Preview: Familiar Foes Meet Again with MHSAA Finals Championship at Stake
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 30, 2026
Ann Arbor Pioneer and Saline High School are seven miles apart, and the two programs will enter Saturday’s MHSAA Final as familiar with each other as any two field hockey teams in the state could be this season.
They’ve played each other twice this fall. Pioneer won the first meeting 5-0, on Aug. 24 in the second game of the season for both. But Saline cut the margin significantly in the Sept.14 rematch, a 1-0 Pioneer win.
And Round 3 at Michigan State University’s Ralph Young Field will be for a bigger prize.
Game time Saturday is 11 a.m. Tickets are $12, and the matchup also will be streamed on the NFHS Network and viewable with subscription.
Below is a brief look at the finalists:
ANN ARBOR PIONEER
Record: 17-3
Michigan Power Rating: No. 1
Coach: Jane Nixon, 28th season (451-51-50)
League finish: First in Southeastern Conference Red
Championship history: Pioneer won last season’s inaugural MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Lily Boardman, sr. F/M (9 goals, 7 assists); Klara Jones, sr. F/M (13 goals, 9 assists); Gabby Haudan, jr. F (10 goals, 7 assists); Lucy Peikert, jr. M/D (10 goals, 6 assists).
Outlook: Pioneer will play in its eighth-straight championship game including the final six Michigan High School Field Hockey League Division 1 title deciders before the MHSAA began sponsoring the sport last season. All three of the team’s losses this fall were to out-of-state teams, and the Pioneers have yet to allow a goal in four MHSAA Tournament games, outscoring their opponents by a combined 19-0. Sophomore Mara Boullion is the scheduled starter in goal and has split time this season with senior Bridget Schafer; together they have given up only 14 goals this season and only two over 15 games against in-state opponents. Jones, Haudan and senior Olivia Rollins made the all-state first team last season, and Peikert and Boullion made the second.
SALINE
Record: 19-2
Michigan Power Rating: No. 2
Coach: Sophia O’Connor, sixth season (83-20-12)
League finish: Second in Southeastern Conference Red
Championship history: MHSFHL Division 2 champion 2015, two MHSFHL Division 1 runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Elle Pufpaf, sr. M/F (23 goals, 6 assists); Ella Arvai, jr. M (30 goals, 11 assists); Claire Clark, sr. D (10 goals, 1 assist); Alivia Pufpaf, sr. D/M (7 goals, 5 assists).
Outlook: After reaching the Semifinals last season, Saline will play in a championship game again after most recently finishing runner-up in the MHSFHL’s Division 1 in 2024. Similar to Pioneer, Saline has allowed only one goal over four postseason games while finding the net 31 times. Minus the two losses to Pioneer, Saline has given up only six goals over 19 games. Arvai made the all-state first team last season, Elle Pufpaf made the second, and Alivia Pufpaf and Clark made the third team.
Preview: Washtenaw Powers to Collide Again in 1st MHSAA Field Hockey Final
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 23, 2025
Field hockey long has thrived in Washtenaw County, and more specifically the Southeastern Conference.
Saturday’s inaugural MHSAA Final in the sport will tell the next chapter, matching up this fall’s SEC champion Ann Arbor Pioneer and runner-up Dexter at Northville’s Tom Holzer Field.
The rivals met twice this season, tying 1-1 on Sept. 15 with Pioneer winning the rematch 1-0 a week later. They also combined to win five of the final six Michigan High School Field Hockey League Division 1 championships, with Dexter claiming a couple of Division 2 titles over the last three years as well.
Game time Saturday is 11 a.m. Tickets are $11, and the matchup also will be streamed on the NFHS Network and viewable with subscription.
Below is a brief look at the finalists:
ANN ARBOR PIONEER
Record: 14-6-1
Michigan Power Rating: No. 1
Coach: Jane Nixon, 27th season (435-48-50)
League finish: First in Southeastern Conference
Championship history: 30 MHSFHL championships, six runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Maggie Lamb, sr. F (9 goals, 1 assist); Lily Boardman, jr. F/M (8 goals, 1 assist); Klara Jones, jr. F/M (6 goals, 3 assists), Mara Boullion, fr. GK (1.0 goals-against average, 34 saves). (Statistics through 17 games.)
Outlook: Pioneer won the final three MHSFHL Division 1 titles and is appearing in its seventh-straight championship game. Its only in-state loss this season came to Saline, 1-0 on Sept 8, and the Pioneers avenged it with a 1-0 victory Sept. 17. They haven’t given up a goal during the postseason, their only game closer than four goals a 1-0 overtime victory over Chelsea in the Semifinal. Sophomore Gabby Haudan and freshman Violet Soldan also had scored six goals heading into the postseason. Senior Anne McGowan and junior Olivia Rollins made the Division 1 all-state second team last season.
DEXTER
Record: 15-3-4
Michigan Power Rating: No. 3
Coach: Keely Tamer, 14th season (record N/A)
League finish: Second in Southeastern Conference
Championship history: Five MHSFHL titles, three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Audrey Owen-Smith, sr. G; Claire Dubuque, sr. M; Lillian Mitchell, sr. M; Aiden Weinmann, sr. M. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: Dexter is playing in its fourth-straight championship game after winning MHSFHL Division 2 championships in 2022 and 2023 and finishing runner-up a year ago. Owen-Smith, Weinmann and Mitchell all were named to the all-state Dream Team in 2024, while Dubuque joined them on the Division 2 first team and now-senior Addison Zogaib made the second team. Dexter opened this fall 0-1-2 but went on to defeat all three of those opponents – Grosse Pointe South to avenge the loss, Chelsea, and Saline 4-0 in their Semifinal matchup. The Dreadnaughts also haven’t allowed a goal during the postseason and won all four games by four goals or more.
PHOTO Ann Arbor Pioneer's Lucy Peikert (28) controls possession during her team's 1-1 tie against Dexter on Sept. 15. (Photo by Caroline Sutton.)