Seaholm Builds on 2024 Runner-up Finish to Become 2025 Finals Champion
By
Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com
May 31, 2025
KALAMAZOO – Birmingham Seaholm was determined to hoist the Lower Peninsula Division 2 Girls Tennis Finals championship trophy this weekend following its runner-up finish one year ago.
By winning four of the eight flights, the Maples earned that opportunity. They totaled 32 points to cap the two-day tournament in first place Saturday at Kalamazoo College's Stowe Stadium. The title was Seaholm’s second in three seasons.
Farmington Hills Mercy, which entered the weekend ranked No. 1, finished in second place with 25 points. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (23) placed third, followed by Midland Dow (18) and Grosse Point South (16) to round out the top five.
Seaholm came into Finals weekend with extra motivation after losing a 5-3 dual match to Mercy earlier this season. But the Maples claimed titles at No. 2 singles and Nos. 2, 3 and 4 doubles as seven Seaholm flights advanced at least to the semifinal round.
"Last season's second-place finish left us with a bad taste in our mouth. Our team is young, but we are probably the hardest-working team in this state,” Seaholm coach Casey Cullen said. “We practiced on Mother's Day, Memorial Day weekend and a lot of Sundays this season. This group put in the effort because they wanted to be better.
“We started the year ranked No. 4 and began the season losing 7-1 to Cranbrook Kingswood. Ever since that day, these girls have worked their tails off to improve. This championship is really special and a testament to their work ethic, buying into the program and the result of the time and energy they have put into everything."
Fifth-seeded Seaholm junior Jada Josifovski defeated No. 2-seeded Keira Kirkland from Mercy 6-1, 7-5 in the final at No. 2 singles.
"Jada came in seeded fifth and ended the weekend as a state champion. For her to beat the same girl today that she lost to in last year's Finals really says something about how hard she has worked, as well as her teammates," Cullen added.
Seaholm's No. 2 doubles tandem of Anna Olekszyk and Sophia Arndt was victorious 6-1, 6-1, in their final over Mattawan's duo of Valeria Vega and Addy Copeland.
“Our energy and staying aggressive were the biggest keys in our Finals match. We feed off one another's energy very well," Olekszyk said.
Seaholm needed to win just one flight entering the championship round to clinch the team title. Olekszyk and Arndt provided that win. "Winning state as a team is kind've overwhelming, but I am so happy for everyone,” Arndt said. “We've worked extra hard for it.”
At No. 3 doubles, Seaholm's top-seeded duo of Kate Crowley and Cate French defeated Mercy's No. 2-seeded Penelope Livermore and Reese Sinawi 6-3, 6-4. Crowley and French finished the season 30-0.
Seaholm's No. 2-seeded Katie Joyce and Alina Villaire pulled out a 6-4, 6-3 win over Sadie Wolfe and Ava Targosz in the championship tilt at No. 4 doubles.
"We put a great deal of time in working on volleys, especially with our doubles teams. The goal is to make certain they are staying aggressive and assertive,” Cullen said. “One of my favorite things as coach of this program is seeing how well these girls buy into team camaraderie, the little discussions between points and the hi-fives.
"You can easily say our doubles teams are a big strength for us, but you have to really credit our singles flights. We don't have any seniors at those spots. I have a freshman leading the way there at our No. 1 spot with two sophomores and one junior in those singles flights as well. Getting three of those four into the semifinals was big for us. They gave us that extra uplift we needed.
“Every state title is special. I went to Seaholm and to Western Michigan University, so to win this in Kalamazoo is nice as well."
Mercy came into the weekend hoping to secure its first Finals championship, but fell just a bit short.
"You could say us and Seaholm came in as co-favorites. They are stronger at doubles, and I think our singles flights are stronger,” Mercy coach Daniel Murphy said. “We had a couple slip-ups, and Seaholm took advantage of that and was the better team this weekend."
Top-seeded Lauren Jaklitsch and Morgan McKenzie from Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern claimed the No. 1 doubles crown with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Seaholm's No. 2-seeded Jordyn Lusky and Lucy Jen. Lusky was the Maples’ lone senior.
Grosse Pointe South's freshman phenom and top-seeded Dalina Kokoshi captured the No. 1 singles crown by defeating Mercy's Megan Sullivan, the second seed, 6-2, 6-2, in the final. Kokoshi also defeated Battle Creek Lakeview's Maddy Simonds 6-4, 6-1 in the semifinal round.
"Winning state feels amazing. I'm glad to have such a great team. I suffered a leg injury in the offseason, so I had to put in extra training and my consistency on the court has played a big factor this year too," said Kokoshi, who ended her season with record of 28-1.
North Farmington junior and top-seeded Samantha Karoub won the No. 3 singles crown with a 6-2, 6-0, triumph over Katelyn Strong of Grosse Pointe South.
"(Strong) is such a strong player, so I had to remain mentally tough and stay consistent with my shots. I knew I had to win the long rallies because she can get a big boost in confidence whenever she wins those kind of points," Karoub said.
Mercy's top-seeded No. 4 singles junior Gabby Owens repeated as champion of that flight posting a 6-0, 7-5, win over Seaholm sophomore Izzy Bloom.
"My ability to run down every ball and never give up on any point were key today," Owens said. "We had a great season and became closer as a team and were more energetic and vocal this year."
PHOTOS (Top) Birmingham Seaholm’s Lucy Jen returns a shot during a No. 1 doubles match Saturday. (Middle) Grosse Pointe South’s Dalina Kokoshi connects on a forehand at No. 1 singles. (Click to see more from High School Sports Scene.)
Reigning UPD1 Champ Negaunee Setting Pace Again as Finals Approach
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
September 21, 2023
ESCANABA — The Negaunee Miners have been the measuring stick in Upper Peninsula girls tennis for nearly a decade.
Negaunee, which came into this season as reigning Division 1 champion, has taken the U.P. crown seven of the past nine years. Ishpeming Westwood took the title in 2021.
Negaunee is 11-0-1 after a win over Gwinn on Tuesday. The tie came last week against Escanaba.
"We knew we were going to have a target on our backs," said Miners coach Kyle Saari. "We told the girls they have to be ready for every meet. The target is pretty huge, and I think we were sluggish out of the gate. I don't think we finished particularly well at the net. I think our tradition helps us for sure, although it can be a double-edged sword. We want to keep striving to reach benchmarks and make sure we don't get lackadaisical."
Sophomore Liliana Saunders is 12-0 at No. 2 singles. She was the UPD1 No. 4 single champion as a freshman.
"I'm starting to play my game," Saunders said after her 6-0, 6-1 victory over Escanaba’s Molly VanDamme. "I think I'm controlling the ball pretty well, but I need to work on my net play and improve my serving a little.
“Overall, we have a real strong team. We're pretty close-knit and play a lot over the summer. I think our tradition gives us a lot of confidence going into matches."
Saunders' summer work included a trip in early August to Escanaba, where she earned the age 16-18 title in the 76th Annual Michigan-Wisconsin Open with a 7-5, 6-0 victory over Escanaba senior Sophia Derkos.
"I think that really helped me," she said. "She's really a good player. My toughest match this season was against the Westwood girl (sophomore Samantha Ruby). The Gladstone girl (Addy Trombley) is also pretty good."
Derkos – last season’s UPD1 No. 1 singles champion – remained undefeated in five matches after taking a 6-0, 6-1 decision from Negaunee junior Aubrey Johnson at No. 1 singles last week.
"She's a good player, and they're a good team," Derkos said after the match. "This is a big win. I've been waiting to play them and Westwood. Those are the two toughest teams. This is a big confidence boost."
Johnson, last season’s UPD1 runner-up at No. 2 singles, bounced back with a 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Munising's Bailey Corcoran on Thursday and also won Tuesday, and gave Derkos her due after the Escanaba match.
"Sophia knows what she wants to do," said Johnson. "She plays at a pretty fast pace, and I didn't get to the net as much as I'd like. She's very patient. You can tell she's an experienced player. I can learn from playing against her."
The Miners, as they did in singles, split their four matches with Escanaba in doubles.
Seniors Sage Juntti and Olivia Lumseth are the reigning UPD1 champs at No. 2 doubles, and Kallen Schultz was part of the No. 3 champion last season and is playing No. 1 this fall with Madison Frustaglio, who was part of the 2022 runner-up at their flight.
“We have a very good coach. He always challenges us, so we can get better,” Juntti said. “We do our usual stuff. If it's not good, he just makes us work on it until it is good."
Except for the Escanaba tie and a 5-3 triumph over Westwood, all of the Miners' victories have been shutouts (8-0).
"The biggest part of our success is the girls are supportive of each other," Saari said. "They're all quality kids."
Negaunee's success also has made Escanaba coach Chris Ogren take notice.
"Kyle has been there a long time," he said. "They have one of the most athletic teams, and they're very disciplined. You always have to be ready when you play them.
“We have some good teams up here. You always have to be mentally prepared."
Negaunee hosts Gwinn, Menominee and Marquette before also hosting the Mid-Peninsula Conference tournament Sept. 27.
The U.P. Division 1 Finals will take place Oct. 4 in Marquette.
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
PHOTO Negaunee’s Aubrey Johnson serves during her match against Escanaba’s Sophia Derkos on Sept. 13. (Photo by Mitch Vosburg/Escanaba Daily Press.)