2022 Runner-up Kalamazoo Christian Follows Lead Scorer to 2023 Championship
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
June 17, 2023
EAST LANSING – Senior forward Taylor Leonard finished her high school career Saturday with 106 goals, scoring what surely were three of her most memorable at DeMartin Stadium.
Leonard, who will play next at Hope College, also had an assist as Kalamazoo Christian downed Clarkston Everest Collegiate 5-0 in the Division 4 Final. The Comets (19-6) had finished runner-up a year ago and four of the last five seasons.
“It was such an amazing feeling; we’ve been working for this all season,’’ said Leonard. “For the seniors to lose last season and having our freshman season cancelled because of COVID … we’ve gone through a lot, and to come out with the win was amazing.’’
Kalamazoo Christian came to the Finals with a rich championship history, having won Division 4 in 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2008 and finishing runner-up in 2017, 2018, 2019 and last season – when the Comets fell to Royal Oak Shrine Catholic 1-0.
“The first goal really put us at a high point after being shut out last season,’’ said Leonard. “We had adrenaline before the game, but that first goal shot us through the roof. We knew we couldn’t let down. At halftime Jay (Allen) told us to not let down.’’
With Leonard leading the offense, her coach had no worries.
“Every senior class is special,’’ said Allen. “In January we got all these girls together, and we went through all kinds of adversity with the weather and academic trips and things. Our offense speaks for itself starting with Taylor. Three more goals today to add to her more-than-100 goals for her career. We’re proud of her, but we’re mainly proud of her leadership. Goals are good, but you can’t teach the leadership skills that she has.’’
Everest (8-8-1) previously had finished Division 4 runner-up in 2012, 2013 and 2014 as part of a cooperative program with Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes.
This season’s playoff run would’ve been thrown out as a Hollywood script.
The Mountaineers, a scrappy bunch, were winless in the Catholic League AA. They finished the regular season losing seven of their last eight games, including 5-1 to top-ranked Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, and won just three games total before the playoffs began.
Despite working through key injuries, including to senior Caroline Cross, Everest rallied to make a playoff run, including with a 1-0 win over Liggett in the Semifinal.
“They played hard today, and we have a lot of girls who play different sports,’’ said Mountaineers coach Richard Cross. “We have some chances early but couldn’t convert. We played in a tough league, between Shrine and Liggett and those teams. That really prepares us to get to this point. I do want to give credit to Kalamazoo Christian. They scored when they needed to.
“It has been a remarkable run. Their joy and love for each other. This is such a special group. They’re easy to coach, and I’m just glad to be a part of it.’’
The Comets wasted no time getting on the board Saturday as Leonard blasted a shot just 2:12 into the game for a 1-0 lead.
Junior forward Sophia Nash scored the Comets’ second goal on an assist from Leonard with 21:37 left in the first half to make it 2-0.
Less than a minute later, sophomore defender Jordyn Bonnema – a golf and basketball all-stater – blasted in a loose ball after a corner kick to make it 3-0. Leonard tacked on her second goal 2:30 later to make it 4-0.
She added her third goal 2:38 into the second half to make it 5-0.
PHOTOS (Top) Kalamazoo Christian’s Taylor Leonard (2) controls possession Saturday with Everest Collegiate’s Natalie Cross in pursuit. (Middle) The Comets celebrate during their championship win. (Below) The Comets’ Izzy Suloff (16) and Everest’s Kathleen Thibodeau ready for play to come their way. (Photos by Adam Sheehan/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
Title IX at 50: Portage Northern Star Byington Becomes Play-by-Play Pioneer
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 21, 2021
From Portage Northern, to Northwestern University, to the smallest of TV markets in the United States to the sidelines of the most recognized sports networks in the world, Lisa Byington has blazed trails all over the Midwest and beyond.
Beginning this October, she will take another historic step for women in sportscasting.
Byington will take the microphone as Bally Sports Wisconsin’s play-by-play announcer for the Milwaukee Bucks – becoming the first female full-time TV play-by-play announcer for a men’s “major” professional team in the NBA, MLB, NFL or NHL.
This will be just the latest accomplishment for the former Huskies basketball and soccer all-stater, who went on to play four seasons of basketball and two of soccer at Northwestern. Byington began her broadcast career at WBKB in Alpena – currently the third-smallest TV market in the nation – and then moved on to become a beloved fixture at WLNS in Lansing for nearly a decade. Her next moves took her into regional and then national spotlights, from broadcasting games with FOX Sports and the Big Ten Network, among a number of major entities, to working as a sideline reporter from 2017-19 at the NCAA men’s basketball tournament for CBS and Turner Sports. She also was FOX’s play-by-play voice for the 2019 Women’s World Cup and for women’s and men’s soccer coverage on NBC Sports during this summer’s Olympics. She has done play-by-play for WNBA and NBA games, and in March, Byington also became the first female play-by-play voice at the NCAA men’s basketball tournament when she called games for CBS and Turner.
Byington was a finalist for the Miss Basketball Award as a Portage Northern senior in 1993, and according to the Detroit Free Press’ “All-State Basketball Team” report was set to graduate the following spring with 28 school records in hoops, including for 1,392 career points, 384 career assists and 379 career steals. She also made the Class A all-state girls soccer team as a senior after earning honorable mention as a junior. At Northwestern, she was a three-time Big Ten all-academic selection in basketball and two-time academic all-Big Ten pick in soccer.
Second Half's weekly Title IX Celebration posts are sponsored by Michigan Army National Guard.
Previous Title IX at 50 Spotlights
Sept. 14: Guerra/Groat Legacy Continues to Serve St. Philip Well - Read
Sept. 7: Best-Ever Conversation Must Include Leland's Glass - Read
Aug. 31: We Will Celebrate Many Who Paved the Way - Read
PHOTOS courtesy of Lisa Byington and Portage Northern’s athletic department.