Northville Doubles Up, Holding Off Familiar Foe to Complete Repeat
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
May 30, 2026
MIDLAND – The Northville girls tennis team was attempting to repeat as Lower Peninsula Division 1 champion this weekend and had 21 points entering Saturday’s final rounds at Midland Tennis Center and needing to hold off Utica Eisenhower again to finish the run.
Bolstered by three doubles flight championships, the Mustangs finished the day with 27 points, and Eisenhower finished with 23 and second place for the third-straight season. The Eagles had entered Saturday trailing by three points.
Northville picked up important points at No. 3 doubles as second seed Lucia Lachapelle and Aadya Pullalarevu downed Pioneer top seeds Maryn Etheridge and Ayla Altinsel 6-1, 6-0.
Lachapelle and Pullalarevu had finished No. 2 runners-up in 2025.
“We played them in the regular season and lost, so we knew we’d have to eventually play them in the Finals,’’ Lachapelle. “We have this saying in our program ‘play like goldfish’ because goldfish have short memories.
“A second straight title shows how strong our program is.’’
Said Pullalarevu: “We were going into the match, we knew it would help us win a state title. We were obviously nervous. Losing in the Finals (last year) helped us for this year. We were focused on having confidence in our shots and each other.’’
Northville’s No. 4 doubles team of Michelle Lee and Emma Murphy pulled the team closer to the title with 7-6, 7-5 victory over Arya Iyer and Vibha Krishna of Troy.
“It was stressful,’’ said Lee. “It was tie-break, after tie-break after tie-break.
“In the back of your mind you think about winning states. Since freshman year I played singles, and for my senior year I wanted to switch it up. Luckily I got paired up with Emma. Every day at practice, we worked out butts off and we powered through this chaotic match.’’
Northville also won No. 2 doubles as Sravya Doppalapudi and Francine Ong defeated Novi’s Emily Backus and Sruthi Karthik 5-7, 6-1, 6-0. Eisenhower captured No. 1 doubles as Kara Lu and Alexis Gabriel ousted Troy’s Nainika Jasti and Hannah Wanstreet, 6-4, 6-4.
Gabriel was no stranger to state titles.
“This is my third time,’’ she said. “Freshman year I lost in the quarterfinals, sophomore year I won at No. 1 doubles and junior year I won at No. 2 doubles. It’s always exciting.’’
Eisenhower sophomore Morgan Emerick ran her high school record to a combined 74-1 with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Isabelle Hult at No. 2 singles, claiming her second-straight Finals flight title.
“I hope to go to No. 1 singles next year,’’ said Emerick. “It feels really good to win two times. I try not to get too nervous. Just keep going and stay focused.’’
Clarkston junior Kayla Lemke captured the No. 1 singles championship over Saline senior Emerson Jones, but it wasn’t the way she wanted.
Jones, the top seed, slipped and hurt her right knee with the score tied 3-3 in the first set. She eventually got the knee wrapped and tried to continue. She fell behind 5-3 before retiring, unable to play with confidence or ball-striking ability after the injury.
“I definitely wanted a good match,’’ said Lemke. “She deserved it. She’s a senior. She’s worked so hard for this. I hate that it ended this way, but I’m happy how we both played and how it first started.’’
Portage Central’s top-seeded Aarna Betala captured the No. 3 singles title with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Holland West Ottawa’s Sydney Shafer. Rochester freshman Jilly Knoester, the top seed at No. 4 singles, clinched that flight with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Eisenhower senior Sofia Gardner.
“I was just out there playing tennis,’’ said Knoester. “I broke her in each set. It was fun.
“I lost one match this year to (Bloomfield Hills) Marian. The season was exciting. I was happy to have the chance to play. I think I learned mistakes are part of the game, and it’s not over until it’s actually over.’’
(Photos by High School Sports Scene.)
Seaholm Breaks Free From 3-Way Tie to Win 4 Flights, Clinch Team Title
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
June 3, 2023
MIDLAND – A Lower Peninsula Girls Tennis Final has never finished with a three-way tie at the top – yet Birmingham Seaholm, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern and Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central all entered Saturday’s Division 2 flight semifinals with 22 points at Midland Tennis Center.
But with stellar play from its doubles teams, Seaholm won its first title since 2018, ending Forest Hills Northern’s Finals streak at three championships with 32 points to the Huskies’ 27. Forest Hills Central tied for runner-up, also with 27.
Seaholm’s first flight champion came from the No. 4 doubles tandem of junior Stella North and freshman Lucy Jen, the top seeds. They defeated Maggie Moog and Clare Knoester of Forest Hills Northern, 6-0, 6-4.
“We came out and dominated the first set,’’ said North. “In the second set, we had kind of a slow start.’’
“Then they adjusted to what we were doing, and we had to adjust,’’ said Jen. “We have a great tennis community at Seaholm. We’re a family and we have so many girls come out.’’
Added North: “I’m so happy for Lucy. She had to go through so much to make the team. We had tryouts and we played two days a week. We were the top team in our conference, so there was some pressure.’’
Seaholm kept the momentum going winning the No. 2 doubles title with Katie Slazinski and Jenna Ting defeating Ava Hamilton and Lauren Jaklitsch of FHN, 6-3, 6-1.
“We had played them before with an alternate, so we hadn’t played that exact team,’’ said Slazinski. “I feel like we were in control. We were playing our way.’’
“We got up 3-0 in the first set, which was big,’’ said Ting. “We kind of dropped slightly, but we regrouped and got fired up.’’
Seaholm added another flight championship with the No. 3 doubles team of senior Sydney Fong and sophomore Jordyn Lusky downing Forest Hills Central’s Veronica Vincent and Ella Hunnewell, 6-2, 6-1.
“Jordyn has been great,’’ said Fong. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without her. We played them before, so we knew what to expect. We had a plan. We took notes and executed what would thought were our strengths and their weaknesses. Our coaches do a great job.’’
Seaholm scored a championship at No. 2 singles as well, as Courtney Marcum outlasted Anna Dinsmore of Portage Central, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, in that final.
Forest Hills Central junior Lily Ohlman, second-seeded at No. 1 singles, made school history in getting past top-seeded Helania Pietrowsky of Grosse Pointe North 6-2, 7-6 (7-2).
“I have been dreaming about this for a year,’’ said Ohlman, fighting back tears. “When she was having trouble keeping the ball in play, I just said keep the ball in play. In the second set, I started missing shots and my coach reminded me to just keep the ball in play. I just thank God.
“I’m the first (girls) singles champ in school history. This is so amazing.’’
Portage Central freshman Adelie Chen captured the No. 3 singles title over Jada Josifovski of Seaholm, 7-5, 6-4.
“After the semifinals, I didn’t think I could do it, but my teammates believed in me," said Chen.
In the battle of freshmen at No. 4 singles, FHN’s Harriet Ogilvie defeated Chloe Cox of FHC, 6-1, 6-2.
“I really like her as a player and a person,’’ said Ogilvie. “I had played her before, so I know her tendencies. I started executing what I needed to do and was able to keep the points coming and build some momentum. This is the end of a great season for me.’’
Forest Hills Northern’s No. 1 doubles team of Ryan Morey and Paige McKenzie kept Seaholm from sweeping doubles by defeating Tatum Hirsch and Ellie Wyzykowski 6-0, 4-6, 7-5.
First-year Huskies coach Steven Olson had to make a tough decision during a No. 2 singles semifinal, retiring his player Andrea Wang as she faced off with Marcum.
The two were tied at one set apiece – Wang won the first 6-1 and Marcum the second 7-6 – and Marcum was winning the third 5-1. But Wang’s right ankle was injured so badly she could barely move.
“She won the first set pretty quick,’’ said Olson. “She wouldn’t quit. I asked her to, and she wouldn’t. She’s a competitor, and she has a lot of pride. She’s only a sophomore.’’
PHOTOS (Top) Birmingham Seaholm’s Courtney Marcum fires a backhand during a No. 2 singles match Saturday at Midland Tennis Center. (Middle) Forest Hills Central’s Lily Ohlman volleys on the way to winning the No. 1 singles flight. (Below) Forest Hills Northern’s Ryan Morey and Paige McKenzie celebrate their championship at No. 1 doubles. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)