Seaholm tennis title a true team effort
June 8, 2012
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Birmingham Seaholm’s MHSAA Division 2 championship Saturday was the “terminus in the odyssey of our souls,” as coach Scott Ransome described it at the team’s banquet earlier this week.
In other words, it was quite a trip – punctuated by the team’s first title since 2004. And put in those words, it was a classic.
Seaholm placed seven flights into semifinals, and despite only one individual champion scored 27 points – two more than runner-up Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, which had won or shared the last six Division 2 titles. Seaholm finished second to FHN in 2011.
“I don't think, player for player, we were as strong as we were three years ago (when the Maples finished fourth). I thought three years ago we had the make-up, the players with the skill set (to win)," Ransome said. "But these players, whatever they lacked in skill set, they certainly made up for in desire. They were hungry.”
The Maples receive this week’s Second Half team High 5 for how they won almost as much as winning itself. Sophomore Jackie Meier and freshman Rachel Wilson teamed to win the No. 3 doubles championship – playing to their top seed in that flight. But six other flights also played at or above their seeds.
It was a gratifying end to a two-month stretch that saw the Maples start with high expectations after finishing seven points behind FHN at the 2011 Final. They dominated in early competition, but then were dealt a sad blow when junior Nancy Benda – a second seed at No. 1 singles last season – was lost for seven weeks with a stress fracture.
Ransome and assistant coach Paul Young took an approach of emphasizing interchangeable parts – “We said, ‘Let's not fixate on Nancy. She’s an integral part of the program, but she in herself is not the entire program,’” Ransome told his team – and after playing a few matches defaulting at No. 1 singles, moved everyone up a flight and finished 13-1 without her in the lineup.
Meanwhile, Ransome and Young prepared their healthy players to be strong at the end. The Maples regularly do ladder drills and other agility work for 45 minutes at the start of practice before taking their first hits of the day. And the team’s No. 5 and 6 doubles teams continued to push those ahead of them to help them get stronger.
“It was almost like when Nancy returned, those girls were able to catch a breathe,” Ransome said. “They were able to get some rejuvenation in going back to their rightful positions.”
Seaholm tied with eventual MHSAA Division 1 runner-up Clarkston for the Oakland Activities Association Red championship, then finished runner-up to Bloomfield Hills Marian at the Regional. But with the benefits of season-long preparation for a final run, plus improved skills Ransome and Young saw across the lineup, the Maples had one more effort left – a championship effort, it turned out.
Sophomore Labina Petrovska advanced to the final match at No. 2 singles, as did sophomore Lauren Frazier at No. 3 and freshman Claire Markley at No. 4. Petrovska and Markley were second seeds, and Frazier was a third.
Senior Katie Root and junior Lauren Benderoff made the semifinals at No. 4 doubles as a fifth seed. And Benda won a match at No. 1 singles despite coming in unseeded.
“It was gratifying more than anything else. That’s the only way I can describe it,” Ransome said. “For what we had, for us to have enough balance in the lineup. And it really did take some help (from opponents winning other matches). We played to our seeds, and that’s what this was really all about.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Jackie Meier (center) and Rachel Wilson (right) won Birmingham Seaholm's lone individual championship, at No. 3 doubles, at Saturday's Division 2 Final. (Middle) No. 1 singles player Nancy Benda hoists the Maples' team championship trophy. (Bottom) Sophomore Lauren Frazier was one of three Seaholm singles players to advance to the final of their flights, she at No. 3 singles. (Photos courtesy of Anne Benda.)
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.)