Liggett Shoots, Scores first Title since 2005
June 17, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
EAST LANSING – Although his team found itself in an unfamiliar situation Friday afternoon, David Dwaihy had an idea how at least the first part might play out.
As Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett readied for its first tie-breaker shootout of this spring – and in the season’s final game – Dwaihy, the eighth-year coach, decided to simply ask his players to raise their hands if they wanted one of the penalty kicks.
“I had a few in mind who I wanted to take the shot,” Dwaihy said. “I ended up just saying raise your hand if you want one. The hands flew up, and the freshmen all raised their hands.”
And then the most “courageous and bold” of them all finished the Knights’ first MHSAA championship run since she was getting ready to start kindergarten.
Freshman defender Kate Birgbauer was her team’s fourth and final shooter and put her attempt just past the crossbar into the top of the net to give Liggett a 4-2 advantage in the shootout and a 1-0 win over Montrose in the Division 4 championship game at DeMartin Stadium.
Sophomores Kelly Solak and Alexis Wenger and junior Maddie Wu also made kicks as Montrose missed their first two tries, setting Birgbauer up to end the game.
“I love shootouts. I like the pressure,” Birgbauer said. “I actually turned to my friend Izzy (Brusilow, the team’s second-leading scorer this season) and I was like, ‘Are you 100 percent sure you’re going to make this?’ She was like, ‘Oh, I’m not sure,’ so I was like, I’ll take it. So I stepped up and shot it.”
“They’re courageous and a very bold, confident group – especially our center back who scored the winner, Katie Birgbauer,” Dwaihy added. “She wanted it.”
Liggett (19-2-1) won its fifth straight District title to start this run and repeated as Regional champion as well, but hadn’t played in an MHSAA championship game since winning Division 4 in 2005.
Despite their relative youth – the Knights had only three seniors this season – a number of key players gained experience during last season’s run. But they still hadn’t been pushed to this brink during a season in which they gave up only 14 goals.
Montrose (23-4-1), meanwhile, was playing in its first MHSAA championship game in girls soccer after winning its first Regional title, and ended this season giving up only nine goals.
The more upperclassmen-laden Rams went on the attack immediately. Sophomore Remington Hobson broke away at 28:04 in the first half, but Liggett junior keeper Kara Francis jumped in front to deflect the drive away from the goal. Senior Ellory Barnette sent a header over the net off a corner with 14:04 to go in the half, and Liggett sophomore defender Teagan Cornell headed away another Montrose shot midway through the second half that would have found the net had she not dropped back to cover the corner.
The shot differential wasn’t much during regulation, with Montrose tallying nine to Liggett’s eight. But the Rams had 11 corner kicks in the game to Liggett’s one, giving them better opportunities to attack.
“That’s turned out to be our bread and butter this year, set pieces, corners, and we came close,” Montrose coach Jason Perrin said. “If you get 11 of them, you’ve got to put one in.
"But they’re very similar to us – they get 10 girls behind the ball, they clog up the passing lanes. We do that. It was kinda like playing ourselves, a little bit.”
The game appeared over before the shootout, but only for a minute, when a Liggett throw-in landed in the Montrose net with 5:09 to go in the second period of overtime – but the goal was called off because it didn’t touch a player from either team on the way.
“I think that lit a fire in our hearts a bit,” Birgbauer said. “We got mad, and we came back.”
Montrose had more experience in shootouts – they’d gone 1-1 previously, with a win that way over No. 2 Elk Rapids in the Regional Final. But Liggett apparently was plenty prepared despite a lack of shootout experience.
Liggett’s Francis and Montrose senior keeper Alexis Rush both made four saves while controlling play in front of their respective nets. Rush is one of eight seniors who will graduate from the Rams’ most successful team.
“We had a good core coming back. We won 17 games (last season). But we hadn’t won a District since 2001. So it’s hard to dream too much beyond the District or Regional level,” Perrin said. “But this team grew with confidence. Really, once we beat (Saginaw) Nouvel in the District Finals, I could just tell we had the mindset to go as far as they wanted, and they put on a good run.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Teammates converge on Liggett’s Kate Birgbauer after the freshman’s winning shot in Friday’s Division 4 Final. (Middle) Liggett’s Rebecca Lohman moves the ball to a teammate while Montrose players pursue.
Preview: How Will These Stories End?
June 13, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
While it’s convenient when previewing a Finals series to find a common theme bonding all four games, sometimes that’s just not possible.
Sometimes, like this weekend, the stories are unrelated – but all worth the price of admission.
In Division 1, reigning champion Novi is attempting to repeat without one of its top players against a Plymouth team seeking its first title. The Division 2 Final will match up Bloomfield Hills Marian and Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern for the third straight season.
Essexville Garber in Division 3 and Royal Oak Shrine Catholic in Division 4 are playing in Finals for the first time. Kalamazoo Christian is back after finishing Division 4 runner-up the last two seasons, and Garber’s Division 3 opponent Grand Rapids South Christian is one of three teams among the final eight that didn’t win its league but can end this spring with a victory.
Following is this weekend’s schedule:
Division 1 - Saturday - 4 p.m.
Novi vs. Plymouth
Division 2 - Friday - 4 p.m.
Bloomfield Hills Marian vs. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern
Division 3 - Friday - 1 p.m.
Grand Rapids South Christian vs. Essexville Garber
Division 4 - Saturday - 1 p.m.
Kalamazoo Christian vs. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic
Tickets cost $8 and include admission to the softball and baseball games also being played at MSU’s Old College Field. Radio broadcasts of all games can be heard online at MHSAAnetwork.com. All games will be streamed live online at MHSAA.tv and viewable on subscription basis. (Click for brackets, scores and a parking map.)
All statistics below are through Regionals.
Division 1
NOVI
Record/rank: 27-0-1, No. 1
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association West
Coach: Todd Pheiffer, fifth season (84-17-15)
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2018).
Players to watch: Avery Fenchel, jr. F (24 goals, 14 assists); Jessie Bandyk, sr. M (10 goals, 15 assists); Lauren Calhoun, sr. D (2 assists); Eva Burns, soph. D (1 goal).
Outlook: Improving on a championship season of course is difficult. But one more win would do it for the Wildcats, who can finish unbeaten after totaling five losses in 2018 and earlier won their league after finishing third last spring. And Novi has done it after losing sophomore keeper Abbey Pheiffer (0.16 goals-against average) to a season-ending injury – but freshman Sammy Maday (0.14) stepped in and the team hasn’t missed a beat. Fenchel and Bandyk were all-state first teamers last season, and Calhoun and Burns earned honorable mentions. Senior forward Julia Stadtherr ranks second in scoring with 17 goals, and senior forward Lexi Whalen has added nine and 13 assists.
PLYMOUTH
Record/rank: 19-4-1, No. 5
League finish: Second in KLAA East
Coach: Jeff Neschich, 15th season (record N/A)
Championship history: Division 1 runner-up 2010.
Players to watch: Kennedy White, sr. F; Rebecca Przybylo, sr. GK. (Stats not submitted.)
Outlook: Plymouth won its first Regional title since 2010 on the way to advancing to a Final for the second time in program history. These Wildcats avenged a regular-season loss to No. 13 Troy in the Semifinal, and will attempt to continue that streak after falling to Novi twice. The only other loss, and the tie, came to No. 11 Hartland. White made the all-state first team last season for the second straight, and Przybylo made the third team as a sophomore.
Division 2
BLOOMFIELD HILLS MARIAN
Record/rank: 17-1, No. 2
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League Central
Coach: Barry Brodsky, 18th season (334-27-36)
Championship history: Seven MHSAA titles (most recent 2018), three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Jansen Eichenlaub, sr. F (23 goals, 7 assists); Sara Stroud, sr. M (4 goals, 6 assists); Anna Leonard, jr. M (1 goal, 1 assist); Kate Biglin, jr. M (4 goals, 9 assists).
Outlook: Marian is heading to the championship game for the third straight season hoping for a third straight Division 2 championship. Plenty of Marian’s best have won before – Eichenlaub made the all-state first team last season, while Leonard and Stroud made the second, senior defender Neve Badalow made the third and junior forward Chloe Aberlarde (two goals this spring) earned honorable mention. Sophomore forward Maria Askounis is the team’s second-leading scorer with eight goals and 10 assists off the bench, and senior mid Sydney Petoskey has seven goals as another super sub.
GRAND RAPIDS FOREST HILLS NORTHERN
Record/rank: 19-2-1, No. 6
League finish: Second in Ottawa-Kent Conference White
Coach: Daniel Siminski, sixth season (105-18-11)
Championship history: Four runner-up finishes (most recent 2018).
Players to watch: Parker Hutchinson, jr. G (0.60 goals-against average, .848 save percentage); Elyse DeSchryver, jr. F (28 goals, 18 assists); Grace Sayers, soph. F (25 goals, 2 assists); Alyssa Greshak, jr. F (10 goals, 10 assists).
Outlook: Forest Hills Northern is hoping to break through after three straight championship game losses. The Huskies’ only losses during the regular season were to top-ranked DeWitt and Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, which reached the Division 1 Semifinals. DeSchryver made the all-state third team last season and leads the scoring for a team that has netted 106 goals and given up only 16. In addition to DeSchryver, Sayers and Greshak, sophomore Emily Vander Hoff has 11 goals off the bench, and senior Carlye Fatum has 12 assists as a starting mid.
Division 3
GRAND RAPIDS SOUTH CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 19-3-3, No. 5
League finish: Second in O-K Gold
Coach: Brian Broekhuizen, sixth season (99-31-12)
Championship history: Division 3 champion 2013.
Players to watch: Annika Zuverink, sr. GK (0.22 goals-against average, .930 save percentage); Cassidy Broekhuizen, sr. F/M (10 goals, 5 assists); Joz VanTol, sr. F/M (6 goals, 8 assists); Emma DeVries, jr. F (14 goals, 5 assists).
Outlook: South Christian also is coming off its second Regional title on the way to this second Finals appearance. The Sailors got here in part by winning a shootout with No. 6 Allegan in the Regional Final and then downing No. 8 Boyne City in the Semifinal. South Christian has 19 shutouts and eight straight including a scoreless run through all six tournament games. Zuverink earned an all-state honorable mention last season, while VanTol and senior defender Morgan Rottman made the third team.
ESSEXVILLE GARBER
Record/rank: 22-0-2, No. 7
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference East
Coach: Troy Stewart, 15th season (164-116-22)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Rachel Hahn, sr. F (30 goals, 22 assists); Teagan Betzold, fr. F (29 goals, 16 assists); Natelle Vantol, jr. M (14 goals, 16 assists); Logan Rau, sr. GK (0.42 goals-against average, 16 shutouts).
Outlook: Just three years ago, Garber was finishing its third straight sub-.500 season – but was on the verge of this climb. The Dukes went from eight wins in 2016 to 13 the next season and 15 last spring. In addition to the unbeaten record this season, Garber also won its first Regional title before upsetting No. 2 Warren Regina in the Semifinal. Hahn earned an all-state honorable mention as a junior, and she’s one of seven Dukes who had scored at least nine goals entering this week including also senior Isabel Baranski (14 goals, 11 assists). Rau actually made it 17 shutouts on the season with another Tuesday and has given up only eight goals all spring.
Division 4
KALAMAZOO CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 21-2-2, No. 3
League finish: First in Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley
Coach: Jay Allen, sixth season (114-19-13)
Championship history: Four Division 4 titles (most recent 2008), two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Sarah Miller, jr. M/D (9 goals, 21 assists); Lauryn Mohney, jr. M/D (16 goals, 12 assists); Kayla Beebe, sr. M/F (36 goals, 7 assists); Emma Bertrand, sr. M/F (19 goals, 8 assists).
Outlook: Kalamazoo Christian has come up just short the last two seasons, falling 1-0 in last spring’s Final and in a shootout in 2017, both times to Lansing Christian. The Comets have outscored their opponents this spring by a combined 120-12, with losses only to Division 3 No. 4 Otsego and also larger Paw Paw. Beebe made the all-state first team last season, and Mohney made the second, while senior defender Elise Van Sparrentak made the third and junior keeper Jenna Blackwell and Bertrand earned honorable mentions. Junior Sarah Wenke joins the three mentioned above with double-digit goals, finding the net 10 times heading into this week.
ROYAL OAK SHRINE CATHOLIC
Record/rank: 22-3-3, No. 2
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League 2/3
Coach: Mark Soma, 15th season (record N/A)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Allison LaPoint, jr. GK (17 shutouts); Chloe Woodbeck, sr. F; Elli Plunkey, soph. F; Regan Robinson, jr. M. (No other stats submitted.)
Outlook: The Knights have dominated in winning their first Regional title and now moving on to their first championship game. Shrine has outscored its six tournament opponents by a combined score of 34-1, with wins over No. 14 Lansing Christian, No. 4 Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central and No. 5 Madison Heights Bishop Foley along the way. LaPoint and Robinson made the all-state second team last season, and Plunkey earned honorable mention. But the team got a massive boost when Woodbeck – who has signed with Purdue – joined the high school team this spring after playing at the elite club level.
PHOTO: Marian’s Jansen Eichenlaub, here in last season’s Division 2 Final against Forest Hills Northern, will try to lead her team this weekend to its third straight championship.