Preview: History-Making Opportunities
May 29, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Every athlete playing in this weekend’s Lower Peninsula Girls Tennis Finals will achieve a notable feat, be it personal or for her school.
But Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood’s Alexandria Najarian could finish Saturday at Kalamazoo College among the most accomplished players in MHSAA history.
Najarian is playing in Division 3 for her fourth No. 1 singles championship. Only two others – Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett’s Dawn Martin from 1985-88 and Detroit Country Day’s Kendra Howard from 1990-93 – have won No. 1 singles titles all four years of high school.
Najarian’s storyline will be one of many to follow this weekend, with coverage of all four Finals publishing on Second Half later Saturday evening. Below is a brief look at top contenders at each tournament, with play beginning Friday morning. Click for more including brackets and seeds for all 32 flights.
DIVISION 1 at Midland Tennis Center
Top ranked: 1. Grosse Pointe South, 2. Clarkston, 3. Northville.
Grosse Pointe South is favored to win its second MHSAA championship in three seasons after tying for third a year ago with Clarkston, which tied for second in 2012 and won the title in 2011. Northville is seeking its first MHSAA girls tennis championship and finished fifth last season.
Grosse Pointe South: All but one flight is seeded fifth or higher, with three doubles pairs seeded among the top two of their respective flights. And the unseeded is No. 2 singles player Madie Flournoy, last season’s champion at No. 4. Brooke Willard, a semifinalist at No. 2 singles last season, is the fourth seed at No. 3 this weekend, and 2013 No. 3 singles runner-up Maggie Sweeney is now part of the fifth-seeded No. 1 doubles pair with Samantha Perry. Raven Neely is a contender at No. 1 singles entering as the third seed.
Clarkston: The Wolves’ strength again is singles, with all four flights entering this weekend seeded first or second. Last season’s No. 1 singles runner-up Lexi Baylis is the top seed at that flight and won No. 2 in both 2011 and 2012. Reigning No. 2 runner-up Isabella Spindler and reigning No. 3 champion Dana Olsen are second seeds at those flights, respectively. Paige Olsen – part of last season’s runner-up at No. 1 doubles and the No. 3 singles champion in 2012 – is the second seed at No. 2 singles. Her partner last season, Alex Whall, is teaming with Katie Hubregsen as the fourth-seeded pair at No. 1 doubles.
Bloomfield Hills: Although ranked No. 4 entering the postseason, Bloomfield Hills looks like a contender and brings tournament experience with Andover taking fourth and Lahser tying for sixth in Division 2 in 2013 (those schools merged last summer). The Black Hawks are seeded at all but one flight, with Mollie Fox – last season’s Division 2 No. 1 singles champ – seeded fifth in the top flight. Kerry Hu – the No. 1 singles runner-up for Andover in Division 2 in 2012 – is the third-seeded player this weekend at No. 2. Meryl Reams was the Division 2 No. 4 champion last season and is seeded fifth in that flight.
Utica’s Davina Nguyen: The 2012 No. 1 singles champion fell in the semifinals last season but is expected to get at least that far again entering this weekend as the second seed.
Port Huron Northern’s Lizzie Brozovich: Despite beating Spindler in straight sets in last season’s No. 2 singles championship match, Brozovich returns as only the sixth seed in the flight this weekend.
Midland Dow’s Caroline Szabo: Dow has the top seeds at Nos. 2, 3 and 4 singles, with Szabo at No. 2 expected to finish her freshman season as a champion.
Port Huron Northern’s Alexis Wirth and Fran Basha: Northern’s top-seeded pair at No. 1 doubles gave up only one set – and then one game in the championship match – in winning this flight in 2013.
Other returning flight champions: Farmington Hills Mercy’s Mackenzie Zierau (No. 2 doubles in 2013, part of No. 1 doubles with Clara Pilchak this season), Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Alyssa Roopas and Evie Vandewege (No. 3 doubles in 2013 and No. 4 doubles in 2012; No. 1 doubles this season), Northville’s Libby Quinn (No. 4 doubles in 2013, part of third-seeded No. 4 doubles with Chloe Page this season).
DIVISION 2 at Holland
Top ranked: 1. Birmingham Seaholm, 2. Bloomfield Hills Marian, 3. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern.
One of these three has won Division 2 each of the last 11 seasons, with Marian the returning champ, Seaholm the winner in 2012 and Forest Hills Northern finishing first in 2011. Seaholm was last season’s runner-up, with Forest Hills Northern finishing third.
Birmingham Seaholm: The Maples enter the weekend with five top seeds, including at three singles flights. All four singles players are back from last season – Labina Petrovska is the top seed at No. 1, Lauren Frazier is seeded second at No. 2, reigning runner-up Claire Markley is the top seed at No. 3 and Rachel Fenberg is the top seed at No. 4. The two doubles pairs that aren’t top seeds have championship experience – Jackie Meier is back at No. 1, this time with Laine Boitos, after Meier helped win No. 1 last season and Boitos was part of the runner-up at No. 2. Sam Lareau is playing No. 2 doubles with Caity Buechner after helping win the No. 4 doubles title in 2013.
Bloomfield Hills Marian: The Mustangs are seeded at all but No. 1 singles, and that unseeded player, Lauren Dietz, was the No. 2 singles runner-up a year ago. Reigning No. 3 champ Breann Lunghamer moved up to No. 2 and is the fourth seed, and reigning No. 4 runner-up Catherine Yaldoo moved up to No. 3 and is seeded third at that flight. All four doubles flights are seeded third or higher, with Tatyanna Dadabbo moving up to No. 1 to pair with Biance Emde after Dadabbo helped win the No. 2 doubles title a year ago and Emde was part of the pair that made the semis at No. 3.
Forest Hills Northern: All flights are seeded, with three in the top spot and another second. Victoria Minzlaff helped finish runner-up at No. 1 doubles last season and is part of the top-seeded pair this time with last season’s No. 2 singles player, Jessica Stevens. (Minzlaff was part of champions at No. 1 in 2012 and No. 4 in 2011.) Stephanie Nguyen, part of last season’s No. 3 doubles champion, is part of the top-seeded No. 2 pair with Hailey Jones. Madeline Bissett is the top seed at No. 2 singles after winning No. 3 in Division 3 as a freshman at Forest Hills Eastern two years ago (and finishing runner-up at No. 2 in Division 3 last season), and Claire Aleck is back at No. 1 singles and seeded second in that flight.
Fenton’s Madison Ballard: This season’s third seed at No. 1 singles won two matches at last season’s Final after entering unseeded.
Okemos’ Emily Struble: The champion at No. 2 singles the last two seasons is playing No. 1 this weekend and enters seeded fifth.
East Grand Rapids’ Jeanie Weinrich and Bridget Barrett: The Pioneers’ third-seeded No. 1 doubles pair is made up of half of last season’s pair (Weinrich) and last season’s No. 1 singles player (Barrett).
DIVISION 3 at Kalamazoo College
Top ranked: 1. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood, 2. Detroit Country Day, 3. Allegan
Cranbrook-Kingswood is looking to extend a three-season winning streak and finish among the top two for the seventh straight year. The Cranes scored 39 points a year ago, with Allegan second at 23 and Country Day third at 19. Country Day, in 2010, was the last team to win before this run.
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood: The Cranes have top seeds at six flights and the fourth seeds at the remaining two. Najarian’s history-making opportunity is detailed above, and No. 2 singles Anna Short also is a reigning champion. Briana Latica and Holly Meers were the No. 3 doubles champions last season and are playing this weekend at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, and Lauren Lanzon and Emily Harvey won the No. 4 doubles title a year ago; Harvey is playing No. 3 singles and Lanzon No. 3 doubles. Meg Phyle was part of last season’s No. 1 doubles runner-up and is top-seeded at that flight with Amanda Simmons.
Detroit Country Day: Seven flights are seeded, led by a strong singles lineup. Madelyn Karoub is looking to finish her career with a third MHSAA singles title and is the top seed at No. 3. Haley Mullins was runner-up at No. 3 last season and is seeded second at No. 2, and Sarah Carroll was runner-up at No. 4 last season and is seeded second at that flight.
Allegan: The Tigers also are seeded at seven flights, with all four singles players fourth seeds or higher and a pair of strong doubles teams leading the way. Emmarie Gorby and Blake Day are the fourth seed at No. 1 doubles after finishing runner-up at No. 2 a year ago. Carlie Vanklompenberg and Taylor Orr are the top seed at No. 2 doubles after finishing runner-up at No. 3 a year ago.
Holland Christian’s Lisa Busscher and Anna Bosgraaf: Last season’s No. 4 doubles runners-up are seeded third at No. 2 this weekend.
Williamston’s Sara Daavettila: Playing high school tennis for the first time, Daavettila is the second seed at No. 1 singles and could give Najarian an interesting run if both make the championship match.
Williamston’s Caitlyn Chick and Delaney Nikolai: Although unseeded at No. 1 doubles, this pair was the runner-up at No. 1 in Division 4 last season.
DIVISION 4 at Grand Blanc/Holly
Top ranked: 1. Grosse Ile, 2. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, 3. Traverse City St. Francis
Grosse Ile, Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard and Traverse City St. Francis all are seeking their first MHSAA girls tennis championships. Grosse Ile finished just three points back of champion Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart last season, with St. Francis third and Gabriel Richard tied for fourth. Academy of the Sacred Heart, champion the last two seasons, is ranked No. 4.
Grosse Ile: The Red Devils are seeded at every flight with three top seeds and No. 4 doubles runners-up Rose Tucker and Casey Guthrie returning among favorites. Reigning No. 2 singles champion Brianne Riley is the sixth seed at No. 1, and reigning No. 3 runner-up Julia Formentin is the second seed at No. 2. Katherine Kuzmiak was part of the No. 2 doubles runner-up last season and is teaming with Luna Terauchi on the top-seeded pair at No. 3 this weekend.
Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard: The Fighting Irish are seeded at only four flights, but have the favorites at Nos. 1 and 2 singles, respectively, with top seeds Colleen O’Brien and Maddy Szuba. O’Brien was the No. 1 runner-up last season and the No. 2 champion in 2012 (playing for Greenhills), while Szuba made the semis at No. 3 last season.
Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart: The Gazelles appear in a slightly better position to earn points than Traverse City St. Francis with six seeds to St. Francis’ five and three among the top four seeds in their respective flights. Tate Lehmann is the third seed at No. 3 singles after winning No. 4 a year ago, while the team’s second-seeded pair at No. 1 doubles is a mix of Sarah Spangler from last season’s No. 2 champion and Gretchen Lemon from last season’s winner at No. 4. Kendall Lehmann is part of the fifth-seeded pair at No. 2 doubles, with Stella Betrus, after helping win the title at No. 3 in 2013.
Berrien Springs’ Arien Kissinger: The senior has won four matches at No. 1 singles as an unseeded player the last three seasons, but enters her last Finals as the second seed at this flight.
Kalamazoo Christian’s Audrey Bouma and Jessica Bouma: Last season’s champion at No.3 singles, Audrey, is the top seed in that flight, while Jessica is the third seed at No. 2 singles and won No. 3 in 2011.
Lansing Catholic’s Calla Ramont: The No. 3 singles champion in 2012 won a match at No. 1 last season and comes into this weekend as the third seed at the top flight.
Ludington’s Gabrielle and Stephanie Kelly: The sisters have teamed up at No. 1 doubles the last two seasons, winning a match at the 2013 Final and entering this one as the top seed.
PHOTO: Cranbrook-Kingswood’s Alexandria Najarian, here playing in the No. 1 singles championship match at the 2012 LP Division 3 Final, will play for her fourth No. 1 singles title. (Click to see more at HighSchoolsSportsScene.com.)
Mattawan's Novaks Claim League Titles, Ready to Pursue Next Championship Goals
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
May 17, 2022
MATTAWAN — In a family steeped in tennis history, one member is forging his own path.
Matt Novak has been tearing up the course as Mattawan’s top golfer.
The sophomore won the individual medalist honor in the 36-hole Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference Championship two weeks ago and carded the best nine-hole average in SMAC West matches this season.
“He’s having quite a year so far, and we are just very excited to take this ride with him,” Mattawan’s first-year coach Troy Pelak said.
Novak’s sister, Lizzie, is also having a stellar season as the Wildcats’ top tennis player.
She, too, won the SMAC Championship last weekend and, after recovering from an early-season injury, takes a 9-0 record into this week’s Regional.
“Her big win (this year) was vs. Forest Hills Northern (ranked No. 1 in the state in Lower Peninsula Division 2),” said Matt Boven, in his 24th season coaching the Wildcats.
Mattawan tennis is ranked sixth.
As a freshman, Lizzie Novak won the LPD2 Finals No. 2 singles title playing behind her sister, Kate, who is now playing tennis at Bucknell (Pa.) University.
COVID-19 caused Lizzie Novak’s sophomore season to be canceled, and she opted to play USTA tournaments her junior year but hopes to add one more MHSAA title to her resume.
If she does, she will finish with just one fewer than her dad, David Novak, who won three state titles at Hackett Catholic Central, one at No. 2 singles in 1983 and two at No. 1 singles (1985, 1986).
Matt Novak played tennis at a young age, but “I didn’t like it as much as my sisters did, so I decided to pursue golf more in the summer,” he said.
“I like that you’re really out there by yourself, and you’re playing against the course and not a specific person. You push yourself every single time you’re out there.”
The sophomore also plays hockey during the winter, which has helped his golf game.
“A couple of my coaches taught me how to be a good leader,” he said. “I think I translated a lot of my leader skills from hockey into golf.”
That includes his slap shot which “definitely helps with power off the tee in that long ball,” he said.
Pelak said although Matt is the youngest on the team, he is the team leader.
“We had an event earlier in the year and we took third of 21 teams,” Pelak said. “The team said, ‘This is pretty good,’ and Matt said, ‘Guys, we’re here to win, not place third.’ That’s the message he sent right away.”
Junior Will Kuiper said teammates have a lot of respect for Novak.
“He knows a lot about golf, and he wants to help the team get better,” Kuiper said. “He’ll help you after practice.
“He’ll be hard on us sometimes, but he just wants us to get better. He just wants the team to win.”
That passion for golf sometimes leaves Novak out of family chatter.
“I feel singled out at the dinner table when they’re all talking about their tennis and I’m over here just thinking about golf,” he said, laughing.
His sister agrees.
“We’ll go full tennis and Matt will go, ‘What about me?’ We’ll try to turn to him, but no one can relate to him as much,” she said.
“I think he has the attitude for tennis, but I think it’s kinda fun that he has something different from tennis. Golf is more exciting for him.”
The senior, who is headed to University of Richmond in the fall, is also a team leader.
“I feel I bring a lot of leadership and energy and excitement,” she said. “Some of these players are so much more inexperienced.
“I’m trying to get everyone together on and off the court. I’ve been having a blast. We’ve improved every week, and I hope we can make it to State.”
Tennis suits her, Lizzie Novak said.
“I feel like I’m kind of a control freak,” she said. “I like everything a certain way, and I don’t want someone else to mess up. I can mess up.”
She thanks her sister for steering her to tennis.
“I was obsessed with my sister when I was younger, and she started playing tennis, so that’s what I’ll do,” she said. “She quit dance, I quit dance. It worked, and I love it. It’s just like breathing to me at this point.”
The senior has one more weapon to help her: She’s a lefty which, at times, gives her an advantage since most players are used to facing righties.
“When I play someone left-handed, I’m like, this is terrible, but I like it,” she laughed.
Boven said Lizzie Novak brings power to the team.
“Having a star at No 1 singles puts her other teammates in a position to win,” he said. “It gives other opportunities and actually strengthens other flights.
“To have someone who’s basically a guaranteed point really does a great deal for the team.”
Other seniors on the tennis team are Romika Shokohi, Ashley Goding, Adelaide Douglass and Sloane Lohroff; juniors are Emma Coleman and Madison Pratt. Sophomores are Madison Engel and Kendall Coon, while freshmen are Sienna Watts, Nadia Baird and Emma Pratt.
Boven said it will be strange not having a Novak on a tennis team next year, but he still has hope.
Talking about trying to convince Matt Novak to play tennis, he said, “Absolutely I did, and I’m still trying to talk him into it. I hear he’s a natural, and tennis is in his blood.
“I love his personality. I think he could bring charisma and some talent to the team. So, yes, on a daily basis I’m trying to talk Matthew into playing tennis.”
That may be wishful hoping on Boven’s part.
Novak is totally focused on golf.
“We made it to Regionals but did not qualify for states last year, and I, sadly, didn't qualify (individually),” he said. “(This year) we’re strong, and we have to work on consistency.
“We definitely have a couple guys who can go low. It just matters if we can do it more than once, shoot a good round and the next day shoot a good round again.”
Pelak has six seniors on varsity: Logan McClish, Andrew Keorkunian, Jared Yetter, Zach Sylvester, Seth Reeves and Brady Weller.
Juniors include Blake Welch and Cameron Graver, and the other sophomore is Eason Haller.
Pelak said Novak possesses the qualities of a top golfer.
“In addition to scoring, which is obviously very important in golf, he plays with tremendous poise. His course management skills are off the chart,” Pelak said.
“He does a good job of not getting too high or low and really manages himself on the course with a lot of poise. He’s not emotional, which is perfect for a golfer.”
With two top athletes usually competing on the same day, the Novaks have come up with a plan.
“My mom (Meredith) usually likes to take the tennis and my dad likes golf,” Matt Novak said. “It gets too stressful watching my sister.”
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Sister Lizzie and brother Matt Novak are among Mattawan athletes with high aspirations as their sports approach postseason play this spring. (2) From left, Mattawan girls tennis coach Matt Boven, boys golf coach Troy Pelak and golfer Will Kuiper. (3) Lizzie Novak returns a volley during a recent tennis practice. (4) Matt Novak putts during a golf practice. (Boven head shot courtesy of Mattawan’s girls tennis program; all other photos by Pam Shebest.)