Rockford Readying for Another Title Run
April 26, 2017
By Dean Holzwarth
Special for Second Half
ROCKFORD – Rockford girls lacrosse coach Mike Emery wants his team to obtain experiences they will never forget.
It’s the foundation of the program, and it has catapulted the Rams into a perennial state powerhouse over the past decade.
“We’ve tried to develop a culture of a family atmosphere,” Emery said. “We are all about making memories first, and then we move on from that.”
Rockford has made a plethora of lasting memories in the past 10 years, including nine consecutive MHSAA Division 1 Semifinal appearances and a spot in five Finals.
The Rams won their first Division 1 championship in 2010 and have added four more over the last four seasons.
Prior to that remarkable stretch, they had never won a playoff game.
A tight-knit relationship among players and coaches and dedication to the sport have factored into their decade of dominance.
“Over the years we’ve developed a culture that we have where people want to be part of the program and the kids want to play all season long,” Emery said. “Even when the Finals end, the most disappointing thing for us is that we’re not going to be together the next day.
“We have some skilled people who help with development, but a focus is having fun. We have 90 days together every (season) and we spend a lot of time in the offseason, whether it’s in the weight room, stick skills or open gyms. It’s developed over time into a year-around program.”
A standard of excellence also has been created following that string of championships.
“We all work really hard in practice and outside of practice,” said junior Brooklyn Neumen, a three-year starter who leads the Rams with 35 goals this season. “We have a really good youth program, and our coaches are really good. In the offseason we all play summer ball.”
The development of a strong youth program has paid dividends, especially this season as the Rams start three freshmen and eight of their 12 starters are freshmen and sophomores.
It’s a crucial element in the reloading process that is evident every spring.
“We have a great youth program, and our junior varsity coach spends a lot of time on skill development,” Emery said. “It’s not just the things we do, it’s why and how we do the things we do. That’s what we feel separates us from other programs.”
Rockford graduated eight seniors from last year’s team, but hasn’t missed a beat.
The Rams are 8-1, and their lone one-goal loss came against a team from of out of state, Ohio power Upper Arlington.
“They were a really fast team and had good skill work,” said junior MeKenzie Vander Molen, another three-year starter who has produced 18 goals.
“It’s good for us to play against defenses like that because it helps prepare us for other teams that we’re going to play.”
Emery said this year’s team possesses plenty of speed and the ability to not dwell on misfortunes.
“They never quit, and we’re pretty fast,” he said. “Even when they make mistakes, they are aggressive mistakes and no one hangs their head. They go after the ball again the next time. They’ve done a nice job.”
The graduation losses haven’t been noticeable in the win column as the younger girls have filled the voids admirably.
Freshmen Madelyn Yakes has been solid in the goal, while another freshman, Sydney Zimmerman, has been a staple in the offensive attack with 17 goals.
“Even though we are young we can still get the ball up the field in transition and not lose it,” Vander Molen said. “We have a good variety of girls.”
And of course, the Rams also have some significant star power back this spring. Vander Molen and sophomore sister Karrington both have committed already to continue their careers at Ohio State, and Neumen is committed to North Carolina. Senior Sisely Vongphasouk has signed with Kennesaw State (Ga.), and senior Samantha DeBoer will play next season at Alma College.
“We lost some big girls, but we have young freshmen that are really good players and we have a lot of sophomores and juniors that are stepping up,” Neumen said. “I think we have a really good team, just as we did last year.”
While the postseason is still a month away, the pursuit of a fifth straight Division 1 title is on the Rams’ minds.
They are driven to replicate past accomplishments, and refuse to see the streak end.
“We don’t have to talk about the state championships; it’s there,” Emery said. “The banners hang in our stadium and in the gym, and the girls have their championship rings. Each group feeds into that.”
Dean Holzwarth covered primarily high school sports for the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years and more recently served as sports editor of the Ionia Sentinel and as a sports photojournalist for WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Rockford’s MeKenzie Vander Molen (13) gathers the ball in traffic during last season’s Division 1 Final against Birmingham United. (Middle) Sisely Vongphasouk had a goal and an assist in the 12-9 championship game win.
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.)