Preview: 4 More Seek to Join Champs List
June 16, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Half of the teams playing in MHSAA Girls Soccer Finals on Friday or Saturday will be seeking their first championships. One, Montrose, will be playing in a championship game for the first time.
And at least one of those four finales, in Division 2, will see some team celebrate an MHSAA title for the first time.
That's just one of the possibilities to look forward to from this season's final weekend. Following is the schedule at DeMartin Stadium:
Division 1 - Friday - 4 p.m.
Canton (17-2-4) vs Rochester Hills Stoney Creek (17-3-3)
Division 2 - Saturday - 4 p.m.
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (16-3-4) vs Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (20-1-3)
Division 3 - Saturday - 1 p.m.
Hudsonville Unity Christian (21-2-1) vs Flint Powers Catholic (21-2-1)
Division 4 - Friday - 1 p.m.
Montrose (23-3-1) vs Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett (18-2-1)
Tickets cost $8 per round and include admission to softball and baseball games those days also 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 to order tickets in advance and for a parking map.
All statistics below are through Regionals. (Click for links to brackets and scores.)
DIVISION 1
CANTON
Record/rank: 17-2-4, unranked
Coach: Jeannine Reddy, sixth season (83-28-14)
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association South
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2001), three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Jennifer Richmond, jr. F; Jordan Anheuser, sr. GK. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: Canton should be riding high from eliminating top-ranked Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central in the Semifinal after needing overtime shootouts twice to advance in earlier rounds. This will be the Chiefs’ first championship game appearance since the last title run 15 years ago. The only losses this spring came in the final two regular-season games, against No. 4 Novi and No. 8 Walled Lake Northern. Richmond earned an all-state honorable mention last season.
ROCHESTER HILLS STONEY CREEK
Record/rank: 17-3-3, No. 10
Coach: Bryan Mittelstadt, sixth season (93-20-6)
League finish: Third in Oakland Activities Conference Red.
Championship history: Division 2 runner-up 2005.
Players to watch: Taylor Paradoski, sr. F (21 goals, 8 assists); Emily Solek, jr. M (8 goals, 11 assists); Gina Cerny, jr. GK (0.76 goals-against average, 9 shutouts).
Outlook: Stoney Creek won its first Regional title since that 2005 championship game run and has beaten four top-15 teams during this one – No. 2 Utica Eisenhower, No. 4 Novi, No. 7 Utica Ford and No. 14 Troy Athens. The Cougars have outscored their six postseason opponents by a combined score of 11-2. Paradoski, one of two senior starters and three on the roster, made the Division 1 all-state second team last season.
DIVISION 2
GRAND RAPIDS FOREST HILLS NORTHERN
Record/rank: 16-3-4, unranked
Coach: Daniel Siminski, third season (48-9-7)
League finish: Second in Ottawa-Kent Conference Bronze.
Championship history: Division 2 runner-up 2010.
Players to watch: Emily Ashby, soph. M/D (4 goals, 8 assists); Sophia Terzes, soph. F/M (9 goals, 20 assists); Amanda Young, jr. GK (0.54 goals-against average, 13 shutouts).
Outlook: Forest Hills Northern beat No. 13 Dexter in the Semifinal to return to the Finals, but could become a regular contender the next few seasons as defender Shelby Ostrander is the only senior. Ashby made the all-state third team and Terzes earned an honorable mention last season as freshmen, and junior Natalie Belsito and sophomore Lauren Kozal are the team’s leading scorers with 17 and 11 goals, respectively.
PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP
Record/rank: 20-1-3, No. 3
Coach: Jim Stachura, seventh season (110-35-10)
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League Division 2
Championship history: Division 3 runner-up 2013.
Players to watch: Rosella LoChirco, sr. M (15 goals, 11 assists); Celia Gaynor, soph. M (18 goals, 16 assists); Erika Wiest, sr. F (15 goals, 14 assists).
Outlook: Notre Dame Prep’s return to the Finals included wins over No. 1 DeWitt, No. 4 Bloomfield Hills Marian, No. 8 Warren Regina and No. 14 Fenton, with none of six postseason opponents scoring more than a goal on the Fighting Irish. Keeper Haley Williams was giving up only 0.57 goals per game and had nine shutouts coming into the week. LoChirco made the all-state first team last season.
DIVISION 3
FLINT POWERS CATHOLIC
Record/rank: 21-2-1, No. 1
Coach: Art Moody, ninth season (160-39-15)
League finish: First in Saginaw Valley League South
Championship history: Division 3 champion 2011, five runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Sophie Bubnar, soph. F (16 goals, 17 assists); Erin Emmert, sr. M (6 goals, 9 assists); Rachel Phillpotts, jr. D (11 goals, 4 assists).
Outlook: Powers will play in its first Final since finishing runner-up in 2012 thanks to a Quarterfinal win over No. 4 Grosse Ile in addition to previous tournament wins over No. 8 Birch Run and No. 14 Macomb Lutheran North. Phillpotts made the all-state first team last season and is one of three defenders honored; juniors Abbey Clothier and Sydney Willhoite both earned honorable mentions in 2015, and Emmert made the all-state second team. The Chargers have given up only 16 goals this season, and freshman forward Rachel Rasins alone leads Powers with 18 goals.
HUDSONVILLE UNITY CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 21-2-1, No. 2
Coach: Randy Heethuis, 27th season (509-89-29)
League finish: First in O-K Green.
Championship history: Nine MHSAA titles (most recent 2015), three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Maddy VanDyke, sr. D (11 goals, 7 assists); Alexis Ponstein, soph. F (10 goals, 11 assists); Emily Ponstein, jr. GK (0.39 goals-against average, 13 shutouts).
Outlook: Unity Christian’s run is up to two straight titles and three over the last four seasons. The Crusaders have gotten past No. 5 Paw Paw and No. 6 Freeland so far this run, outscoring its six tournament opponents by a combined score of 26-1. Unity Christian has given up only 11 goals this season and more than one only twice. VanDyke is a two-time all-state first-teamer. Senior forward Aubree DeRoo had 10 goals entering this week and adds another scoring threat.
DIVISION 4
GROSSE POINTE WOODS UNIVERSITY LIGGETT
Record/rank: 18-2-1, No. 4
Coach: David Dwaihy, eighth season (97-44-3)
League finish: First in Michigan Independent Athletic Conference
Championship history: Division 4 champion 2005.
Players to watch: Alexis Wenger, soph. F (28 goals, 10 assists); Kelly Solak, soph. M (12 goals, 12 assists); Maddie Wu, jr. M (2 goals).
Outlook: Liggett won its fifth straight District title and second straight Regional this spring, and could take the next step with a young but talented nucleus. In addition to Wenger and Solak, freshman midfielder Izzy Brusilow had 12 goals and 13 assists entering the week, and junior keeper Kara Francis had 10 shutouts. Senior Madison Jerome and junior Rebecca Lohman joined Wu and Solak among those who earned all-state honors at some level in 2015.
MONTROSE
Record/rank: 23-3-1, No. 8
Coach: Jason Perrin, 13th season (183-77-20)
League finish: Second in Genesee Area Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Alexis Rush, sr. GK (0.35 goals-against average, 20 shutouts); Paige Renshaw, sr. M (31 goals, 17 assists); Emma Gipe, fr. F (19 goals, 9 assists).
Outlook: The Rams’ best season has included their first Regional title and now this opportunity but is not entirely a surprise, as Montrose has had a winning record every spring under Perrin. Renshaw earned an all-state honorable mention last season and has plenty of scoring help; in addition to Gipe, senior Ellory Barnette and sophomore Amber Wing both had 14 goals heading into this week, and sophomore Remington Hobson had 11. Montrose handed No. 2 Elk Rapids its first and only loss in the Regional Final and downed top-ranked Lansing Christian in the Semifinal.
PHOTO: Hudsonville Unity Christian players hoist their latest Division 3 championship trophy last season amid the fans and cameras at DeMartin Stadium.
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.)