Greenhills, GR Catholic Central Follow Longtime Leaders to Historic Finals Successes
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
May 28, 2026
MIDLAND — A pair of high school tennis coaches who have coached in the state for more than 50 years had reason to be thrilled after the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 4 Girls Tennis Finals on Thursday.
First, there was Ann Arbor Greenhills’ Mark Randolph, who capped off his 55th overall season in coaching by helping guide his team to its fifth-straight championship.
The Gryphons easily topped the field finishing with 35 points, 11 ahead of runner-up Grand Rapids Catholic Central, to possibly make Randolph rest a little easier after he said sleep was harder to come by recently.
“I’m in a perpetual state of holistic anxiety,” Randolph said. “I’ve not slept well in the last month thinking about all the things that could happen.”
After a decorated senior class graduated last year, this spring represented a unique challenge for Randolph trying get all the pieces to fit.
Greenhills had a sophomore at No. 2 singles, an all-freshman team at No. 3 doubles, and freshmen at both No. 3 and No. 4 singles.
“We had six, maybe seven kids who were new to the varsity lineup,” Randolph said. “So of course, we had to try and teach them how to compete, and they did great.”
One of those freshmen, Jahan Soofi, earned the title at No. 4 singles while another, Faith Miller, advanced to the championship match at No. 3 singles before falling in three games to fellow freshman Naomi Tamae of Grand Rapids Catholic Central.
Greenhills also got flight championships from the senior team of Danica Rakic-Dennis and Lauren Ye at No. 1 doubles, the duo of Anye He and Alice Zhu at No. 3 doubles and the tandem of Aoife Tang and Linnea Bengtson at No. 4 doubles.
“Aoife Tang is a senior who won at No. 4 doubles as a freshman,” Randolph said. “Because of that strong (senior) class, she has been out of the lineup. She got back into it this year and won No. 4 doubles with a sophomore partner.”
Greenhills also had finalists at No. 2 singles and No. 2 doubles.
In addition to Randolph, another longtime coach had reason to rejoice.
Catholic Central’s Pat Williams has presided over the girls tennis program since it began in 1974, and Thursday’s result represented the best her program has finished.
For the first time, Williams got to take a trophy back to the school by placing runner-up.
“We’re all very excited,” Williams said. “I’ve been coaching 52 years with this team, and this is the best we’ve ever done.”
Even better for Williams is the future is bright as the team hopes to contend for a first Finals title in the near future.
Catholic Central will return its top three singles players next year in junior Colleen Kirk, junior Claire Kaufman and Tamae.
“It’s a good core,” Williams said.
The No. 1 singles title was claimed by Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett sophomore Sonya Jayakar, who was a quarterfinalist last year.
Jayakar earned a 6-4, 6-2 win in the championship match over Kalamazoo Christian sophomore Kennedy Price, who in the semifinals beat No. 1 seed Nina Malani of Greenhills, 6-3, 6-4.
Jayakar started her season with two losses, but didn’t lose again.
“I really spent my whole summer and winter training for this,” Jayakar said. “I worked as hard as I could every single day just to get to this point. It really pushed me to win this year.
Other flight winners were Mary-Kate Ansley of Traverse City St. Francis at No. 2 singles and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep’s team of Vanessa Artinian and Regina Carpenese at No. 2 doubles.
(Photos by High School Sports Scene.)
This Time, Kingsford Reigns Alone
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
October 2, 2013
KINGSFORD — There were tears of sorrow, then tears of joy among some Kingsford High School tennis players as they were crowned MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 1 champions with 18 points Wednesday.
Negaunee, which shared last year’s title with Kingsford, was runner-up this time with 14. Third-place Escanaba had nine.
Kingsford reached the title round in all eight flights, but won only two.
“It was kind of bittersweet,” Kingsford coach Mark Shanks said. “None of our eight seniors won their flights. My daughter’s No. 1 doubles (seniors Anna Shanks and Kate Lamy) and No. 3 singles (senior Santina Bianco) went down today. This was the first loss in more than two years for Santina – although our three juniors won.
“We talked all week since the GNC (Great Northern Conference) meet how the U.P. Finals would be a different situation with single elimination. Had any of our kids lost in the semifinals, it would have meant no points in that flight. Our biggest challenge was getting to the finals without zeroes. That assured us of scoring at least 16 points.”
Juniors Ali VanRemortel and Jaelyn Jennings provided the Flivvers with their first championship in No. 2 doubles, taking a 7-6 (8-6), 6-0 decision from Negaunee senior Kylee Taavola and junior Hanna Kantola.
“We tend to start slow, but we always stay positive,” VanRemortel said. “We just forget about our mistakes and play our game. We played a more conservative first set because we hadn’t seen them since the beginning of the season.”
Taavola-Kantola, often attacking the net early in the match, built leads of 3-0 and 4-2 in the first set.
They led for the final time at 6-5. But the Flivvers then tied the score by taking advantage of a pair of double faults prior to pulling out that set.
“It took a little while for us to adjust to what they were doing,” Jennings said. “They were playing very well. In the break between the first and second set, we could tell we were coming on and we weren’t going to let up. It’s awesome to feel this way. There was definitely some pressure coming in here as the favored team. We knew everybody was coming after Kingsford.”
Kingsford junior Janay Walters earned the No. 2 singles crown with a 7-5, 6-3 triumph over Negaunee senior Abbi Kill.
“We were about even (in ability) and hustling after the ball really helped,” Walters said. “I’ve gotten better at recovering after every play. Thankfully, I was able to keep returning the ball. I knew I had to bring my A game. It’s tough to play Abbi because she’s very good with her placement of the ball, and her shots are hard and solid.”
Negaunee junior Allison Carlson finished a perfect season with a convincing 6-2, 6-0 victory over Kingsford senior Hannah Tresedder in No. 1 singles.
“I just tried to be consistent and be in position when she came to the net,” said Carlson, who also plays hockey for the Marquette Sentinels travel team. “She came to the net a lot, so I wanted to hit the ball deep. She’s a good player. It’s always a good match when I play her.”
At No. 3 singles, Negaunee sophomore Angie Ring topped Bianco 6-4, 6-1.
“As a whole, I’m proud of our girls,” said Negaunee coach Kyle Saari. “We knew it was going to be a battle with Kingsford. Anytime you have seniors in the U.P. Finals, you never know what’s going through their minds with this being their last high school match. For Angie to come here as a sophomore and beat a senior who hasn’t lost in more than two years is a great effort on her part. Allison is a true athlete. Athletes like her know how to grind a point out. They just find a way to get the ball over the net.
“We have a fairly young team and (we’re) pleased with being runner-up. You’re dealt a new hand every year, and that’s what’s fun about high school sports.”
Negaunee also claimed No. 4 singles where junior Dana DeBretto topped Kingsford freshman Katy Hicks 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Escanaba junior Olivia Berquist and senior Shelby Gregoire took No. 1 doubles in a 6-2, 6-1 conquest of Kingsford seniors Anna Shanks and Kate Lamy.
“We kept playing strong this year,” said Berquist, who teamed with Gregoire for the No. 4 doubles crown last season. “This is very different from No. 4 doubles because it’s a lot harder. The team we just played has been in No. 1 doubles since they were sophomores. We just found a way to push through it.”
This marked the first time in five meetings this year the Berquist-Gregoire duo beat Shanks and Lamy.
“We went three sets with them in the GNC meet (on Sept. 25),” said Gregoire. “The first time we played them, they blew us out of the water. Since then, we had gotten a little closer each time. The momentum we gained from winning the first set was huge. This is the best way to end my senior year, for sure.”
In No. 3 doubles, Escanaba junior Olivia LaForest and sophomore Emily LaFave outlasted Kingsford seniors Megan VanPembrook and Taylor Jacobson 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) for the title.
“A lot of it is we’re learning to relax and take it one point at a time,” said LaForest. “The will for us to win this after beating them in the GNCs was huge. We kept telling each other and ourselves we could do it. This may be a game of physical challenge, but much of it is mental.”
LaFave had similar thoughts.
“We just wanted to be a little more patient,” she said. “We tried to let the game come to us. It’s really fun playing with Olivia. She keeps my spirits up when I’m down, and I try to keep her spirits up when she’s down.”
Marquette took the remaining flight (No. 4 doubles) with sophomores Brenna Leafers and Aubrey Reynolds-Erspamer defeating Kingsford seniors Abby Johnson and Kelsey Bennett 6-2, 6-7, 6-1.
Click for full championship match results.
PHOTOS: (Top) Kingsford's Anna Shanks sends a shot back toward Negaunee during the No. 1 doubles semifinal match on Wednesday. (Middle) Escanaba's Johanna Snowden swoops in to defend a spike from Menominee's Molly Jackson during their quarterfinal match at No. 1 singles. (Photos by Keith Shelton for Second Half).