as the first day and to be able to tie my score or do better on those holes was important.”
Manning led by four strokes after the opening round.
“I told myself that if I maintained where I was then everything would work out, and it did,” Manning said. “My short game, especially my putting, and my approach shots were key for me.”
Dexter, which entered the final round in third place and 14 strokes back, posted its best finish since winning back-to-back Finals titles in the spring and fall of 2007.
“I think the girls did an amazing job,” said Dreadnaughts coach Greg Palkowksi, whose team placed seventh last year. “They stayed focused the entire 36 holes, and to play like they did today and come back from (Friday) and make up that difference was amazing. I just wanted them to go out and play and have fun and shoot the best they can. It was fun to watch.”
In addition to Manning, Dexter was led by junior Millie Triesdell (174) and freshman Maddy Manning (175).
PHOTOS (Top) Dexter’s Avery Manning sends an approach shot during Saturday’s second round at The Meadows. (Middle) Farmington Hills Mercy’s Macy Morphew watches one of her putts roll toward the hole. (Below) A competitor launches a shot from the sand. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)