Make it 4 Straight for East Grand Rapids
June 6, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
ROCKFORD – “Dynasty” is too easily thrown around in describing sports teams.
But East Grand Rapids’ girls lacrosse program has earned that level of distinction with its success over the last four seasons.
The top-ranked Pioneers’ finished their fourth straight MHSAA Division 2 championship run with a 19-6 win over second-ranked Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood on Saturday at Rockford High School.
In doing so, East Grand Rapids also made it four seasons without losing to a Michigan team, a streak that began with the first game of 2012. The Pioneers finished this spring 24-1, losing only to the team from Medina, Ohio, while picking up wins as well on the road at Illinois powers Hinsdale Central and Wilmette Loyola Academy.
“It was a goal of ours to send a message throughout the state, and the country. And we went out and played Illinois teams, and succeeded,” said Pioneers senior Liza Elder, who finished her final season as one of the top single-season and career scorers in MHSAA history. “We had a lot of girls playing together for a long time, and I just think we were great leaders to the underclassmen and really bonded this year.”
East Grand Rapids’ last loss to a Michigan team came in an overtime Regional game in 2011 against eventual Division 2 champion Grand Rapids Catholic Central.
Total, the Pioneers are 92-5 over the last four seasons – with seniors Elder, Jane Goodspeed, Emily French and Elle O’Connell part of the lineup for the entirety.
“Two years ago, the class of 2013 has a similar run. They took a little longer to jell, but this senior class had those upperclassmen to bring them along,” East Grand Rapids coach Rich Axtell said. “This class is clearly our best class, the best team we’ve ever put on the field. They set a really high bar for the underclassmen, and the underclassmen know it.”
A total of 12 seniors also played roles on the 2014 championship team before helping the Pioneers take another step toward an unprecedented run. No other team has won four straight titles in MHSAA girls lacrosse history; two other teams won three straight.
Only three opponents this season scored in double figures on East Grand Rapids, which beat reigning Division 1 champion Rockford twice among its most notable instate wins.
“If a team beat us, they could claim that for years and years,” Pioneers sophomore Lindsay Duca said. “Our coach emphasizes that we can’t have a bad day. We can’t let one thing upset us; if one person is playing badly, the whole team has to pick each other up.
“(The Medina loss) was a couple weeks ago, and we came right back at it, really motivated.”
Cranbrook Kingswood scored first Saturday, only 45 seconds in on a shot by senior Maddy Weber. The score was knotted 2-2 after 10 minutes before Duca scored the second of her five goals to start a 5-0 run. Elder had two of her seven goals during another five-goal run during the second half.
Elder finished this season with 119 goals, second most in one season since lacrosse became an MHSAA-sponsored sport in 2005. Duca also had five assists Saturday.
Cranbrook Kingswood (18-4) played in its first MHSAA Final, led by first-year coach Greg Courter, who formerly coached girls lacrosse in California and Colorado.
The Cranes eliminated three top-10 teams during the tournament, and their other three losses this season were all by only one goal apiece.
Freshman Isabelle Scane had three of the team’s six goals and an assist, and Weber – one of six seniors – scored twice.
“I said (to my team after), someday we’ll be holding up the other trophy, and when we do that, it will be dedicated to the seniors,” Courter said. “This is our first year together, and we give them all the credit for us making to the state final for the first time ever.”
PHOTOS: (Top) East Grand Rapids claimed its fourth straight Division 2 championship Saturday. (Middle) The Pioneers’ Liza Elder (9) moves the ball upfield with Cranbrook Kingswood’s Leah Dolik giving chase.
Rockford Begins New Reign by Ending South Lyon United Winning Streak
By
Drew Ellis
Special for MHSAA.com
June 5, 2026
HOWELL – It took one record to stop another record.
The Rockford girls lacrosse team prevented South Lyon United from claiming a second-consecutive title with a 16-9 victory Friday at Howell Parker. In doing so, the Rams claimed their MHSAA-record 10th Division 1 Finals championship and ended South Lyon United’s 48-game win streak, the longest in D1 history.
"I think it was teamwork," Rockford coach Mark Neumen said of Rockford's win. "This team started really believing in themselves and loved one another. It was just a really good team effort. This means so much."
The pressure of being a favorite is something Rockford (12-8) understands well. His program having won eight consecutive titles at one point, Neumen knew if the Rams could start strong, it would put South Lyon on its heels. Rockford did just that, with senior Brooke Gordon scoring a pair of goals during the first 90 seconds of play.
"We've kind of had a similar pressure all year because we've won nine state championships and everybody expects us to be (in the Finals) and when we're not, it's tough on the girls mentally to have to think about," Neumen said. "Today, the girls seemed pretty relaxed, like that pressure was gone. Then we scored those two quick goals, and I think that set the stage for us mentally for the rest of the game. It got us not thinking about championships or South Lyon's record and got us focused on just playing lacrosse."
Rockford would push its lead to 6-2 after one quarter, thanks in part to its play on the draw. The Rams won six of the nine draws during the opening period, allowing them to control possession early on.
"South Lyon is a very good team, especially offensively, so we didn't want to have to play from behind," Neumen said. "So our goal was to come out firing, and our draw circle girls were amazing for us today. South Lyon hasn't been behind much this season, so we wanted to put pressure on them and try and make them feel uncomfortable."
Each time South Lyon (27-1) would seem to get some momentum, Rockford had an answer. In the first half, Gordon was the answer. She netted five of her game-high six goals over the opening 24 minutes.
"I was just doing my own thing. I know what I am capable of doing, so I just kept trusting myself," Gordon said of her performance. "I just really wanted this, so I did everything I could to make it happen."
Rockford held a 9-6 lead at the break. South Lyon would get the deficit down to two goals twice in the third quarter thanks to goals from Alyssa Jakubiec and Gianna Lucchesi, but SLU wouldn't get any closer.
"We had moments where we would come back and then have a silly mistake," South Lyon United coach Deanna Radcliffe said. "That just kind of kept throwing us off when we had a chance to get back in the game. It just wasn't our day."
A big key for Rockford in the second half was the play of sophomore goalie Mia Mabry. She shut the door on some good opportunities, recording nine saves to keep the Rams in the lead.
"I'm not going to lie, I wasn't really thinking, I wasn't anticipating, I was just trying to do what I have been coached to do," Mabry said of her second-half work.
Rockford retained a three-goal lead after three quarters, but then blew the game open with the first five goals in the fourth, including two from Ava Wekenman and the sixth from Gordon.
"She's amazing. She had a great game," Neuman said of Gordon. "She's been amazing these last several weeks. A lot of teams have been focusing on some of our other players and people have been ignoring her, but there's no reason. She is one of our best players by far. Brooke is a threat no matter what."
Gordon had one assist to go with her six goals, while Wekenman finished with three goals and five assists for the Rams. Avery Maag, who took many of the draws, scored three goals as well.
South Lyon United had a balanced attack with Reagan Shields, Gianna Lucchessi, Shaelyn Perry and Jakubiec each netting two scores.
"One game definitely doesn't define this team," Radcliffe said. "We know we didn't play our best today, but that happens. It's bound to happen when you're going up against really good teams. We just lacked a little bit of confidence today and played a little unsure of ourselves. When you do that against good teams, they can capitalize on that quickly."
PHOTOS (Top) Rockford players celebrate during their championship win Friday. (Middle) The Rams' Jordyn Coretti (24) looks to pass near the opposing goal. (Below) South Lyon United's Shaelyn Perry (2) considers her optoins as Rockford's Lyla Vogt defends.