Rockford Adds 6th to Title Streak
June 9, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
GRAND LEDGE – As the rain lifted Saturday afternoon, a third consecutive group of Rockford seniors capped their high school girls lacrosse careers with a fourth straight Division 1 championship.
And then some.
These Rams, led by seniors Brooklyn Neumen and Mekenzie Vander Molen, made their last game perhaps a bit more memorable, setting the MHSAA Finals record for goals in a 25-5 win over Brighton at Grand Ledge High School.
Sophomore Sydney Zimmerman netted her team’s 21st goal with 16:47 to play, that score breaking the record of 20 goals by Okemos in its 2010 Division 2 championship win.
And it was just another accomplishment for a Rockford program that has won six straight Division 1 titles and hasn’t lost to a Michigan opponent since 2016.
“I played with all these girls all though middle school and elementary school; it’s like family, and that’s why I think it’s extra special,” Neumen said. “Everyone on this team, there’s not one person I would say that I wouldn’t love and that I would forget, and I’d love to play with them again if I could. I think it’s kinda sad now that it’s over, but it was a good time.”
The Rams finished 20-2, their only losses to Loyola Academy and New Trier, both of Illinois. Rockford closed with 18 straight victories.
Vander Molen had seven goals and two assists and Neumen scored six and set up two Saturday to both make the list for most goals scored by one player in a Final – Vander Molen’s goals tied for second most. Zimmerman and junior Karrington Vander Molen both added four goals.
Almost more impressive was the defense. Senior Bella VanBuren’s goal 3:45 into the game kept the Bulldogs down just 3-2 – but Rockford gave up only one more score during the first half, and at one point between the end of the first and beginning of the second held Brighton scoreless for more than 17 minutes.
The Rams extended the lead to 10 to start a running clock on a Neumen goal with 12:01 to play in the first half.
“I feel like everyone on our team has that mindset where we want to win, and we want to win by a lot,” Mekenzie Vander Molen said. “We don’t want to have a close game. We just want to go out there as fast as we can, just so we can get more people goals and just have a fun time.”
She and Neumen are two of nine seniors total who played their final high school game – Vander Molen will continue next season at Ohio State University, and Neumen will play next for North Carolina. Another senior, Maggie Hammer, has been among the team’s leading scorers the last two seasons and added two more goals in this finale.
“Some of these kids have been on four championship teams, some on three. Some it was their first, and each and every one of (our championship teams) is special in their own right,” said Rockford coach Mike Emery, whose record improved to 200-43-6 over 11 seasons with the win. “They all have their own culture and their own characteristics, and we start early trying to develop that, trying to get the best out of these kids.”
He pointed to sense of family as one of this team’s special characteristics, and also to its depth throughout the lineup. “We’re going to be back here next year; at least, that’s our plan,” he added. “We’re losing two All-Americans … (but) our plan is to be back here next year because we’ve got some great talent, and we’ll move them around and we’ll find a way.”
Brighton (14-8) intends to be the opponent waiting. The Bulldogs graduate 11 players, but also steered to this championship game despite finishing the regular-season on a 4-4 string and with a coaching change that saw assistant Ashton Peters promoted with three games to go before the playoffs. She led the team to a 6-2 record over the last month.
Peters was on the 2010 Brighton team that fell to Rockford in the Division 1 Final, and also on the 2011 team that won the Division 1 title with an overtime victory over Ann Arbor Pioneer.
“The girls rallied around this coaching staff and just were pumped. They knew we could get here, and that was in our gameplan the entire season,” Peters said. “They have become so disciplined and listen so well now, and so that’s what got us here today. There’s not doubt in my mind that my girls deserved to be here.
“Yes, it was a hard game. Rockford has an incredible program. … (But) what we did to get here paid off, because we got here. Once you get here once, you come back again because you have the drive to get here. And so we’re going to come back, and we’re going to win.”
Click for the full scoring summary.
VIDEO: Mekenzie Vander Molen scores her final high school goal.
PHOTOS: (Top) Rockford’s Brooklyn Neumen works to get past a Brighton defender during Saturday’s Division 1 Final. (Middle) Mekenzie Vander Molen controls the ball for the Rams.
Motivation Grows Into Momentum as Forest Hills Northern/Eastern Eyes Playoff Run
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
May 18, 2022
GRAND RAPIDS– When the Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern/Eastern girls lacrosse team lost to perennial powerhouse Rockford 11-10 in last year’s Division 1 Regional Semifinal, the BirdDogs vowed to come back stronger and better.
So far, they are fulfilling that promise.
FHNE has emerged as one of the top teams in the state and hopes to carry that momentum into this year’s postseason.
“After losing to Rockford last year in sudden death, we came back this year wanting it more than ever.” senior all-state defender Daniella Washburn said. “We are all best friends, on and off the field, and most of us have played together for a long time.”
The BirdDogs – Eastern’s mascot is a Hawk, and Northern’s a Huskie – are currently 16-1 on the season and won the outright Ottawa-Kent Conference Tier 1 championship.
FHNE has defeated Rockford twice, by two and then three goals.
The Rams have won eight consecutive Division 1 championships, and defeating them helped give the BirdDogs a mental lift and raised their confidence level.
“Beating Rockford twice was huge for our program, and beating them the first time made us more confident that we could keep up that momentum and play the way we did,” returning all-state performer Alayna Davis said. “It showed when we beat them a second time that we have what it takes. We just have to continue to play like we want it.”
Up until two years ago, Northern and Eastern athletes played with Forest Hills Central as Forest Hills United. But the Rangers split to form their own team beginning with the 2021 season.
This spring, the BirdDogs returned 10 of 12 starters from a year ago, including junior all-state goalie Sommar-Jo Greiser.
FHNE entered the season with heightened expectations.
“We had high hopes going into the season, and the girls have been determined to do their best every game,” BirdDogs coach Joe Curcuru said. “And so far it’s turned out pretty well. We’ve done very well all-around, but our defense has been very strong this year and we’ve combined that with some timely goals. It’s been a good formula for us so far.”
Davis, a junior, is the team’s leading scorer, but the BirdDogs possess an array of offensive weapons with seniors Carly Wittlinger, Zella Stratbrucker and Tayler Sypien.
The team has scored double-digit goals in all but one game.
“Having a lot of starters back has been a great benefit because we each know how everyone plays individually, and we have previous chemistry and knowledge from years past,” Davis said. “I think the bond that our team has is what has brought us this far, and it’s only going to keep us rolling.”
The BirdDogs’ only loss occurred early in the season against last season’s Division 2 champion, East Grand Rapids.
Since then, they’ve been perfect, including besting the Pioneers 11-9 in the rematch.
However, Curcuru pointed to the pair of wins over Rockford as catalysts in their current success.
“Rockford has been the gold standard in Division 1 lacrosse, and we’re very proud of our two victories over them,” he said. “Both were close games, and there’s a good chance we will play them again. We’re excited about the position we’ve put ourselves in, and we are very pleased with where we are at.”
With the regular season behind them, the BirdDogs have turned their attention to an anticipated postseason run.
Their potential Regional run begins with a home game Friday against Jenison.
“We are excited to be conference champs, but there is still work to be done,” Washburn said. “We are focused on the playoffs and completing the goal we set for ourselves at the beginning of the season.”
Added Davis: “We are expecting great results in this state tournament, and we are more excited than ever with how our season has been going. We are working hard to keep that momentum going to lead us further.”
Curcuru understands the challenge ahead.
“We know there are some great teams in Division 1,” he said. “It was nice to have a little bit of rest heading into the tournament, and it will be exciting to see where we end up.”
Dean Holzwarth has covered primarily high school sports for Grand Rapids-based WOOD-TV for four years after serving at the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years along with shorter stints at the Ionia Sentinel and WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Forest Hills Northern/Eastern’s Alayna Davis (12) considers her options with the ball during a matchup with Rockford this season. (Middle) Daniella Washburn, right, defends against the Rams. (Photos courtesy of the FHNE girls lacrosse program.)