Performance of the Week: Mendon's Cienna Nightingale
June 19, 2025
Cienna Nightingale ♦ Mendon
Junior ♦ Softball
Nightingale became the fourth sibling from her family to win an MHSAA Finals championship, doing so in historic style. She was one of three Mendon players with two hits and drove in a team-high four runs to help the Hornets past Unionville-Sebewaing 11-1 in the Division 4 championship game at Secchia Stadium. The win clinched Mendon’s first Finals title in softball and ended USA’s five-season championship streak.
An all-state first-team selection this season and as a sophomore, Cienna joined three siblings in winning Finals titles for Mendon – her brother CJ was on a football champion in 2007, brother Chance won a football title in 2011 and sister Cierra won a Finals in volleyball in 2018. Cienna, the Hornets’ first baseman, also had a team-high two hits in her team’s 4-2 Semifinal win over Hillman to start the weekend. Nightingale also plays volleyball and basketball.
@mhsaasports 🥎POW: Cienna Nightingale #softball #mendon #hornets #finals #champion #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA
@mhsaasports 🥎POW: Cienna Nightingale #bridgerton #alani #book #tiktok #phone #red #heart #part2 #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
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MHSAA.com's "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
Previous 2024-25 honorees
June 12: Shaelyn Perry, South Lyon United girls lacrosse - Report
June 5: Brock Morris, Southfield Christian track & field - Report
May 30: Chloe Qin, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood tennis - Report
May 23: Drew Goik, Bay City Western golf - Report
May 15: Sydney Kuhn, Saginaw Swan Valley track & field - Report
May 8: Ryan Bosch, Fruitport baseball - Report
May 1: Jackson Lam, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix track & field - Report
April 25: Isabelle Horvath, Bangor softball - Report
April 18: Presley Jones, Sterling Heights Stevenson soccer - Report
April 11: Olivia Jasniewicz, Troy soccer - Report
March 27: Katie Spicer, Fowler basketball - Report
March 21: Moses & Markus Blackwell; Warren Lincoln basketball - Report
March 13: Keyshawn Summerville, Lansing Sexton basketball - Report
March 6: Maggie Buurma, Fowlerville wrestling - Report
Feb. 28: Maren Studt, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep skiing - Report
Feb. 21: Olive Krueger, Marquette swimming - Report
Feb. 14: Hunter Lemmon, Fraser swimming - Report
Feb. 7: Aubrey Hillard, Rochester competitive cheer - Report
Jan. 31: Wyatt Spalo, Reed City wrestling - Report
Jan. 24: Olivia Flynn, Harbor Springs basketball - Report
Jan. 17: Levi Rozema, Holland Christian swimming - Report
Jan. 10: McRecco McFadden, Burton Bentley basketball - Report
Dec. 18: Nash Leonard, Bay City Western hockey - Report
Dec. 11: Blake Cosby, Dundee wrestling - Report
Dec. 4: Keaton Hendricks, Zeeland West football - Report
Nov. 29: Kate Simon, East Grand Rapids swimming - Report
Nov. 22: Ella Kokaly, Essexville Garber volleyball - Report
Nov. 15: Caroline Bryan, Grosse Pointe South swimming - Report
Nov. 8: Kaylie Livingston, Whitmore Lake cross country - Report
Oct. 25: Oliver Caldwell, Grand Rapids West Catholic tennis - Report
Oct. 18: Alex Graham, Detroit Cass Tech football - Report
Oct. 11: Victoria Garces, Midland Dow cross country - Report
Oct. 4: Asher Clark, Bay City John Glenn soccer - Report
Sept. 26: Campbell Flynn, Farmington Hills Mercy volleyball - Report
Sept. 19: TJ Hansen, Freeland cross country - Report
Sept. 12: Jordan Peters, Grayling soccer - Report
Sept. 6: Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie cross country - Report
Aug. 30: Grace Slocum, Traverse City St. Francis golf - Report
(Photos by Nicci Plummer/Behind the Lens Photography.)
Performance of the Week: Ann Arbor Pioneer's Natasza Dudek
September 11, 2025
Natasza Dudek ♦ Ann Arbor Pioneer
Sophomore ♦ Cross Country
Dudek, who finished third at last season’s Lower Peninsula Division 1 Final as a freshman, opened her sophomore season with a win at the Shepherd John Bruder Classic in a race that also included last year’s Division 2 and 4 champions. Dudek won the race by more than 35 seconds in a time of 17:05.50 – 1:17 faster than when she won her race at Shepherd a year ago.
Natasza is following in the footsteps of oldest sister Zofia Dudek, who won the LDP1 Final in 2019 and has since gone on to earn All-America honors at Stanford and set Polish national records. In addition to Natasza’s stellar cross country debut last season, she also finished second in the 3,200, fourth in the 1,600 and ran on the fourth-place 3,200 relay at the LP Division 1 Track & Field Finals to conclude the spring.
@mhsaasports 🏃♀️➡️POW: Natasza Dudek #annarborpioneer #highschoolsports #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #MHSAA ♬ Bright and fun upbeat pops, Kids, Animals, Pets, Fun, Cute, Happy, Playful, Upbeat(1465232) - SAKUMAMATATA
@mhsaasports 🏃♀️➡️POW: Natasza Dudek #funfacts #tiktalk #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #MHSAA ♬ Girly and cute synth pop - SAKUMAMATATA
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MHSAA.com's "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
Previous 2025-26 honorees
Sept. 4: Kate Posey, Big Rapids golf - Report
(Action photo by Nina Moore.)