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, 27^th 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, 14^th 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.)