Did you see that? (10/15-10/21)
October 22, 2012
Three MHSAA fall sports came to an end over the weekend, and the tournament for a fourth has begun. Those finishes highlight the non-football best from the week that was Oct. 15-21.
Golf
Rankings play out: The Lower Peninsula girls season came to a close with all four top-ranked teams claiming championships. Plymouth won its first MHSAA title in any sport in Division 1, while Mona Shores became the first Lower Peninsula girls golf team to win four straight by doing so in Division 2. Ada Forest Hills Eastern made it two titles in three seasons by winning Division 3, and Lansing Catholic won its third straight in Division 4. Second Half covered them all. (Division 1) (Division 2) (Division 3) (Division 4)
Tennis
Dynasties continue: Three of four top-ranked teams also won MHSAA Lower Peninsula Boys Tennis Finals over the weekend, with the other champion hardly unfamiliar with first place. Ann Arbor Huron was ranked only No. 3 before winning Division 1 for the third time in five seasons. Midland Dow won its fourth straight Division 2 title and Ann Arbor Greenhills won its fifth straight in Division 4. But the biggest headline goes to Detroit Country Day, which tied Ann Arbor Pioneers’ dominance in 2002 with 39 points in claiming the Division 3 title. Second Half also covered all four of these Finals.(Division 1) (Division 2) (Division 3) (Division 4)
Cross country
One streak ends, another begins: The Upper Peninsula season came to an end with its Finals for three divisions. Calumet’s Tara Kiilunen led her team to the Division 1 girls title by winning the individual championship for the fourth consecutive season. On the boys side, Sault Ste. Marie won its first title in 11 years thanks to the individual Division 1 championship of freshman Parker Scott, who finished this season undefeated. Second Half covered all the races. (Girls Finals) (Boys Finals)
Soccer
Powers emerge in Division 1: Lower Peninsula Districts whittled the number of teams still alive down to 64 – 16 in each of four divisions. And the two toughest Districts to navigate were arguably in Division 1. Top-ranked East Kentwood beat Caledonia 6-0 to win that District, but only after the Falcons knocked out No. 2 Rockford in a semifinal and the Rams did the same to No. 7 Okemos in an opener. Rochester Stoney Creek, ranked No. 4, emerged from a district at Rochester that included No. 9 Utica Eisenhower and honorable mention Troy Athens by beating Rochester Adams 2-1 in the title game – after Adams upset Eisenhower in a semi. (Grand Rapids Press) (Oakland Press)
Preview: Familiar Foes Meet Again with MHSAA Finals Championship at Stake
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 30, 2026
Ann Arbor Pioneer and Saline High School are seven miles apart, and the two programs will enter Saturday’s MHSAA Final as familiar with each other as any two field hockey teams in the state could be this season.
They’ve played each other twice this fall. Pioneer won the first meeting 5-0, on Aug. 24 in the second game of the season for both. But Saline cut the margin significantly in the Sept.14 rematch, a 1-0 Pioneer win.
And Round 3 at Michigan State University’s Ralph Young Field will be for a bigger prize.
Game time Saturday is 11 a.m. Tickets are $12, and the matchup also will be streamed on the NFHS Network and viewable with subscription.
Below is a brief look at the finalists:
ANN ARBOR PIONEER
Record: 17-3
Michigan Power Rating: No. 1
Coach: Jane Nixon, 28th season (451-51-50)
League finish: First in Southeastern Conference Red
Championship history: Pioneer won last season’s inaugural MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Lily Boardman, sr. F/M (9 goals, 7 assists); Klara Jones, sr. F/M (13 goals, 9 assists); Gabby Haudan, jr. F (10 goals, 7 assists); Lucy Peikert, jr. M/D (10 goals, 6 assists).
Outlook: Pioneer will play in its eighth-straight championship game including the final six Michigan High School Field Hockey League Division 1 title deciders before the MHSAA began sponsoring the sport last season. All three of the team’s losses this fall were to out-of-state teams, and the Pioneers have yet to allow a goal in four MHSAA Tournament games, outscoring their opponents by a combined 19-0. Sophomore Mara Boullion is the scheduled starter in goal and has split time this season with senior Bridget Schafer; together they have given up only 14 goals this season and only two over 15 games against in-state opponents. Jones, Haudan and senior Olivia Rollins made the all-state first team last season, and Peikert and Boullion made the second.
SALINE
Record: 19-2
Michigan Power Rating: No. 2
Coach: Sophia O’Connor, sixth season (83-20-12)
League finish: Second in Southeastern Conference Red
Championship history: MHSFHL Division 2 champion 2015, two MHSFHL Division 1 runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Elle Pufpaf, sr. M/F (23 goals, 6 assists); Ella Arvai, jr. M (30 goals, 11 assists); Claire Clark, sr. D (10 goals, 1 assist); Alivia Pufpaf, sr. D/M (7 goals, 5 assists).
Outlook: After reaching the Semifinals last season, Saline will play in a championship game again after most recently finishing runner-up in the MHSFHL’s Division 1 in 2024. Similar to Pioneer, Saline has allowed only one goal over four postseason games while finding the net 31 times. Minus the two losses to Pioneer, Saline has given up only six goals over 19 games. Arvai made the all-state first team last season, Elle Pufpaf made the second, and Alivia Pufpaf and Clark made the third team.