New Novi Champion Goes Even Bigger
June 15, 2019
By Jason Schmitt
Special for Second Half
EAST LANSING – Scoring goals in a championship game is never easy.
But Novi sure made it look that way in Saturday’s Division 1 title game at DeMartin Stadium. The Wildcats had four players score at least once – including senior Jessie Bandyk, who netted two – and cruised past Plymouth, 5-0, to take home their second straight Finals championship.
The five goals were the most that have been scored in a Division 1 championship game.
“These seniors, knowing that this was their last game, they were given a gift,” Novi head coach Todd Pheiffer said. “When you start the state tournament, you never know when your last practice is going to be. You show up for the game the next day, you hope you win and get to practice the next day. When you get to the state championship game, you know when it’s your last practice.”
There will be no more practices this season for the Wildcats – nor games. There’s nothing left to prove. Novi wrapped up an unbeaten season, finishing 28-0-1, becoming just the second team in state history – along with Hudsonville Unity Christian in 2006 – to win 28 games and finish unbeaten.
Despite Saturday’s dominating offensive showing, Pheiffer spent a lot of time after the game praising his defense.
“I cannot tell you how proud I am of my back four,” said the coach, speaking about senior Lauren Calhoun, juniors Nevada Larson and Sarah Katinas and sophomore Eva Burns. “My back four defenders, my goalkeepers, they just pride themselves every single game about limiting the other team’s shots and giving up no goals.”
The Wildcats allowed just eight goals this season and picked up 23 shutouts – the second most in state history. On Saturday, they allowed just five shots, two on goal. They outshot Plymouth 25-5.
Junior Avery Fenchel scored the first goal of the game for Novi, off a pass from Katinas, just before the midway point in the first half. Katinas slid a pass through a pair of Plymouth defenders, finding Fenchel, who made a stop-move to her right before shooting back left near post to beat the goalkeeper for a 1-0 lead.
The game stayed that way until the final three minutes of the half. That’s when Novi senior Lexi Whalen took a long pass from Fenchel and dribbled to her left to set up a 20-yard strike to make it 2-0.
The Wildcats would add three more goals in the second half to pull away for the win – their third over Plymouth this season. Senior Julia Stadtherr poked in a pass from junior Michelle Jecmen to make it 3-0 with just under 28 minutes left in the game. Bandyk then did her magic over the game’s final 26 minutes.
“We came into this game like it was the first time we had played (Plymouth), and we gave it everything we had,” said Bandyk, who scored both of her goals off passes from Stadtherr. “Speaking as a senior, this was our last 80 minutes playing high school soccer. We all gave it our all, and we just connected and put the ball in the back of the net.”
Freshman Sammy Maday made two saves in goal for Novi. Sophomore Abbey Pheiffer, the team’s regular starter who was injured prior to the start of the tournament, finished up the game in goal to share in the shutout.
Plymouth’s struggles started early, as during the first half it was outshot 15-1 and did not put a shot on goal.
“We played them a lot tougher the last two times. But they’re a strong team,” Plymouth head coach Jeff Neschich said. “When we got down, we kind of lost our composure.”
Plymouth had just two shots on goal, those coming off the feet of senior Kennedy White and junior Lily Tiplady during the second half. The Wildcats finished the season 19-5-1. They had a wild postseason run which included a pair of comeback victories.
“We had two playoff games where we came from two goals down to tie them up and eventually win them (Canton and Troy),” Neschich said. “We couldn’t keep pulling the rabbit out of the hat. But the accomplishments they had were incredible. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
Novi has now won seven Division 1 titles, all since 2005, and is a perfect 7-0 in its championship game appearances. The Wildcats were ranked No. 1 all season by the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association.
“All we kept hearing at the beginning of the year was, ‘They’re the defending champ, everyone wants to knock you off,’” Todd Pheiffer said. “We graduated 10 seniors from last year’s team. We are not the same team as last year. We had a good corps coming back, some great senior leadership back, but we were a different team. This was about these girls winning their state championship. I’m just so proud of how this team’s played all year long.”
PHOTOS: Novi keeper Sammy Maday sends the ball downfield during the Division 1 Final on Saturday. (Middle) Novi's Lexi Whalen (12) and Plymouth's Audrey Kananen work to get possession.
Preview: Historic Opportunities Abound as Contenders Conclude at DeMartin Stadium
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
June 12, 2025
The MHSAA Girls Soccer Finals have seen 18 champions also finish their seasons undefeated, the most recent in 2021.
Both Saline and Hudsonville Unity Christian have the opportunity this weekend to become the next.
And that’s not all on the all-time historical side of these two days of championships at DeMartin Stadium.
Byron Center, New Boston Huron and both Division 3 contenders – Grand Rapids Catholic Central and Warren Regina – are set to play in their first championship matches, meaning the Division 3 champion is guaranteed to be a first-time Finals winner.
Following is this weekend’s schedule at Michigan State University:
Division 1 - Saturday - 4 p.m. - Stream
Byron Center vs. Saline
Division 2 - Friday - 4 p.m. - Stream
Hudsonville Unity Christian vs. New Boston Huron
Division 3 - Friday - 1 p.m. - Stream
Grand Rapids Catholic Central vs. Warren Regina
Division 4 - Saturday - 1 p.m. - Stream
Kalamazoo Christian vs. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett
Tickets cost $11 and may be purchased online only at GoFan. One ticket is good for all soccer, softball and baseball games at MSU’s Old College Field that day. All four Finals will be broadcast and available with subscription from MHSAA.tv.
Below is a glance at all eight contenders, with statistics through Regionals:
Division 1
BYRON CENTER
Record/rank: 19-1-3, No. 12
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Green
Coach: John Conlon, fifth season (85-13)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Ella Alexander, soph. F (9 goals, 14 assists); Morgan Malek, sr. M (11 goals, 9 assists), Jordan Kerns, sr. D (7 goals, 2 assists), Nora Schans, fr. GK (0.30 goals-against average, 12 shutouts).
Outlook: Byron Center claimed its third Regional title under Conlon, who previously coached East Kentwood and is one of the winningest coaches in state history for both girls and boys soccer. Only No. 6 Midland, in the Regional Final, has scored against Byron Center during this MHSAA Tournament; the Bulldogs have shut out Northville, No. 3 Rockford, Grand Haven and Hudsonville. The team’s scoring has been impressively balanced with eight players netting between 7-12 goals heading into this week; freshman Bristol Collard (12) is the leading goal-scorer, and sophomore Nora Leavitt (10) is also high on the list. Kerns earned an all-state honorable mention last season.
SALINE
Record/rank: 21-0-2, No. 1
League finish: First in Southeastern Conference Red
Coach: Leigh Rumbold, seventh season (78-21-17)
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2015.
Players to watch: Sienna Snyder, sr. D (30 goals, 9 assists); Sadie Walsh, jr. M (20 goals, 12 assists); MaKena Means, jr. D (16 goals, 5 assists); Kaylee Mitzel, soph. GK (0.23 goals-against average, 18 shutouts).
Outlook: Saline’s run to its second Final has seen plenty of offensive power, with a combined 19 goals, but the defense has been just as impressive with shutouts in all five games including against No. 13 Ann Arbor Skyline and No. 8 Troy Athens. Total, Mitzel and the Hornets have given up only five goals this season. Sophomore Laynie Tousa (12 goals/9 assists) is another top scorer, and four more teammates had found the net at least five times heading into this week. Snyder and Walsh both earned all-state honorable mentions last season. Rumbold formerly played professionally in this country and also in England and New Zealand.
Division 2
HUDSONVILLE UNITY CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 21-0-2, No. 1
League finish: First in O-K Conference Black
Coach: Randy Heethuis, 36th season (663-105-44)
Championship history: 12 MHSAA titles (most recent 2024), four runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Ava Lutke, sr. F (28 goals, 27 assists); Kyla Kobryzcki, soph. F (15 goals, 10 assists); Ava Steen, jr. D (6 goals, 4 assists); Tessa Ponstein, jr. F (14 goals, 10 assists).
Outlook: Unity Christian is playing for a third-straight championship, and this time in Division 2 after winning Division 3 the last two years. The Crusaders have not lost in 30 games, going back more than a calendar year, and they have 19 shutouts this season including seven straight. Junior Payton Barendsen (0.10 goals-against average) and senior Kennidee Crump (0.31) have split time almost evenly in net. Lutke and Steen made the all-state first team in their former division last season, and Kobryzcki made the third.
NEW BOSTON HURON
Record/rank: 21-1-1, No. 4
League finish: First in Huron League
Coach: Matt Lividini, third season (39-9-7)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Brooklyn Burke, jr. GK (0.50 goals-against average, 15 shutouts); Rylie Cassett, sr. F (23 goals, 25 assists); Miley Skamiera, soph. F (28 goals, 15 assists); Avery Turk, jr. F (20 goals, 9 assists).
Outlook: Huron has gone from 5-7-3 during Lividini’s first season leading the program to a combined 34-2-4 over the last two. Huron has allowed only one goals over its last seven matches, a run that’s included a 1-0 win over No. 9 DeWitt in the Semifinal. Senior Gabby Emelian is another key contributor in the midfield, with seven goals and 16 assists. Lividini played on Riverview Gabriel Richard’s 1991 Class C-D runner-up team before going on to play professionally and also compete in the Olympics in bobsled for San Marino.
Division 3
GRAND RAPIDS CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record/rank: 12-8-2, No. 7
League finish: Sixth in O-K White
Coach: Genevieve Sandner, 19th season (209-132-34)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Natalie Beachler, sr. GK (1.53 goals-against average, .753 save %); Maris Klein, sr. M (11 goals, 7 assists); Maurine Schneider, sr. M (11 goals, 9 assists); Emma Mead, sr. F (10 goals, 3 assists).
Outlook: Grand Rapids Catholic Central is riding a three-game shutout streak that included a 3-0 Regional Final win over No. 10 Traverse City St. Francis. The Cougars played in the same league as three top-14 teams from Division 2 and emerged from a 1-7-1 run midway through the season and defeated Division 2 No. 7 Forest Hills Central heading into the playoffs. Mead earned all-state honorable mention last season, and Sandner returned this spring after two away from the program she began leading in 2005.
WARREN REGINA
Record/rank: 7-5-6, No. 11
League finish: Fourth in Catholic High School League Central
Coach: Stefano Moraccini, ninth season (record N/A).
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Jenna Moeller, sr. D/M/F; Ava Janusch, jr. M/F; Anna Booms, fr. D/M; Kate Booms, jr. D/M. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: Regina advanced to its first Semifinal since 2019 and now will play in its first championship game. The Saddlelites haven’t given up more than one goal in any of five playoff matches, and they’ve defeated No. 2 Detroit Country Day, No. 8 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and No. 14 Ann Arbor Greenhills along the way. Moeller earned an all-state honorable mention last season.
Division 4
GROSSE POINTE WOODS UNIVERSITY LIGGETT
Record/rank: 14-3-4, No. 5
League finish: Tied for fourth in CHSL AA
Coach: David Dwaihy, 17th season (188-103-14)
Championship history: Division 4 champion 2016 and 2005.
Players to watch: Aline Rahaim, soph. GK (1.00 goals-against average, 8 shutouts); Aubrey Hermann, soph. M (7 goals, 7 assists); Jasmine Diaz-Don, jr. M (4 goals, 8 assists); Kerith Short, sr. M (13 goals, 11 assists).
Outlook: Liggett won its second Regional title in three seasons this spring and jumped from finishing 8-8 overall a year ago, navigating an impressive playoffs that’s included wins over No. 2 Royal Oak Shrine Catholic, No. 9 Plymouth Christian Academy, No. 10 Clarkston Everest Collegiate and No. 12 Madison Heights Bishop Foley. Three of the team’s eight shutouts have come during the postseason. Six seniors anchor the lineup, with Short a returning all-state third-team selection from a year ago.
KALAMAZOO CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 17-4-2, No. 4
League finish: First in Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley
Coach: Jay Allen, 11th season (184-43-15)
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2023), five runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Maysen Steensma, sr. D; Izzy Suloff, jr. M; Jordyn Bonnema, sr. M; Emily Gorton, jr. F. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: Kalamazoo Christian will play in its fourth-straight Division 4 championship game, having finished runner-up both in 2022 and last year in a shootout defeat to Jackson Lumen Christi to go with its 2023 title clincher. The Comets have defeated top-ranked Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, No. 7 Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central and No. 14 Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep during this run, and also avenged last year’s Lumen Christi loss in an April rematch. Steensma and Bonnema made the all-state first team last season.
PHOTO Kalamazoo Christian’s Emily Gorton controls possession during last season’s Division 4 championship match.