Lansing Catholic Finishes Title Climb, Greenhills' Melendez Joins Elite Few

By Tim Robinson
Special for MHSAA.com

October 21, 2023

BATTLE CREEK — While clutching the championship trophy that had eluded her during her first three high school golf seasons, Lansing Catholic’s Sophie Hauser was open to suggestions on how to celebrate.

What if, it was suggested, each member of the Cougars got to have the trophy in their possession for a day, like NHL hockey players whose team wins the Stanley Cup?

“I like that idea,” she said, her smile getting even brighter.

If that’s the case, the Cougars’ MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 4 championship trophy will be out of sight for a while.

The reason: Lansing Catholic has 20 golfers on its roster, all competing for playing spots.

“We have 16 players who want to compete,” Cougars coach Kim Johnson said. “From freshmen to seniors. It keeps everyone sharp when you have 20 people competing, and it’s a team thing because the younger ones are pushing the older ones because if they don't (compete), they’re going to lose their spot, and it’s worked out well.”

It was the Cougars’ first title since 2010, which was the last of three consecutive titles won by the Cougars at that time. They finished third last year after second-place finishes the previous two seasons.

Lansing Catholic got off to a blazing start, ending Friday’s first round with a 15-stroke lead and adding to it Saturday, finishing with a 705 score that was 24 strokes better than second-place Kalamazoo Christian.

“We got out front early and stayed out,” Johnson said. “Everyone knew that we were 15 strokes up, and we knew we had to keep the pedal on the metal because there were all these great teams behind us. We didn’t want to lose it, so we knew we had to keep working hard.”

Ann Arbor Greenhills’ Mia Melendez sends an approach on the way to winning her third individual championship.The Cougars came out Saturday determined not to let the moment, or the weather, get to them.

Hauser led Lansing Catholic by shooting 74 on Saturday and 150 for the weekend, both personal bests. 

“I struggled on the front nine,” she said, “but I pulled it together on the back nine, and I thought to myself that I have to play my game and not think about anyone else.”

Johnson said assistant Mary Fineis plays a key role in the Cougars’ mental approach. 

“She works on skills with them, and she helps them keep their minds sharp,” Johnson said. 

Mia Melendez of Ann Arbor Greenhills became the seventh girl in state history to three-peat as a Finals individual champion, firing a 69 to edge Brooklyn Columbia Central’s Logan Bentley by two strokes.

“I made a lot of pars and three great birdies,” she said. “It was a really steady round overall.”

Melendez, a junior, hopes to make it four-for-four in state titles next year. That would make her the first to do so in the Lower Peninsula and first statewide since Paxton Johnson of Escanaba won four consecutive titles in UP Finals from 2016-19.

The weather was a factor both days, forcing the contestants off the course for a time Friday due to heavy rain. Saturday saw drizzle and occasional showers. 

“Conditions were really tough for playing golf today,” Melendez said. “There was a lot of rain, the ground was wet, and it was super cold. But I’m glad I have some experience playing in tough weather.”

Meanwhile, Hauser and her teammate were savoring their team title.

“I don't think it’s really hit me yet,” said Hauser, who finished third overall as an individual. “It feels like a dream. And it’s finally come true.”

Click for full results.

PHOTOS (Top) Lansing Catholic celebrates its first Finals team championship since 2010 on Saturday. (Middle) Ann Arbor Greenhills’ Mia Melendez sends an approach on the way to winning her third individual championship. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)

Be the Referee: Golf Cart Path Roll

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

May 13, 2025

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment – Golf Cart Path Roll - Listen

We’re back on the course today for a golf rules question.

You hit your drive up the left side of the fairway on a hole that slopes up towards the green. Your ball bounces a couple of times and then rolls to the left. Unfortunately, the last bounce it takes is onto the cart path and it proceeds to roll down the path, back towards you, about 50 yards.

Are you allowed to place your ball where it last touched before rolling down the cart path?

No.

You are allowed to take relief from the cart path where the ball stopped rolling, but you can’t move your ball up to where it was before rolling down the path. And the relief you take can’t put the ball closer to the hole than where it stopped rolling. An unlucky break on an uphill hole.

Previous 2024-25 Editions

May 6: Illegal Softball Bats - Listen
April 30:
Golf Relief - Listen
April 22: Soccer
 Scoring Area Penalty - Listen
April 15: Fair or Foul? - Listen
April 8: Girls Lacrosse New Stoppage Rule - Listen
April 1: Base Runner Interference - Listen
March 25: Pine Tar Usage - Listen
March 11: Basketball Replay - Listen
March 4: Gymnastics Deduction - Listen
Feb. 25: Competitive Cheer Inversion - Listen
Feb. 18: Ice Hockey Delay of Game - Listen
Feb. 11: Ski Helmets - Listen
Feb. 4: Wrestling In Bounds or Out? - Listen
Jan. 21: Block or Charge? - Listen
Jan. 14: Out of Bounds, In Play - Listen
Jan. 7: Wrestling Scoring - Listen
Dec. 17: Bowling Ball Rules - Listen
Dec. 10: Neck Laceration Protector - Listen
Dec. 3: Basketball Goaltending - Listen
Nov. 26: 11-Player Finals Replay - Listen
Nov. 19: 8-Player vs. 11-Player Football - Listen
Nov. 12: Back Row Setter - Listen
Nov. 5: Football OT - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call"
- Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18:
 Libero - Listen
Sept. 10:
 Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen