Preview: Girls Lacrosse Finals to Match Reigning Champs Vs. Record Holders
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
June 4, 2026
Rockford and East Grand Rapids will add to their shared record of 10 MHSAA Girls Lacrosse Finals appearances Friday at Howell Parker, and could also add to their Division-leading championship counts as well.
But a pair of teams moving up the historical charts are eager to continue making their own names among the all-time elite.
Reigning Division 1 champion South Lyon United hasn’t lost in two years and will try to extend that streak against the Rams. Reigning Division 2 champion Detroit Country Day will play in its fifth-straight Final to move into a tie for most championship game appearances in MHSAA girls lacrosse history.
Below is a glance at all four teams playing for titles. Rankings as part of “best wins” are based on the Michigan Power Rating formula. Tickets cost $11 and are good for both games, and may be purchased online only at GoFan.
Both games will be broadcast and available with subscription from MHSAA.tv.
Division 1
ROCKFORD
Record/MPR: 11-8, No. 10
League finish: Third in Ottawa-Kent Conference Tier 1
Coach: Mark Neumen, fifth season (65-35-1)
Championship history: Nine Division 1 titles (most recent 2021), runner-up in 2024.
Best wins: 9-4 over No. 7 Hartland in Semifinal, 16-6 over No. 9 Hudsonville in Regional Final, 18-11 over Division 2 No. 8 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 9-7 over Division 2 No. 2 East Grand Rapids, 7-6 over Division 2 No. 6 Spring Lake.
Players to watch: Ella Larva, sr. M (33 goals, 9 assists); Kiah Kruisenga, jr. M (26 goals, 8 assists); Brooke Gordon, sr. M (39 goals, 22 assists); Ava Wekenman, soph. A (41 goals, 29 assists).
Outlook: After a year away from the Finals, Rockford is back in a familiar spot and riding a five-game winning streak that began by avenging a mid-April loss to Spring Lake. The Rams also avenged their March defeat to East Grand Rapids a month later. Larva made the all-state first team last season, Kruisenga the third team and junior defender Lyla Vogt earned an honorable mention. Seven players total had scored at least 15 goals entering this week, including as well sophomores Avery Maag (25) and Jordyn Coretti (15, 18 assists) and senior Ella Wagenmaker (18/12).
SOUTH LYON UNITED
Record/MPR: 27-0, No. 2
League finish: First in Lakes Valley Conference
Coach: Deanna Radcliffe, 10th season (168-26)
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2025, runner-up 2008.
Best wins: 9-8 and 14-11 (Regional Final) over No. 1 Brighton, 23-8 over No. 8 Bloomfield Hills in Semifinal, 17-10 over No. 3 Lake Orion, 15-2 and 14-5 over No. 6 White Lake Lakeland, 17-3 over No. 5 Grosse Pointe South, 19-5 over No. 4 Birmingham United, 20-5 over Division 2 No. 5 Haslett/Williamston.
Players to watch: Shaelyn Perry, sr. M (78 goals, 23 assists); Cate Cumberland, jr. M/D (33 goals, 20 assists); Gabriela Lucchesi, sr. A (36 goals, 41 assists); Reagan Shields, jr. A (87 goals, 61 assists).
Outlook: South Lyon United has won 48 straight games as it seeks to finish a second-straight perfect season. United also has defeated the other seven top-eight teams in Division 1 by MPR at the end of the regular season, and done so giving up double-digit goals only twice and with an offense that has reached 20 goals eight times. Shields, Perry and Cumberland are returning all-state first teamers, and Lucchesi earned an honorable mention last year. Seniors Alyssa Jakubiec (52 goals/15 assists) and Gianna Lucchesi (51/26) and junior Madison Lukas (49/9) also are among leading offensive contributors.
Division 2
DETROIT COUNTRY DAY
Record/MPR: 14-5, No. 4
League finish: Does not compete in a conference.
Coach: Liz Nussbaum, third season (48-12-1)
Championship history: Division 2 champion 2023 and 2025, runner-up 2005, 2022 and 2024.
Best wins: 23-3 over No. 3 Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard in Semifinal, 13-9 over No. 7 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep in Regional Final, 16-2 over No. 11 Rochester Hills Stoney Creek in Regional Semifinal, 11-10 over No. 9 Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 9-3 and 18-8 over Division 1 No. 7 Hartland.
Players to watch: Campbell Lindner, sr. G (126 saves, .490 save %); Charlotte Cook, soph. M (74 goals, 22 assists); Adriana Zuk, sr. M (46 goals, 17 assists); Jackie Calso, jr. M (47 goals, 14 assists).
Outlook: This will be Country Day’s fifth-straight Finals appearance, and the Yellowjackets return with a pair of 2025 all-state second-teamers in Lindner and Cook and honorable mentions in Zuk and Calso. The only in-state losses this season were twice to East Grand Rapids and once to Brighton, and Country Day won its first four postseason games by a combined 70-14. They also have notable victories over Carmel (Ind.) and Chicago St. Ignatius College Prep. Junior Bridget Kenney had added another 21 goals entering the week, and sophomore Maggie Stoller had 15.
EAST GRAND RAPIDS
Record/MPR: 19-2, No. 2
League finish: First in O-K Tier 1
Coach: Kira Schoonveld, first year (19-2)
Championship history: Eight Division 2 titles (most recent 2022), runner-up in 2017 and 2023.
Best wins: 20-6 over No. 5 Haslett/Williamston in Semifinal, 11-2 (Regional Final), 12-7 and 13-8 over No. 6 Spring Lake; 17-5 (Regional Semifinal) and 12-5 over No. 9 Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 9-7 (Regional Quarterfinal), 7-4 and 11-4 over No. 8 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central; 11-9 and 12-5 over No. 4 Detroit Country Day, 12-5 over Division 1 No. 4 Birmingham United, 11-10 (OT) over Division 1 No. 7 Hartland, 12-10 (OT) over Division 1 No. 10 Rockford.
Players to watch: Avery Albers, jr. G (7.2 goals-against average, 112 saves); Jane Weaver, jr. A (49 goals, 18 assists); Livia Burgess, jr. M (32 goals, 23 assists); Rylee Renker, sr. A (37 goals, 3 assists).
Outlook: Aside from a couple of late losses to Grand Rapids Catholic Central and Rockford by a combined five goals, EGR has been pretty much unstoppable on the way to its first championship game appearance in three years. The Pioneers did end up avenging that CC loss in the Regional Semifinal to finish that season series with a 2-1 edge, and they haven’t given up more than 10 goals in a game – and allowed 10 only twice, both in overtime wins. Albers made the all-state first team last season, Weaver made the second and Burgess and senior Ellen Cross earned honorable mentions. Junior Nora Williams (25 goals/8 assists) and sophomores Ciarra Burns (21/8) and Sarah Cross (15/17) also are among leading scorers this spring.
PHOTO Detroit Country Day’s Charlotte Cook (18) attempts to get past a Grand Rapids Catholic Central defender during last season’s Division 2 Final.
Title IX at 50: Anticipation High as 45,000 Girls Return to Spring Sports
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 12, 2022
Nearly 45,000 Michigan female high school athletes are expected to participate in sports across both peninsulas this spring to cap off the 2021-22 school year.
During the 2020-21 school year, track & field was the most popular girls spring sport – and third most popular girls sport overall – with 12,739 participants. Both girls soccer and softball in Spring 2021 drew more than 11,000 athletes, with girls lacrosse just under 3,000, Lower Peninsula girls tennis at nearly 7,000 and Upper Peninsula girls golf at just more than 100.
The first girls spring MHSAA Finals championships were earned in 1973 in track & field, with Lincoln Park and Marquette winning Open Class titles in their respective peninsulas. The first Upper Peninsula Girls Golf Finals actually had been played in Fall 1972, but that sport moved to spring for the 1973-74 school year. Softball became an MHSAA-sponsored tournament sport in 1975.
Lower Peninsula girls golf also was played during the spring from its MHSAA tournament start in 1973 until the court-ordered move to fall beginning in 2007 – which saw girls tennis in the Lower Peninsula switch to the spring in its place.
Girls soccer was added to the MHSAA girls spring tournament lineup in 1983. Girls lacrosse (and boys lacrosse) were added to the MHSAA series of sponsored tournament sports in 2005.
This season’s Finals for girls sports begin with U.P. golf, which can play its championship tournaments as early as June 1, and will conclude with softball and soccer title games June 18.
Second Half's weekly Title IX Celebration posts are sponsored by Michigan Army National Guard.
Previous Title IX at 50 Spotlights
April 5: Regina's Laffey Retiring as Definition of Legendary - Read
March 29: Edison's Whitehorn named 2022 Miss Basketball - Read
March 22: Carney-Nadeau Sets Girls Hoops Standard with 78-Win Streak - Read
March 15: Binder Among Voices Telling Our Story on MHSAA Network - Read
March 8: 28 Years, Thousands of Cheers - Read
March 1: Kearsley Rolls On Among Girls Bowling's Early Successes - Read
Feb. 22: Marquette Ties Record for Swim & Dive Finals Success - Read
Feb. 15: Jaeger's 2004 Winter Run Created Lasting Connection - Read
Feb. 8: Marian's Cicerone to Finish Among All-Time Elite - Read
Feb. 1: WISL Award Honors Builders of State's Girls Sports Tradition - Read
Jan. 25: Decades Later, Edwards' Legend Continues to Grow - Read
Jan. 18: Iron Mountain Completes Championship Climb - Read
Jan. 11: Harrold's Achievement Heralds Growth of Girls Wrestling - Read
Dec. 20: Competitive Cheer Gives Michigan Plenty to Cheer About - Read
Dec. 14: Evelyn's Game Had Plenty of Magic - Read
Dec. 7: Council Term Ends, But Leinaar Leaves Lasting Impact - Read
Nov. 30: Basketball Season Ready to Add to Rich Tradition - Read
Nov. 23: Marysville Builds Winning Streak Yet to be Challenged - Read
Nov. 16: Wroubel Has Championed Girls School Sports from Their Start - Read
Nov. 9: Pioneer's Joyce Legendary in Michigan, National Swim History - Read
Nov. 2: Royal Oak's Finch Leading Way on Football Field - Read
Oct. 26: Coach Clegg Sets Championship Standard at Grand Blanc - Read
Oct. 19: Rockford Girls Set Pace, Hundreds After Have Continued to Chase - Read
Oct. 12: Bedford Volleyball Pioneer Continues Blazing Record-Setting Trail - Read
Oct. 5: Warner Paved Way to Legend Status with Record Rounds - Read
Sept. 28: Taylor Kennedy Gymnasts Earn Fame as 1st Champions - Read
Sept. 21: Portage Northern Star Byington Becomes Play-by-Play Pioneer - Read
Sept. 14: Guerra/Groat Legacy Continues to Serve St. Philip Well - Read
Sept. 7: Best-Ever Conversation Must Include Leland's Glass - Read
Aug. 31: We Will Celebrate Many Who Paved the Way - Read
PHOTOS Spring Sports (MHSAA file photo)