Through the Years: Girls Soccer 1983-2015
July 12, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Girls soccer has experienced its share of powerhouse programs over the last three decades, with teams winning three or more consecutive MHSAA championships eight times.
But a number of schools have been in the mix, both as champs and Finals hosts, as the sport celebrated its 100th winner this spring.
Check out below our recent feature on the tournament's history from our spring issue of benchmarks, built and written by Rob Kaminski, and scroll to the bottom of the page for a link to our first installments. We'll look at more MHSAA postseason events every Tuesday and Friday throughout this summer.
Previous installments
July 8: Boys Track & Field - Read
July 5: Girls Track & Field - Read
July 1: Baseball - Read
June 28: Softball - Read
D1 Soccer Final: Chieftains and Champions
June 16, 2012
EAST LANSING – Okemos’ multiple offensive standouts have made it one of the best teams in Michigan all spring and one of the highest ranked in Division 1, coming into the MHSAA tournament No. 2 in the state coaches poll.
But senior goalkeeper Molly O’Connor also had a big part to play in her final high school game.
O’Connor had given up only six goals in 23 games heading into this week. And she picked up her 19th shutout as the Chieftains beat No. 8 Troy 2-0 at Michigan State. She stopped nine shots on goal.
So did Troy junior Alison Holland, but Okemos still managed to push across a goal apiece in both the first and second halves – junior Emma Baker 27:56 into the game and senior Sarah Kovan 9:13 into the second half.
Okemos finished 24-1-1. The Final was the Chieftains’ third, and the title its second to go along with the championship won in 2006.
Troy (19-3-3) was playing in its sixth Final, and finished runner-up for the second straight season after falling to Novi 1-0 in 2011.
PHOTO: Okemos’ Emma Baker (23) celebrates as her first-half goal lands in the net during Saturday’s Division 1 Final.