Preview: Ready for Rematches
June 13, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Two of Saturday’s MHSAA Girls Soccer Finals are rematches of 2013 title games.
That alone tells the stories behind two of this weekend’s four championship games.
Clarkston Everest College/Waterford Our Lady actually will face Grandville Calvin Christian in the Division 4 Final for the third straight season – Calvin Christian won the last two championship meetings. Richland Gull Lake will look to repeat in Division 2 against Bloomfield Hills Marian, its opponent last season and the champion in 2012.
Among the four teams playing in Division 1 or Division 3, Utica Eisenhower is seeking its first MHSAA title while the other three have some recent history at the Finals – Hudsonville Unity Christian also was a 2012 champion, while Northville and Detroit Country Day both are seeking their first titles since 2004.
Below is Saturday's schedule, followed by a look at all eight contenders:
Division 1 at Williamston - Noon
Utica Eisenhower (18-2-1) vs. Northville (22-0)
Division 2 at Williamston - 3 p.m.
Bloomfield Hills Marian (19-0-1) vs. Richland Gull Lake (23-1-1)
Division 3 at Mason - Noon
Hudsonville Unity Christian (22-1) vs. Detroit Country Day (21-3-3)
Division 4 at Mason - 3 p.m.
Clarkston Everest/WOLL (17-1-1) vs. Grandville Calvin Christian (23-1)
Tickets cost $7. All Finals will be streamed live online at MHSAA.TV, with radio broadcasts available on MHSAAnetwork.com.
All statistics below are through at least the regular season, with most through teams' Regionals. (Click for links to brackets and scores.)
Division 1
NORTHVILLE
Record/rank: 22-0, No. 1
Coach: Eric Brucker, fifth season (85-11-10)
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association Central and overall
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2004), two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Megan Buckingham, sr. F (22 goals, 20 assists); Jamie Cheslik, sr. F (32 goals, 16 assists); Emily Maresh, jr. GK (0.16 goals-against average, .972 save %, 18 shutouts); Gabby Mencotti, sr. M (7 goals, 4 assists).
Outlook: Four teams have scored one goal apiece on Northville this season. That’s it. Maresh replaced an all-state keeper who graduated in 2013 and has shined behind a strong defensive group. The Mustangs’ tournament run has included wins over No. 6 Novi, No. 9 Saline and honorable mention Okemos, and Novi scored the only goal Northville has given up during the playoffs. Cheslik is set to play next season at Michigan State University, Buckingham at University of North Carolina, Mencotti at Grand Valley Sate University and senior midfielder Suzie Redick at University of Detroit Mercy.
UTICA EISENHOWER
Record/rank: 18-2-1, No. 4
Coach: Mehrdad Nekoogar, 10th season (156-18-19)
League finish: First in Macomb Area Conference Red
Championship history: Division 1 runner-up 2009.
Players to watch: Caitlin Carroll, sr. M (14 goals, 5 assists); Paige Duda, jr. F (16 goals, 4 assists); Isabella Palazzolo, jr. F (10 goals, 11 assists).
Outlook: Eisenhower has won five straight league titles but won its first District championship since 2011. The Eagles eliminated No. 3 Rochester Hills Stoney Creek and honorable mention Grand Blanc among others during this tournament run, and beat honorable mention Okemos during the regular season – that last win as part of an 11-game shutout streak. Carroll earned an all-state honorable mention last season.
Division 2
BIRMINGHAM MARIAN
Record/rank: 19-0-1, No. 1
Coach: Barry Brodsky, 13th season (241-22-29)
League finish: Second in Detroit Catholic High School League Division 1
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2012), two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Kelly Sweeney, jr. F (20 goals, 11 assists); Hannah Redoute, fr. F (13 goals, 9 assists); Jaclyn Engel, jr. M (9 goals, 12 assists).
Outlook: Marian has won three titles over the last five seasons and once again has a champion’s resume’ – including wins over No. 7 Livonia Ladywood, No. 10 Lapeer West and honorable mentions Auburn Hills Avondale and Warren Regina during the tournament. The Mustangs have give up only five goals – and only one in the postseason, to Ladywood in the Semifinal. Sweeney and senior midfielder Annika Johnson made the all-state first team in 2013.
RICHLAND GULL LAKE
Record/rank: 23-1-1, No. 2
Coach: Jeff Corstange, third season (57-7-3)
League finish: First in Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2013), four runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Rachel Fouts, sr. M (12 goals, 13 assists); Maggie Harma, sr. GK (0.42 GAA, .940 save %, 17 shutouts); Tabitha Boze, sr. M (10 goals, 10 assists); Amanda Paveltic, jr. F (14 goals, 8 assists).
Outlook: Gull Lake may have stunned some by knocking off powerful Marian in the Final a year ago, but the Blue Devils’ return is no surprise. Fouts made the all-state first team last season, while Harma made the third team and both Boze and Paveltic earned honorable mentions. Three others have at least 13 goals, including leading scorer Kirsten Taylor, a junior, with 18. Just as Marian eliminated many of the best from the Detroit area, Gull Lake did the same on the west side of the state with tournament wins over No. 4 Stevensville Lakeshore, No. 9 Haslett and honorable mention Grand Rapids Christian. The lone loss was to Division 1 No. 8 Rochester Adams.
Division 3
DETROIT COUNTRY DAY
Record/rank: 21-3-3, No. 3
Coach: Bob Bukari, 28th season (record N/A)
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2004), three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Jenna Staudt, jr. D; Michelle Manning, sr. F; Isabel Nino, fr. GK (Stats not submitted.).
Outlook: Country Day is annually in the Division 3 mix, but making its first championship game appearance since back-to-back runner-up finishes in 2005 and 2006. The Yellowjackets have eight straight shutouts, including against No. 5 Flint Powers Catholic, No. 6 Freeland and honorable mention Grosse Ile during the tournament. Manning made the all-state first team last season, and Staudt was second teamer.
HUDSONVILLE UNITY CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 22-1, No. 2
Coach: Randy Heethuis, 25th season (464-86-28)
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Green
Championship history: Seven MHSAA titles (most recent 2012), three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Bethany Balcer, jr. M (26 goals, 16 assists); Aubrey Schierbeek, sr. F (30 goals, 20 assists); Lauren Orr, jr. F (9 goals, 12 assists); Cassandra Besteman, jr. M (4 goals, 4 assists).
Outlook: This will be Unity Christian’s ninth championship game appearance in the last decade, and the Crusaders will be playing for their eighth MHSAA title during that time. They didn’t make it out of the Regional in 2013, but brought back six players this spring who earned all-state recognition – Schierbeek, Orr, Besteman, defenders Elly Brummel and Maddy VanDyke (three goals, five assists) and keeper Abby Veeneman (0.32 GAA, 11 shutouts). They’ve given up only one goal in the postseason, in the 5-1 District Final win over No. 4 Grand Rapids South Christian.
Division 4
GRANDVILLE CALVIN CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 24-1, No. 2
Coach: Tim TerHaar, 14th season (232-61-20)
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver
Championship history: Division 4 champion 2013 and 2012.
Players to watch: Camie Rietberg, jr. M (13 goals, 7 assists); Morgan Buursma, jr. D (8 goals, 5 assists); Sarah Klunder, sr. M (19 goals, 23 assists), Whitney Koets, (24 goals, 4 assists); Hilary Curry, jr. F (9 goals, 10 assists); Emily VanVliet, jr. F (16 goals, 15 assists).
Outlook: Calvin Christian has claimed the last two Division 4 titles and keeps winning with a proven formula – prepare during the regular season against bigger opponents, fill out a lineup with plenty of scoring options and dominate during the tournament. They’re scoring even more than a year ago, with 135 goals so far including another 17 off the bench from forward Laura Ramaker. Calvin Christian downed No. 3 Kalamazoo Christian, No. 4 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian and No. 8 Holland Black River during this tournament run, giving up its only goal of the postseason in the Quarterfinal to WMC. The lone loss was to Division 3 finalist Unity Christian.
CLARKSTON EVEREST COLLEGIATE/WATERFORD OUR LADY
Record/rank: 17-1-1, No. 1
Coach: Courtney Shegos, first season (17-1-1)
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic High School League Intersectional
Championship history: Division 4 champion 2010, runners-up 2013 and 2012.
Players to watch: Anna Robb, jr. F (19 goals, 7 assists), Alex Troy, fr. M (10 goals, 6 assists); Lindsay Straw, jr. M (17 goals, 18 assists); Megan Luttinen, sr. GK (0.35 GAA, 12 shutouts, .950 save %).
Outlook: Former Grand Blanc standout and Michigan State University captain Shegos took over the program this spring, and it hasn’t missed a beat led by three of its top offensive players and keeper from 2013. Robb made the all-state team last season while Straw, Troy and Luttinen earned honorable mentions. The lone loss came in the regular-season finale to Division 3 top-ranked Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, and Everest/Our Lady has given up more than one goal only twice – yielding two to Notre Dame Prep and two to Auburn Hills Oakland Christian in the District Final. Everest/Our Lady then came back to shut out No. 5 Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett 5-0 in the Regional Semifinal.
PHOTO: Clarkston Everest Collegiate/Waterford Our Lady’s Megan Luttinen makes a save during the 2013 MHSAA Division 4 Final. She’ll be in net again Saturday.
'Where is Spring Lake?' They'll Know Now as Lakers Begin Reign Atop D2
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
June 15, 2024
EAST LANSING – Ella Andree and Clara Saunders started recording a three-part Tik Tok on the opening day of Spring Lake’s girls soccer season, knowing that in order to film Parts 2 and 3 they would need to advance to, and win, the MHSAA Division 2 Final.
On Saturday, they finished the video.
Spring Lake defeated Bloomfield Hills Marian 1-0 at DeMartin Stadium to avenge a 2021 championship match loss to the Mustangs and claim the first Finals title in school history.
“If we won, we had it ready,” Andree said. “We did win, so I hope it looks good.
“The start of our season was a little rough, we had a lot of ties, and we didn’t really know where we were going to end up. But we pulled it together and figured out what players needed to do what, and to be here is super crazy.”
Andree assisted Aveya Patino on the game’s lone goal, and goalkeeper Jessica Stewart made four saves behind a stout Spring Lake defense to give coach Becky May her first title in her eighth season coaching at her alma mater. That it came on the campus where May played collegiately only made it more sweet.
“Extremely proud of my girls, but just proud of West Michigan, our community and how we’ve been able to step up and really make a name for ourselves in the soccer world,” May said. “I played on this field in college, so as a homecoming for me, here’s why it’s important: When I got announced the first time I started at Michigan State, they announced me from Spring Lake, Michigan, and the girl next to me said, ‘Where in the world is Spring Lake?’ No one heard of anyone outside the sub(urb)s of Detroit. Well, they’ve heard of us now. So I’m very proud.”
The 2021 championship match appearance was Spring Lake’s first, and that ended with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Marian. Andree, Saunders and Stewart were among the players on the field Saturday who had played in that game as freshmen, and getting another shot at the Mustangs certainly added motivation.
“I feel like to replay the team that you originally lost to is always a great feeling,” Saunders said. “It’s just like a second chance. We have gotten a lot better, and I’m just glad that we made it back here. Especially for my senior year. We came out and did what every team wishes to do, is go all the way, and then we won it. I couldn’t be happier or more proud of this team.”
Saturday’s match was tightly contested, with both teams having long stretches of possession but not creating many big scoring chances.
The one that hit the back of the net started when Andree won a ball in the corner and played it across the goal. Marian keeper Dani Mertz was able to get a hand on it, but not all of it, and Patino was there to clean it up, scoring the 29th goal of her freshman season. It was also the first goal Marian (15-4-3) had allowed during the postseason.
“You can’t coach speed, (Patino and Andree are) born with those wheels, and all you have to do as a coach is just put them in the right spot, get them to work together, and they’re just going to be destructive from beginning to end,” May said. “So even when they don’t find the back of the net, they’re putting defenses on their heels and they have to respond to them and react to them. As a result of that, that gives us much more opportunity to possess in the middle of the field. So we put them up top, let them run havoc and then enjoy the benefits of that.”
From there, Spring Lake (17-2-5) stood tall defensively, not allowing the Mustangs to get a great chance to tie the game. With a back three of seniors Ella Rabideau and Brooke Bolthouse and junior Lauren Nicles playing in front of the experienced Stewart, May felt comfortable. Marian, meanwhile, was left frustrated as plenty of second-half possession failed to result in many opportunities.
“They defended with five,” Marian coach Danny Price said. “I watched the Midland game where they played them in the Regional Final, and both of their outside backs were flying forward and they gave us a ton of space. In the first half, they did the same thing. After they scored their goal, they dropped their outside backs really deep and defended with five, which is what we’ve done in the postseason as well. I’ve got to give them props for that, they defended quite resolutely.”
Price was in his first season at Marian, and took over a young squad, as the Mustangs graduate a strong, but small (four) senior class.
“We’ll be back,” he said. “We’ve got a young squad, and we’ve got tons of freshmen coming in; we’ll just reload. We’ll be back here again.”
PHOTOS (Top) Spring Lake keeper Jessica Stewart, in green, goes high to get a hand on the ball Saturday at DeMartin Stadium. (Middle) Bloomfield Hills Marian’s Clair Dauer (16) and Spring Lake’s Elaina Furton work for possession. (Below) Spring Lake players begin their celebration.