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.
Performance: EGR's Audrey Whiteside
June 14, 2019
Audrey Whiteside
East Grand Rapids senior – Lacrosse
The Pioneers’ senior attack had seven goals and three assists as East Grand Rapids regained the Division 2 championship Saturday with 22-7 win over Bloomfield Hills Marian, earning Whiteside the MHSAA “Performance of the Week.” She finished this spring with 149 goals – second-most for one season in MHSAA history – and a record 208 points despite playing in what’s considered the toughest league in the state.
Whiteside was a freshman on EGR’s 2016 championship team and helped the Pioneers finish Division 2 runner-up in 2017 and reach the Semifinals a year ago. She also had 59 assists, 107 draw controls and 31 ground balls this season and finished her career with 409 goals and 114 assists for 523 points – her goals and points rank second all-time, and her assists are seventh most for a career. East Grand Rapids finished this season 24-2 and tied for the Ottawa-Kent Conference Tier 1 title with Rockford, the eventual MHSAA Division 1 champion for the seventh straight season.
This was a celebration-filled school year for Whiteside, who also helped the EGR cross country team to the Lower Peninsula Division 2 title in the fall with a 21st-place finish at Michigan International Speedway. She was named this winter as one of 32 MHSAA/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete Award winners and graduated with a 3.9 GPA to go with her athletic and other extracurricular successes. It’s difficult to talk about Whiteside without also discussing four-year varsity teammate and close friend Mary Schumar – Whiteside’s business partner as well as they direct a summer lacrosse training academy for younger players. Schumar is heading next to an established power in Marquette University, while Whiteside will continue her career at Central Michigan University for a program that just completed its fourth season – she picked the Chippewas in part for a chance to play a major role in that program’s ascension. Whiteside is considering studying to become a nutritionist or go into personal training and fitness, and she’s also interested in business and marketing.
Coach Rich Axtell said: “Audrey has since her freshman year been a leader by example on this team. She never takes a day, a drill or a play off. She goes hard all the time. She has won virtually all of the sprints and conditioning exercises that we have done over the past four years. She ran cross country each fall and then attended almost every offseason conditioning session that the team held. After losing to CK in the Finals in 2017 and to Okemos in the Semifinals in 2018, Audrey, Mary Schumar and the rest of the team committed themselves to doing what it takes to win another state title. Audrey switched from midfield to attack be able to work more closely with Mary and to increase their offensive productivity. Both players had a 40-percent increase in their offensive statistics this year. Despite all this success, Audrey and Mary have remained very modest, always being genuinely surprised when I told them their statistics. When our games were in hand, they frequently passed up scoring opportunities to allow their teammates a chance to shine. Their selflessness and humility have helped to produce one of the closest and happiest teams I have ever coached. Obviously, we will miss Audrey's offensive production, but we will miss her dedication and leadership even more.”
Performance Point: “It definitely is the best way to end my senior year,” Whiteside said. “Having been to the Cross Country Finals in the fall, I think I really wanted to end my senior year right with another state championship. Our team not making it to the (Lacrosse) Finals last year, that really inspired us to work harder this season, to finally go to the Finals and hopefully win. … Our mentality going into the playoffs was to have really fast starts, because we’re usually a second-half team. We wanted to set up strong from the first draw, but I think going in with that mentality really helped us. I think we really did have a different mindset going into the state Finals … it just all came together.”
One for all: “It’s hard to describe, but (winning the title is) honestly the best feeling. We had three incoming freshmen make it this year, and I think that helped us a lot with the intensity of the team. And I think I wanted to get it for those freshmen because I know what it is like, because when I was a freshman we won. It was just honestly the best feeling and I wanted them to have that – and also all the other sophomores that made it and juniors, just everyone together.”
Back in business: “My friend Mary Schumar and I started a lacrosse clinic called EGR Lacrosse Academy last year. We’re trying to make it bigger this year. That’s the goal. We start in a couple weeks. I want to go into business in the future, so it’s a great experience to have to work with all the families and the kids. but I love working with kids so it makes it even better. … I’ve learned (business) takes a lot more time and work than I thought it would. And also, communicating with people is very essential to creating a great business and creating relationships. Creating bonds with people and connections is going to get you way farther than anything else – and also working harder.”
My friend Mary: “We have been friends since second grade – we went to different elementary schools but ended up being in the same friend group from middle school on to now. Playing with her freshman through senior year has been so amazing. She had a stellar freshman year – I think she got pulled up halfway and made (six) goals in the state championship game as a freshman, which is unbelievable. I got pulled up to being an attack this year with her to score more points and handle the offense with her, and that’s also been just amazing, working so well together. It just clicked this year. … We play each other (next season). Central’s first game is Marquette, and that’s going to be super surreal to play Mary next year. But we’re really excited.”
Scholar & Athlete: “I think about (being both) a lot. It’s really a motivator to work hard, and it inspires other students to work harder themselves. But also the team aspect – we have a team GPA, and I think all of us want to work harder to get that 4.0 average GPA, which I think we got a 3.7 which is amazing. Being a scholar-athlete, I know raised the bar, raised expectations on me, which I love because I love having pressure. I do better with pressure – especially in games and in the classroom.”
- Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Past 2018-19 honorees
June 6: Kari Miller, Ann Arbor Pioneer tennis - Read
May 23: Keshaun Harris, Lansing Waverly track & field - Read
May 16: Gabbie Sherman, Millington softball - Read
May 9: Nathan Taylor, Muskegon Mona Shores golf - Read
May 2: Ally Gaunt, New Baltimore Anchor Bay soccer - Read
April 25: Kali Heivilin, Three Rivers softball - Read
March 28: Rickea Jackson, Detroit Edison basketball - Read
March 21: Noah Wiswary, Hudsonville Unity Christian basketball - Read
March 14: Cam Peel, Spring Lake swimming - Read
March 7: Jordan Hamdan, Hudson wrestling - Read
February 28: Kevon Davenport, Detroit Catholic Central wrestling - Read
February 21: Reagan Olli, Gaylord skiing - Read
February 14: Jake Stevenson, Traverse City Bay Reps hockey - Read
February 7: Molly Davis, Midland Dow basketball - Read
January 31: Chris DeRocher, Alpena basketball - Read
January 24: Imari Blond, Flint Kearsley bowling - Read
January 17: William Dunn, Quincy basketball - Read
November 29: Dequan Finn, Detroit Martin Luther King football - Read
November 22: Paige Briggs, Lake Orion volleyball - Read
November 15: Hunter Nowak, Morrice football - Read
November 8: Jon Dougherty, Detroit Country Day soccer - Read
November 1: Jordan Stump, Camden-Frontier volleyball - Read
October 25: Danielle Staskowski, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep golf - Read
October 18: Adam Bruce, Gladstone cross country - Read
October 11: Ericka VanderLende, Rockford cross country - Read
October 4: Kobe Clark, Schoolcraft football - Read
September 27: Jonathan Kliewer, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern soccer - Read
September 20: Kiera Lasky, Bronson volleyball - Read
September 13: Judy Rector, Hanover-Horton cross country - Read
PHOTOS: (Top) East Grand Rapids' Audrey Whiteside considers her options during Saturday's Division 2 Final against Bloomfield Hills Marian. (Middle) Whiteside taps sticks with her teammates, including Mary Schumar (12).