'Difference-Maker' Does for D1 Champ
June 6, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
ROCKFORD – Lacrosse often is not a goalie’s game – and especially not when the player defending the net must stop the speedy lime-sized ball flying at her multiple times from point-blank range.
But her teammates were correct Saturday in giving Rockford goalie Katie Elwell the game ball after the top-ranked Rams’ 10-9 win over Bloomfield Hills Marian in the MHSAA Division 1 Final.
After opening up a comfortable 8-1 lead during the first half, Rockford found the net only two more times during the final 33 minutes.
Elwell – who signed as part of the first recruiting class for the new program at Central Michigan University – stopped 11 shots total and allowed only two goals over the final 20 minutes to help the Rams secure their third straight MHSAA championship.
“I don’t credit myself. Everyone stepped up at one point to help us, and especially at the end. We couldn’t have done it without every single girl on that field,” Elwell said.
“It’s hard for me to focus sometimes (while also directing the defense), and I knew I just had to focus in the moment and focus on that ball so that I could make that stop to help my team.”
Rockford is 59-14-1 over its three championship seasons, its best single-season finish of the run this spring at 21-3. Its only losses this spring were twice to Division 2 champion East Grand Rapids and Arrowhead, the top-ranked team in Wisconsin.
The Rams had gotten a look at Marian already this season as well, defeating the second-ranked Mustangs 14-7 at the end of April.
But the Marian looked like two teams over the course of Saturday’s Final.
The Mustangs took a more aggressive attack to Rockford during the second-half run, which included multiple goals by senior Caroline Forester and sophomore Claire Kelly.
Marian turned up the pressure one last time during the final two minutes, but two key plays by freshman Brooklyn Neumen and a clutch save made the final score stand.
Neumen first caused a turnover on her team’s side of the field. Marian senior Olivia Hargrave-Thomas stole the ball at 1:24 to regain possession for her team. Elwell turned away what could’ve been the game-tying shot by Forester with only 55 seconds to play. With 36 seconds left, Neumen won a jumpball to the front right of the Rockford goal and sprinted downfield to run off most of the remaining time before her teammates took care of the rest.
“Katie, we talked to her about that before the game, and I was just talking to her about that now too: ‘Let’s be the difference-maker today,’” Rockford coach Mike Emery said. “We wanted her to be the difference-maker, and she definitely was.”
Junior Grace Gunneson and senior Alexandra Vandermolen both scored three goals for Rockford, and Vandermolen also had an assist. She scored the Rams’ final goal four minutes into the second half to give them a 10-7 edge.
Senior Hannah Lievois also was up to the championship task in net, making eight saves for Marian. The Mustangs were making their second appearance in an MHSAA Final and also finished runner-up in 2009. They finished this spring 21-4.
“Once you get down by six or seven goals, against a good team, it’s very hard to make it close. We made a game of it, right to the end,” Marian coach Jamie Francek said.
“I would love to play them again, if we could,” he added. “If it wasn’t for that little period of time in the first half where they got up on us, I think we were the better team most of the game.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Rockford goalie Katie Elwell works to deflect a shot during Saturday’s Division 1 Final. (Middle) Marian’s Caroline Forester splits defenders while bringing the ball upfield.
Missed Junior Season Can't Keep Mercy's Smith from All-Time Greatness
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 18, 2023
Despite the 2020 season being canceled due to COVID-19, Jillian Smith finished her Farmington Hills Mercy career in 2021 with 49 record book listings – and one of the most accomplished careers in MHSAA girls lacrosse history.
Despite not playing a junior season, Smith tallied 340 goals – third-most all-time – and 423 points, good for sixth all-time on that career list. She had 119 goals and 157 total points over 17 games as a senior, and did set the single-game points record with 21 against Canton that spring.
Smith is continuing to star at Michigan.
See below for more recent record book additions for girls lacrosse:
Girls Lacrosse
Grandville’s Madeline Kreiger was added to the single-game goals list twice last spring, both times for seven goals. The then-sophomore scored seven in her team’s 24-5 win over Lowell on April 18, 2022, and then seven again in a 20-6 win over Jenison on April 25.
A trio of Hartland standouts earned record book listings for their accomplishments in 2022. Then-junior Ava Gilardone was added twice for seven goals in a game and for 69 goals and 87 points for the season. Madeline Turcotte, also a junior last spring, was added for eight goals in a game, five assists in another, and 59 goals, 44 assists and 103 points for the season. Senior Tessa Chuba was added for seven goals in a game twice, 83 goals and 104 points for the season and also 50 goals in 2021. Senior Rebecca Schaller was added for a 2021 junior-year achievement, when she posted 188 saves, good to tie for eighth all-time.
Bloomfield Hills now-junior Ella Lucia earned five record book entries during the 2022 season, including for six goals and 12 total points in a June 1 game against Birmingham United. She also made the single-game assists list with five in an April 11 game against Clarkston, the single-season goals list with 50 and the single-season points list with 89 over 20 games. Now-senior teammate Ilana Watson also was added for five assists in a game twice, and now-junior goalie Sydney Butler made the single-season saves list with 165 across 21 games.
Several standouts helped Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central reach the Division 2 Regional Finals last spring, including four who made the record book. Now-senior Gabby Hendricks had 111 points and earned seven listings total including for 69 goals and 42 assists. Also now a senior, Shannon Murphy earned six entries including for 68 goals and 101 points, and Julia Brown earned three entries including for 78 goals and 92 points in her final season. Another senior this school year, goalie Tori Bates, was added for her 18 saves in a 21-16 win over Grand Rapids Catholic Central. Brown is playing at Hope College, Murphy has committed to Marquette University, Hendricks has committed to Jacksonville University, and Bates has committed to George Mason University.
Stella Bottum capped her Caledonia career last spring with four record book entries. She made the single-season goals list with 76 – including eight in one game – and the career goals list with 134 over 48 games and three seasons (due to the cancelation of 2020). She also made the single-season points list with 90. She’s playing at Aquinas College.
Warren Regina’s Holly Watson earned seven record book entries last spring, including for 175 saves over 12 games – which is tied for 13th-most all-time. She had a season-high of 27 against Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett on April 25, which is tied for second most in one game. She’s a senior this school year.
Jenna Allie finished her two-season varsity career at Dearborn Divine Child last spring with her second scoring 68 goals – and she also made the single-season points list with 93 over 19 games. Allie’s 136 career goals also earned a record book entry, and her scoring last season contributed significantly to Divine Child making the team single-season goals list with 274. Additionally, then-senior teammate Sam Stevens was added for 15 goal saves against Bloomfield Hills last May 16. Allie is continuing her career at Siena Heights.
Amanda Granader capped her career last spring by leading Brighton to the Division 1 championship, and she made the MHSAA record book 18 times – including for career goals and points again despite the 2020 season being canceled. She made the single-game goals list several times including with a high of 10 last April 30 against Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central. Her 113 goals last spring rank 10th, and her 118 as a junior are eighth on that list – as are her 259 over three seasons. Granader’s 322 points for her career rank 11th all-time.
Lansing Catholic’s Leah Reid is cruising into the elite of scoring all-time in this sport, and entered this season with nine record-book entries. She had at least seven goals in a game six times and finished last season with 89 goals over 20 games. She also made the single-season points list with 106 total as a junior.
PHOTO Farmington Hills Mercy's Jillian Smith directs the attack during her team's 2021 Semifinal against Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood. (Photo courtesy of Detroit News.)