Did you see that? (9/10-9/16)
September 18, 2012
One of the state's premier regular-season cross country events plus some big-time volleyball in the Upper Peninsula highlight the non-football highlights from the week that was Sept. 10-16.
(Click for the Drive for Detroit football report.)
Cross country
Elite meet at MSU: The Spartan Invitational, run at Michigan State's Forest Akers East Golf Course, is arguably the most competitive regular season event in this sport and draws a number of top teams from all over the state for a series of races. Champions on Friday were the Waterford Mott boys and Grosse Pointe South girls in the Elite races, the Ithaca boys and North Muskegon girls in the White division, the Haslett boys and the Spring Lake girls in the Bronze division, and Bloomfield Hills Lahser boys and Jenison girls in the Green division. Click the "Playmakers" link for results and the others for coverage. (Playmakers.com) (Grand Haven Tribune) (Lansing State Journal)
Volleyball
Capital of UP volleyball: Calumet, ranked fourth in Class C this week. defended its title at the Articatz Invitational Autumn Classic in Marquette by winning all 12 of its games. The field also included Marquette, Houghton and Escanaba among others. (Marquette Mining Journal)
Trojans at home above the net: More of the Upper Peninsula's top teams met nearer the Wisconsin border. Crystal Falls Forest Park, ranked No. 6 in Class D, defended its home tournament title with a 2-1 win over No. 10 Lake Linden-Hubbell in the final. (Iron Mountain Daily News)
Golf
Lakeview owns Battle Creek: Lakeview continues to rank among the state's best teams in Division 2, at No. 3 this week. And there's no question it's the best in Battle Creek, as evidenced by a sixth-straight All-City championship won with a score of 176 -- 45 strokes better than runner-up Harper Creek. (Battle Creek Enquirer)
Recognition
Clawson names Judy Hacker Field: Hacker, who died in 2011, was a pioneer of girls sports in the southeastern corner of the state during her time at the school from 1963-95. She coached basketball, volleyball, softball, track and field and field hockey at the school. The school dedicated its softball diamond in her name Saturday. (Oakland Press)
Preview: Washtenaw Powers to Collide Again in 1st MHSAA Field Hockey Final
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 23, 2025
Field hockey long has thrived in Washtenaw County, and more specifically the Southeastern Conference.
Saturday’s inaugural MHSAA Final in the sport will tell the next chapter, matching up this fall’s SEC champion Ann Arbor Pioneer and runner-up Dexter at Northville’s Tom Holzer Field.
The rivals met twice this season, tying 1-1 on Sept. 15 with Pioneer winning the rematch 1-0 a week later. They also combined to win five of the final six Michigan High School Field Hockey League Division 1 championships, with Dexter claiming a couple of Division 2 titles over the last three years as well.
Game time Saturday is 11 a.m. Tickets are $11, 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: 14-6-1
Michigan Power Rating: No. 1
Coach: Jane Nixon, 27th season (435-48-50)
League finish: First in Southeastern Conference
Championship history: 30 MHSFHL championships, six runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Maggie Lamb, sr. F (9 goals, 1 assist); Lily Boardman, jr. F/M (8 goals, 1 assist); Klara Jones, jr. F/M (6 goals, 3 assists), Mara Boullion, fr. GK (1.0 goals-against average, 34 saves). (Statistics through 17 games.)
Outlook: Pioneer won the final three MHSFHL Division 1 titles and is appearing in its seventh-straight championship game. Its only in-state loss this season came to Saline, 1-0 on Sept 8, and the Pioneers avenged it with a 1-0 victory Sept. 17. They haven’t given up a goal during the postseason, their only game closer than four goals a 1-0 overtime victory over Chelsea in the Semifinal. Sophomore Gabby Haudan and freshman Violet Soldan also had scored six goals heading into the postseason. Senior Anne McGowan and junior Olivia Rollins made the Division 1 all-state second team last season.
DEXTER
Record: 15-3-4
Michigan Power Rating: No. 3
Coach: Keely Tamer, 14th season (record N/A)
League finish: Second in Southeastern Conference
Championship history: Five MHSFHL titles, three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Audrey Owen-Smith, sr. G; Claire Dubuque, sr. M; Lillian Mitchell, sr. M; Aiden Weinmann, sr. M. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: Dexter is playing in its fourth-straight championship game after winning MHSFHL Division 2 championships in 2022 and 2023 and finishing runner-up a year ago. Owen-Smith, Weinmann and Mitchell all were named to the all-state Dream Team in 2024, while Dubuque joined them on the Division 2 first team and now-senior Addison Zogaib made the second team. Dexter opened this fall 0-1-2 but went on to defeat all three of those opponents – Grosse Pointe South to avenge the loss, Chelsea, and Saline 4-0 in their Semifinal matchup. The Dreadnaughts also haven’t allowed a goal during the postseason and won all four games by four goals or more.
PHOTO Ann Arbor Pioneer's Lucy Peikert (28) controls possession during her team's 1-1 tie against Dexter on Sept. 15. (Photo by Caroline Sutton.)