Unified Sports: Unified Goal, Unified Effort
By
Mark Uyl
MHSAA Executive Director
April 11, 2019
The following publisher's note and cover story were featured in this winter's edition of the MHSAA benchmarks magazine.
At its best, sport breaks down barriers and differences through promoting teamwork, inclusiveness and humility. At its worst, we’ve seen sport do the opposite.
Obviously those involved in school sports aim to create a culture within every school which fosters the best of what all of us can be. Those places that do this best have created a culture in every hallway, classroom, playing field and gymnasium filled with diverse students pulling for one another and working together regardless of the different backgrounds, races, religions, abilities, physical stature or academic acumen of each person. A culture of understanding and acceptance is what we strive for in each of our school communities.
On Nov. 24, such a scene played out on the grand stage of the playing surface at Ford Field in Detroit. In what we hope will be the launching pad for many more such events, Unified Sports competitors from four MHSAA member schools competed simultaneously in two games prior to the MHSAA Division 7 Football Final.
Unified Sports is an inclusive sports program within Special Olympics which pairs students with and without intellectual disabilities as teammates for training and competition.
From the time competitors walked through the tunnel to perform in front of family, friends, and the appreciative crowds from New Lothrop and Madison Heights Madison awaiting kickoff for the 10 a.m. game, the enthusiasm was unmatched.
Following competition these Unified teams were given tours of the facility, including a visit to the Detroit Lions locker room. We intended to deliver a day filled with an experience and memory for a lifetime for our guests, and feedback suggests that was accomplished. But, make no mistake, the session left lasting impressions on the staff here at the MHSAA, as well.
Brighton, Holt, Mason and Sparta – schools represented at the 2018 Football Finals – are among the 300-plus schools statewide which are Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools®, and it is our hope that the number continues to grow around Michigan and throughout the country.
The MHSAA and Michigan Special Olympics have a wonderful relationship, and we will continue to plan with our valued partner for future events as opportunities present themselves.
There is no limit to the benefits of these games and such a partnership. And, no limit to the enthusiasm of its participants who are helping to redefine school cultures by helping us break down barriers and build inclusive school communities around this great state.
***
By Rob Kaminski
MHSAA benchmarks editor
The pass was lofted high, and floating toward the end zone nearest the tunnel where teams enter the playing surface at Ford Field.
As players from both teams converged, the intended receiver came away with the ball, clutching his prize and raising his arms in jubilant triumph.
It was arguably the best catch of the Thanksgiving weekend football feast in Detroit, and undoubtedly a memory this player will never forget. Moments later, the ear-to-ear grin remained as he high-fived spectators and family members on the way to the tunnel and up to the locker room.
And all of this happened before the second day of MHSAA 11-Player Football Finals kicked off Saturday, Nov. 24.
The play was one of many memorable moments to take place during the first-ever Unified Champion School event held in conjunction with the MHSAA Football Finals. If this year’s exhibition was any indication, it will be the first of many to come.
“The event far exceeded our expectations, and in discussions with the students, coaches and parents involved, I think it exceeded their expectations as well,” said MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl. “The feedback was positive, and the thanks and appreciation we received was overwhelming.”
Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® (UCS) is an education-based project that uses sports and education programs to activate young people to develop school communities where all youth are agents of change – fostering respect, dignity and advocacy for people with intellectual disabilities.
Last summer, as Uyl was settling into his role as executive director at the MHSAA, Tim Hileman was acclimating himself to a similar role with Michigan Special Olympics. Both were replacing long-time leaders – Jack Roberts at the MHSAA and Lois Arnold at Special Olympics, who both had served their organizations for more than three decades.
The similarities brought Uyl and Hileman together, and they began to nurture seeds that had been planted by their predecessors.
“Mark reached out when the announcement was made that I was to become CEO of Michigan Special Olympics,” said Hileman. “We strongly believed in the benefits of a partnership between the two organizations. We talked about long-term plans and the goal of growing a culture of inclusion within our schools. A more immediate component was exploring existing opportunities to highlight a partnership, and what greater way to do that than at Ford Field during one of the most prominent weekends of the MHSAA sports season?”
The inaugural event included students from Brighton, Holt, Mason and Sparta school districts, each of which sponsor Unified teams.
Brighton, which has been in the game since 2016-17 and involves a combined 75 general education students and students with intellectual disabilities (I.D. students), recently earned national recognition for its Unified program.
“Andy Doupe, a faculty member who teaches special education here, brought the initiative to our district and it was a no-brainer that we needed to implement the program,” said John Thompson, athletic director at Brighton High School and a member of the MHSAA Representative Council. “It was a great opportunity to be supportive of all students in our community.”
Brighton Unified coach and faculty member Jody Renicker has helped take the lead.
“The foundation of Unified Sports is pretty simple,” Renicker said. “It's the idea that training and competing together is one of the fastest ways to friendship and understanding. The students discover that they are much more alike than they are different. This helps to dissolve the preconceptions and stereotypes often associated with people with disabilities.”
Just up the road in Holt, that community was gaining its own recognition, bringing home the Gold Medal from the USA Flag Football Championships in Seattle last summer. The lessons and experiences proved even more valuable.
“Athletes roomed with UCS partners,” said Val Suszko, a coach for the Holt/Mason program, which involves roughly 80 students with and without disabilities and is in its sixth year of existence. “The friendship that they developed over those 10 days was priceless. They are friends for life. They care for and protect each other. Without this experience, they wouldn’t have ever met.”
That’s the overriding goal of Unified athletics: to break down barriers within schools and communities while introducing young people to those with various challenges, offering opportunities to lead and assist.
“The inclusion of special needs kids and how it makes them feel is a wonderful part of the school community and program,” Thompson said. “We have a young lady with a prosthetic leg who never wore shorts because she was embarrassed. Now, being part of our basketball team, she wears shorts all the time.
“Naturally there’s a huge upside for the special needs students, but the general ed kids are being provided an opportunity to grow and develop leadership skills. The experiences open some eyes and break down some divisions that exist to make for an improved culture throughout the school. The melding of kids with different backgrounds of any kind is always good for perspective.”
Unified programs offer increased participation opportunity for the general education population as well as the I.D. students. For students who may not make the cut for school teams, or prefer to focus on academics or part-time jobs, the Unified option provides just what they are seeking. Others are varsity athletes looking for competition outside their preferred sport seasons.
“We receive a lot of interest from those partners who might have wanted to play on freshman, JV, or varsity teams but couldn’t meet the eligibility requirements or physically do not make the cuts at those levels of team tryouts,” said Renne Wyman, Unified coach at Sparta High School. “So they wander into the gym and join us. What happens is, the level of play ratchets up a notch or two. These kids initially come here to play, not necessarily help the intellectually disabled kids.
“But, then they start giving shooting advice, or directing them where to move offensively or whom to cover defensively. Suddenly they are talking to each other, and no adult staged the mentoring. It carries on between quarters, at halftime, before games and practices. They start texting and offering a seat in the cafeteria at lunch. I’m talking about major culture change in our building.”
This type of interaction serves to reduce the number of negative incidents in the hallways.
“Statistics show that these programs have proven to reduce bullying of the intellectually disabled population,” said Suszko of Holt/Mason. “To have an organized sports team and school support team is invaluable. The students with intellectual disabilities gain so much. They train together, play together and develop friendships through sports with the general school population.”
With such important life lessons in the balance, and 300-plus schools around Michigan sponsoring school programs, the time was right to further shine a spotlight on the product. In the past, Unified basketball events have been showcased during MHSAA Hoopfest events in conjunction with the Boys Basketball Finals, and it was time to take the next step.
“A partnership between the MHSAA and Special Olympics is a natural fit, and our goal is to assist in promoting inclusiveness and leadership components of Unified Champion Schools as opportunities at our tournaments allow,” Uyl said. “These are such worthwhile endeavors, and the student-athletes involved truly symbolize the best in school sports.”
The Ford Field event provided a chance for some serious competition on the field, along with countless smiles – and some tears – from onlookers and support groups following the action.
“My favorite story from that day came as Mark (Uyl) was addressing the group in the Lions locker room and thanking them for being there,” Hileman said. “I looked into the corner of the room and there’s a man – pretty good sized, tough-looking – standing there with his wife, and they’ve got tears in their eyes. The dad came up and told me, ‘I never thought I’d see my son play any kind of sport, and here he is at Ford Field. I’ll never forget this, and never watch a Lions game without thinking of this.’
“So many of our athletes are told what they can't do. Special Olympics is about showing what they can do.”
For Suszko, the highlights began earlier in the morning.
“The most memorable moment for me was watching the expressions on all of the athletes’ faces as they walked through the tunnel onto the field,” she said. “What a great opportunity. The hospitality that Mark Uyl, Nate Hampton, and the rest of the staff gave us was appreciated so much. The parents were excited. They loved seeing their athlete participating alongside the other high school football teams. Watching barriers being broken and teamwork being established is what inclusion is all about.”
There were plenty of emotions to go around, from the guests and the hosts.
“The kids and parents were over the moon when the invitation came. Ford Field, the MHSAA Finals, it really resonated with the kids, the school and families,” Thompson said. “Nate and Mark and all staff involved went out of their way to make it a wonderful and meaningful experience. They did more for the families and kids than anyone expected. We are very appreciative of the MHSAA continuing to work toward inclusion, and events like these help to spread the word.”
Spreading the word will help bolster an already strong movement both in Michigan and nationally. Hileman is excited for the future in partnering with the MHSAA for events like the one in November, which generate a high level of enthusiasm. In the near future, he has some more immediate goals.
“We are concentrating on expanding league play. That’s what sports are; athletes competing, and our athletes want to compete,” Hileman said. “We have league play in the O-K Conference, and in the Lansing area. Our goal and vision is to continue to build on the Unified conference experience; more competitions during the season.”
The Sparta program has been in place for four years, and numbers have increased from a handful to a total of 60 partners and Special Olympics athletes combined. Volunteers are a vital part of the initiative, and Wyman says hundreds of people donate their time at affiliated service projects held twice yearly. The school offers Unified flag football at the league/conference level each fall, Unified ski/snowboard on a smaller scale, Unified basketball at the league/conference level in the winter, and is looking to add Unified track & field at the league/conference level this spring.
Make no mistake; athletes of all kinds like to compete.
“My kids are learning the game like they never did before. The partners don’t dumb down the vocabulary or slow down what they teach. This occurs in real-time scrimmaging with a need to adjust quickly,” said Wyman. “So our Unified athletes are being coached and challenged to increase their skill and conditioning at a level I just can’t replicate in my Special Olympics Physical Education class where no partners are present.”
One also cannot replicate the related successes outside the gyms and away from the fields, where Wyman reports that I.D. students are now being offered rides to school for dances and athletic events, improving their grades to be eligible to participate in the program and becoming healthier through the activities, all while gaining confidence in themselves.
Renicker believes that seeing is believing, and encourages people to attend events in neighboring communities. The impression will likely spur action.
“My No. 1 suggestion would be to come and witness how special a Unified Game is,” Renicker said. “It will give you hope for our future and highlight some pretty amazing things that are going on in schools every day that don't make the front page of the newspaper. I feel so lucky to be part of a school community that values this program and the culture it has created.”
Hileman recently attended a national Special Olympics event and heard International Chairman of Special Olympics Dr. Timothy Shriver proclaim his dream: that just as every high school sponsors boys and girls athletic programs, he hopes that one day every high school in the country will become a Unified Champion School.
It is a big dream, but the slightest nudge can put things in motion, as Wyman has seen.
“It can start small. You only need one or two partners to commit and you can get something going,” Wyman said. “A lot of kids would love to help in supporting roles, whether it’s running sporting events, officiating, keeping stats, designing, or organizing. In the beginning, it is one person reaching out to one school seeing if they can get together and play the game.”
With that, the guidance of Special Olympics, and assistance from partners like the MHSAA, maybe the ball can keep rolling all the way around the state.
***
Inclusion is Primary Mission of Special Olympics UCS
Team sports bring people together. Special Olympics Unified Sports® teams do that, too, and much more.
About 1.4 million people worldwide take part in Unified Sports, breaking down stereotypes about people with intellectual disabilities in a really fun way. ESPN has served as the Global Presenting Sponsor of Special Olympics Unified Sports since 2013, supporting the growth and expansion of this program that empowers individuals with and without intellectual disabilities to engage through the power of sports.
Promoting Social Inclusion Through Sport
Special Olympics is dedicated to promoting social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences. Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding. In Unified Sports, teams are made up of people of similar age and ability. That makes practices more fun and games more challenging and exciting for all. Having sport in common is just one more way that preconceptions and false ideas are swept away.
States Embracing Unified Sports
Young people with disabilities do not often get a chance to play on their school sports teams. More and more states are adopting the Unified Sports approach that Special Olympics pioneered.
Unified Sports is also an integral part of Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools, which was founded in 2008 and funded through the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education to use Special Olympics as a way to build inclusion and tolerance in schools. Unified Sports are now in more than 4,500 elementary, middle and high schools in the United States. Seventy percent of Unified Champion Schools (Pre-K through Grade 12) are engaging in Unified Sports! Also 215 U.S. colleges and universities have Special Olympics College Clubs on campus, providing ongoing Unified and inclusionary activities for students and Special Olympics athletes. Seventy-three of the 215 U.S. colleges and universities activating Special Olympics College conduct ongoing Unified Sports on their campuses. Learn how to get involved at www.playunified.org.
Mission: Inclusion
As part of the Special Olympics-Lions Clubs International “Mission: Inclusion” partnership, the LCI youth network-Leos have become a strong global partner in expanding and implementing Unified Sports together with Special Olympics. The Leos have helped start and sustain Unified Sports in a number of nations worldwide, and serve as one of the movement’s strongest youth leadership networks in bringing inclusive programming to communities across the world. From Zimbabwe to Brazil and from California to India, the Leos continue to amplify the voice of athletes and embody the creed: Play Unified. Live Unified.
Major sports organization, league and event support to Play Unified
Many high-profile, professional sports organizations and events have also showcased Unified Sports as a vehicle to show the power of inclusive sports! This support includes:
• National Basketball Association (NBA)
• Major League Soccer (MLS)
• Union of European Football Associations (UEFA)
• National Collegiate Athletic Association, D-III
• ESPN's X Games Aspen
• National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
• National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA)
PHOTOS: (Top) Unified teams from Brighton and Mason/Holt play during the second day of the MHSAA 11-Player Football Finals at Ford Field. (Top middle) Participants from those three schools and Sparta took part in the morning's games. (Middle) Sparta athletes stand together for the national anthem. (Below middle) A Brighton coach and players exchange high fives. (Below) Brighton's Unified basketball team plays during a celebration for receiving national recognition last fall. (Photos by John Johnson.)
Preview: Rivalries Ready to Reignite, Historic Opportunities Await at CMU
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 27, 2025
All of the rivalries that annually reignite at the MHSAA Competitive Cheer Finals are expected to do so again, with the Rochester schools battling in Division 1, Allen Park and Gibraltar Carlson among favorites in Division 2, and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Richmond back among the top-ranked in Division 3.
But several eyes will be watching the state’s smallest schools as they chase historic opportunities – amid perhaps the most wide-open race – in Division 4.
Hudson has won five straight Division 4 titles, and a sixth would tie the MHSAA record set by Carlson from 2011-16. But the Tigers are up against a high-scoring field that includes another of the all-time winningest champs in Pewamo-Westphalia and six teams all seeking their first title.
Among other Division 4 hopefuls are Coloma and Marion, both making their first Finals appearances, as is Zeeland West in Division 2.
Division 4 leads off the weekend at 2 p.m. Friday at Central Michigan University’s McGuirk Arena, followed by Division 1 at 6:30 p.m. Division 3 starts Saturday’s competitions at 11 a.m., with Division 2 finishing the weekend at 3:30 p.m. The full schedule, plus information on purchasing tickets and how to watch online are all available on the Competitive Cheer page of MHSAA.com.
Division 1
BRIGHTON
Ranking: No. 3
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association West
Coach: Christine Wilson-Peacock, 13th season
Championship history: Class A runner-up 1999.
Top score: 788.80.
Team composition: 21 total (six seniors, six juniors, seven sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: Brighton finished sixth last season and fourth in 2023, and has finished first or second at all but one of its competitions this season with runner-up finishes at both its District and Regional. The Bulldogs have been remarkably consistent scoring between 787-788 points in four straight competitions and six of their last seven. Senior Kadyn Robertson earned all-Regional recognition last season, and senior Adrianna Pembroke earned all-state honorable mention in 2023.
GRANDVILLE
Ranking: No. 7
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Red
Coach: Julie Smith-Boyd, 44th season
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2015), 10 runner-up finishes.
Top score: 789.08 at Regional.
Team composition: 24 (three seniors, eight juniors, six sophomores, seven freshmen).
Outlook: The Bulldogs graduated 17 from the team that finished eighth a year ago, but they haven’t slowed down. Grandville has finished first or second at all but two competitions this season and has won five straight and seven of its last eight. The Bulldogs are trending in the right direction on the scoresheet as well, posting their top two overall scores this season in claiming District and Regional titles. Juniors Maddy Denman, Olivia Talsma and Lauren Elder and senior Ava Wohlfert earned all-District recognition last season.
HARTLAND
Ranking: No. 5
League finish: Second in KLAA West
Coach: Candace Fahr, eighth season
Championship history: Division 1 runner-up 2013.
Top score: 790.46.
Team composition: 24 total (seven seniors, seven juniors, five sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: Hartland is back after finishing fourth at last year’s Final for the second time over the last three seasons. The Eagles finished first or second in all of their competitions this winter before placing third at their Regional, but their Regional score of 787.34 also was their third-highest this season after breaking 790 twice. Senior Makayla Prevo made the all-state first team last season, and senior Charleigh Ross made the second team.
MACOMB DAKOTA
Rank: No. 8
League finish: First in Macomb Area Conference Red
Coach: Michela Worthy, 23rd season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two MHSAA Finals finish.
Top score: 786.48 at Regional.
Team composition: 27 total (seven seniors, 11 juniors, five sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: Dakota is returning to the Finals for the first time since 2014, posting its top two scores this season in winning its District and then finishing fourth at its Regional. The Cougars followed at the Regional three of the top-four ranked teams in Division 1 and finished ahead of No. 6 Utica Eisenhower, No. 9 Macomb L’Anse Creuse North and No. 10 Wyandotte Roosevelt to qualify. Senior Ashley Pioch and sophomore Nicole Nehra earned all-District recognition in 2024.
ROCHESTER
Ranking: No. 1
League finish: First in Oakland Activities Association Red
Coach: Samantha Dean, third season
Championship history: 15 MHSAA titles (most recent 2023).
Top score: 793.68.
Team composition: 28 total (10 seniors, 10 juniors, eight sophomores).
Outlook: Rochester finished third last season, and a large group of juniors has become a sizable senior crew that has the Falcons arguably the favorites again. Rochester won all of its competitions before finishing second at its Regional and has scored at least 790 points in seven straight competitions. Seniors Natalia Grabovac and Isabella Gungab made the all-state second team last season, and senior Morgan Calcagno and junior Claire O’Neill earned honorable mentions. Senior Aubrey Hillard made the all-state second team in 2023.
ROCHESTER ADAMS
Ranking: No. 4
League finish: Third in OAA Red
Coach: Brooke Miller, 11th season
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2022), five runner-up finishes.
Top score: 792.76 at Regional.
Team composition: 26 total (six seniors, 13 juniors, five sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: Adams has finished Finals runner-up two straight seasons after winning three straight titles from 2020-22, and total the Highlanders have finished among the top two in seven consecutive Finals. They may be on the verge of extending that streak with their top two scores of the season – both surpassing 792 points – coming in finishing second at their District and third at their Regional. Senior Maria Caradonna and junior Nikala Hall made the all-state second team last season, and junior Libby Schultz and sophomore Gabriella Montgomery earned honorable mentions.
ROCHESTER HILLS STONEY CREEK
Ranking: No. 2
League finish: Second in OAA Red
Coach: Tricia Williams, 22nd season
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2024), Division 1 runner-up 2022.
Top score: 793.26 at Regional.
Team composition: 30 total (three seniors, 20 juniors, four sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Reigning champion Stoney Creek made a loud statement at the Regional last week, becoming the only team to finish ahead of Rochester High in competition this winter. The Cougars have upped their top overall score this season in three straight competitions, breaking 792 twice before the Regional win by 38 hundredths of a point after posting the top-scoring routine in Round 3 to move ahead. Senior Sarah Adams made the all-state second team last season, and senior Sienna Wills and junior Natalie Marco earned honorable mentions.
ROCKFORD
Ranking: Unranked
League finish: Third in O-K Red
Coach: MeLisa Milanowski, fifth season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 780.64 at Regional.
Team composition: 23 total (10 seniors, five juniors, six sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: A team of nearly half seniors earned Rockford’s first trip to the Finals since 2006 and did so in dramatic fashion. The Rams finished fourth at their District with what was then a season-high score of 776.6, then buried that total by more than four points to earn the fourth-place Finals qualifying spot at the Regional. Sophomore Lila Gates earned all-District recognition last season.
Division 2
ALLEN PARK
Ranking: No. 1
League finish: First in Downriver League
Coach: Julie Goodwin, 21st season
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2024), five runner-up finishes.
Top score: 792.76 at District.
Team composition: 23 total (five seniors, three juniors, eight sophomores, seven freshmen).
Outlook: Allen Park has finished among the top two nine straight seasons and won four of the last five Division 2 titles. A roster of more than half underclassmen has achieved a near-perfect season, with only a second place in the Jaguars’ first competition followed by all firsts despite continuing their frequent matchups with similarly-powerful Gibraltar Carlson. Allen Park’s 785.78 at the Regional was more than seven points higher than the field. Senior Abigail Obrycki and junior Sophia Ramey made the all-state first team last season, and senior Peyton Will and sophomore Hazyl Hall earned honorable mentions.
CARLETON AIRPORT
Ranking: No. 6
League finish: First in Huron League
Coach: Emily Dusik, third season
Championship history: Division 2 runner-up 2024, Class B runner-up 2003.
Top score: 790.80.
Team composition: 23 total (two seniors, six juniors, 11 sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: Airport is coming off its best Finals finish in more than two decades and returns after emerging fourth from a Regional that included the top nine ranked teams in Division 2 – moving past No. 3 Fenton and No. 4 Southgate Anderson to claim the final qualifying spot. A third-highest Round 1 score at the Regional was especially impressive. Sophomore Isabella Mulvin and junior Sydney Linn made the all-state second team last season, and senior Ashleigh Bentley and junior Kadence McDonald earned honorable mentions.
CEDAR SPRINGS
Ranking: Unranked
League finish: First in River Cities Alliance
Coach: Katy Hradsky, fourth season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 750.86 at the Regional.
Team composition: 16 total (three seniors, four juniors, three sophomores, six freshmen).
Outlook: Cedar Springs returned to the Finals last season with a fifth-place finish and will attempt to build on that having posted their two highest scores this winter to win the District and finish third at the Regional – the latter with nearly a five-point jump. Junior Taylor Verduin made the all-state second team last season, and senior Sarah Buckley earned an honorable mention.
GIBRALTAR CARLSON
Ranking: No. 2
League finish: Second in Downriver League
Coach: Alyssa Tocco, fourth season
Championship history: 12 MHSAA titles (most recent 2023), seven runner-up finishes.
Top score: 795.26.
Team composition: 24 total (four seniors, three juniors, seven sophomores, 10 freshmen).
Outlook: Carlson has finished first or second at all of its competitions this season as it seeks to make another title push coming off last year’s fourth-place finish. The Marauders have scored fewer than 785 points only twice and broken 790 three times. Seniors Sofia Lanzini and Maranda Steinmetz made the all-state first team last season, while senior Haley Sanchez made the second team and senior Alaina Bucala earned an honorable mention.
MUSKEGON REETHS-PUFFER
Ranking: Unranked
League finish: Fourth in O-K Green
Coach: Lisabeth Smith, fourth season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: N/A.
Team composition: 25 total (three seniors, 10 juniors, eight sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: Reeths-Puffer is returning to the Finals for the second-straight season and third time in Smith’s four leading the program. The Rockets improved on their District score by more than 16 points to earn the fourth-place qualifying spot for this weekend. Junior Madilynn Smith, senior Lorena Garcia and sophomore Malia McGuffey earned all-Regional recognition last season.
PLAINWELL
Ranking: No. 10
League finish: First in Wolverine Conference
Coach: Kylie Cook, sixth season
Championship history: Class B champion 2000, Class B runner-up 2001.
Top score: 767.68 at the Regional.
Team composition: 20 total (four seniors, nine juniors, two sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: Plainwell finished seventh last season at its first Final since 2003, and now the Trojans will return for the second-straight season coming off league, District and Regional titles and after posting their two highest scores this winter to win the latter two meets. They’ve won nine competitions, finished second twice and lower than that only once. Seniors Danika Sayles-Devine and Abigail Stewart and juniors Ella LaPenna, Mackenzie Meert and Alivia Meninga earned all-District recognition in 2024.
WALLED LAKE WESTERN
Ranking: No. 5
League finish: Second in Lakes Valley Conference
Co-coaches: Amber Stocks, 15th season; Michelle Frey, 13th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 788.82.
Team composition: 21 total (six seniors, seven juniors, five sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Western emerged third from the same loaded Regional as Airport filled with nine ranked teams, qualifying for the Finals for the first time since 2021and after missing by just one place a year ago. The Warriors also won their District this month with a score of 786.86. Seniors Emily Beaudoin and Zahylee Cox, junior Hannah Fore and sophomores Ella Spiess and Mariana Gonzalez earned all-Regional recognition last season.
ZEELAND WEST
Ranking: Unranked
League finish: First in O-K Black
Coach: Emillie Gort, third season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 761.36 at the District.
Team composition: 22 total (five seniors, four juniors, five sophomores, eight freshmen).
Outlook: West has earned its first trip to the Finals in this sport with runner-up finishes at its District and Regional, following its season-best score at the former with a 760.14 this past weekend to advance. The Dux have finished first or second at all of their competitions this season, including wins at all three league meets. West nearly reached the Finals a year ago, finishing fifth at its Regional, and seniors Riley Howe and Jordin Robelin and junior Addysen Miller earned all-Regional recognition.
Division 3
ARMADA
Ranking: No. 4
League finish: Second in Blue Water Area Conference
Coach: Deanna Misiak, ninth season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: N/A.
Team composition: 24 total (five seniors, four juniors, three sophomores, 12 freshmen).
Outlook: Armada finished fourth last season in its first Finals trip since 2015, and returns this weekend coming off third-place finishes at its District and Regional against fields that included No. 1 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and No. 2 Richmond – although the Tigers finished ahead of Richmond at the Regional. Armada scored an impressive 784.38 at the District and finished second in the BWAC as one of three top-10 teams in the league, including as well reigning two-time Finals champion Croswell-Lexington. Senior Alice Rhadigan made the all-state first team last season.
CHARLOTTE
Ranking: No. 9
League finish: First in Capital Area Activities Conference White
Coach: Jade Bowhall, second season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 760.44.
Team composition: 21 total (six seniors, five juniors, eight sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: Charlotte will make its first trip to the Finals since 2020 and has won or placed second at all but one competition this season – including a victory at its District and runner-up finish at its Regional. The Orioles have advanced to Regionals both seasons under Bowhall, and senior Brooke Tokar earned all-Regional recognition last season.
GLADSTONE
Ranking: Unranked
League finish: Does not compete in a conference.
Coach: Stacie Kitson, fourth season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 752.74
Team composition: 23 total (six seniors, three juniors, six sophomores, eight freshmen).
Outlook: Gladstone is making its first trip to the Finals since 2012, after taking third at both its District and Regional and finishing ahead of a ranked team at the latter. Kitson previously reached the Finals as both an athlete and assistant coach at Escanaba, as an athlete helping her school advance in 2016 for the first time. Senior Kristy Karl earned all-District recognition for Gladstone last season.
GROSSE ILE
Ranking: No. 3
League finish: Second in Huron League.
Coach: Angie Raithel, eighth season
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2010), Division 3 runner-up 2009.
Top score: 780.00.
Team composition: 23 total (seven seniors, two juniors, six sophomores, eight freshmen).
Outlook: After finishing third last season and only 1.18 points off the lead, Grosse Ile could make another serious title push. The Red Devils won a District that also included No. 6 Flat Rock and No. 10 Michigan Center and then finished second at a Regional just 2.64 points behind top-ranked Notre Dame Prep and ahead of five ranked teams including No. 2 Richmond. Senior Marissa Trombley and sophomore Laynie Gratz made the all-state first team last season, seniors Virginia West and Avelinn Flynn made the second team and senior Arianna Bianchi earned an honorable mention.
HOWARD CITY TRI COUNTY
Ranking: No. 5
League finish: First in Central State Activities Association
Coach: Jennifer Laskey, 21st season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: N/A.
Team composition: 22 total (seven seniors, four juniors, two sophomores, nine freshmen).
Outlook: Tri County finished seventh last season and should bring plenty of momentum into this weekend coming off eight straight first-place finishes (and 11 in 12 competitions this season) including at its District and Regional. The Vikings won their Regional by nearly 27 points with a 760.06 – four points higher than their Finals score a year ago. Junior Briana Cheatham made the all-state first team last season, junior Jocelynn Olds made the second team and junior Violet Bellamy earned an honorable mention.
PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP
Ranking: No. 1
League finish: Does not compete in a conference.
Coach: Jocelyn Welsh, second season
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2018), five runner-up finishes.
Top score: 790.96 at the District.
Team composition: 28 total (seven seniors, six juniors, eight sophomores, seven freshmen).
Outlook: The Fighting Irish have finished Divisions 3 runners-up the last two seasons and four of the last six since completing a five-year title streak in 2018. They could start a new championship run this weekend having won all of their competitions so far this winter, including a Regional title against a fields that included No. 2 Richmond, No. 3 Grosse Ile and No. 4 Armada. Senior Grace Kinkade made the all-state first team last season, seniors Gabrielle Phillips and Paige Marlinga and junior Jenna Robin made the second team, and senior Lelia Mains and sophomore Eva Thomas earned honorable mentions.
PORTLAND
Ranking: Unranked
League finish: Third in CAAC White
Coach: Mindy Blaschka, 12th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 730.96.
Team composition: 14 total (three seniors, four juniors, four sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: Portland improved to sixth place last season and will make its fourth-straight trip to the Finals after posting three of its top five overall scores of the season over the last three competitions. The Raiders have steadily improved their scores after graduating nine from last year’s team. Senior Karter Edwards earned all-Regional recognition last season.
RICHMOND
Ranking: No. 2
League finish: First in Blue Water Area Conference
Coach: Kelli Matthes, 17th season
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2022), five runner-up finishes.
Top score: 786.50 at the District.
Team composition: 27 total (four seniors, six juniors, seven sophomores, 10 freshmen).
Outlook: After a rare year away, Richmond is returning to the Finals and capable again of being in the championship mix with six scores over 770 points this winter. The Blue Devils have finished first or second at all of their competitions except the Regional, where they placed fourth among a field that included seven of the top 10 ranked teams. Seniors Faith Thompson and Autumn Rands, junior Ava Widmaier and sophomore Khloe Allison earned all-Regional honors in 2024.
Division 4
COLOMA
Ranking: No. 9
League finish: First in Southwestern Athletic Conference
Coach: Christin Smith, 16th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 735.54 at the District.
Team composition: 18 total (five seniors, three juniors, six sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: Coloma’s run to its first Finals has included first or second places at all but one competition, including a District championship win by nearly 47 points. The Comets then placed fourth at their Regional against a field that included three more top-10 teams. Seniors Makenna Baryo, Olivia DeChant and Makenna Baker and junior Cassidy Emrath earned all-District honors last season.
GRAND RAPIDS NORTHPOINTE CHRISTIAN
Ranking: No. 6
League finish: Second in O-K Silver
Coach: Sue Smith, 12th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 747.10 at the District.
Team composition: Nine total (three seniors, four juniors, two sophomores).
Outlook: NorthPointe will compete at the Finals for the first time since 2021 thanks to a second-place at its District and championship at its Regional against a field that included three more top-10 teams. NorthPointe won that Regional by five points after just missing making the Finals the year prior. Seniors Lindsay Ulstad, Addison Bey and Riley Paulk and junior Bella Barnett earned all-Regional honors last year.
HANOVER-HORTON
Ranking: No. 2
League finish: First in Cascades Conference
Coach: Sarah DuBois, 25th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 768.40 at the District.
Team composition: 21 total (eight seniors, four juniors, five sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: Hanover-Horton finished sixth last season at its first Final, and the Comets have continued to climb this winter with nine straight overall scores of 740 or higher – after reaching 739.86 for a high score last season. Hanover-Horton has finished first or second at all of its competitions and broken 760 points each of its last three including while winning its District and finishing second at its Regional. Senior Alexyn DuBois made the all-state first team last season, senior Maddy Sauber made the second team and senior Reyna Collins earned honorable mention.
HUDSON
Ranking: No. 4
League finish: Second in Lenawee County Athletic Association
Coach: Kelly Bailey, 28th season
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2024), six runner-up finishes.
Top score: 758.08 at the District.
Team composition: 18 total (five seniors, four juniors, seven sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: Hudson ran its championship streak to five last season, winning by more than seven points. But the Tigers may have to climb this time after finishing second at their District and fourth at their Regional. Hudson did post its top scores of the season at those two most recent competitions, topping 754 points at both. Seniors Jayla Bright and Courtney Rodifer made the all-state first team last season, while sophomore Emmalin Rodifer made the second team and senior Kristtany Higgins, junior Emerson Sholl and sophomore Paige Butts earned honorable mentions.
MARION
Ranking: No. 10
League finish: Does not compete in a conference.
Coach: Danyel Prielipp, 27th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 762.40 at the District.
Team composition: 12 total (four seniors, two juniors, one sophomore, five freshmen).
Outlook: Marion is another first-time Finals qualifier, advancing by winning its District by 15.3 points and then finishing third at its Regional among four ranked teams at the top. The District win was the team’s sixth in 11 competitions total. Seniors J’Lynn Schoonmaker, Malley Raymond and Ella Wilson and junior Aaliyah Nealey earned all-District honors last season.
NORWAY
Ranking: No. 8
League finish: Does not compete in a conference.
Coach: Hailey Micoley, third season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 751.78.
Team composition: 22 total (two seniors, five juniors, 10 sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: Norway finished its second-straight regular season having won all of its competitions, and also repeated as District champion. But this time the Knights jumped from seventh to second at their Regional to earn a return to the Finals for the first time since 2009. Senior Paige Roberts earned all-Regional recognition last season and is one of just seven upperclassmen on a team that finished 5.64 points behind winner NorthPointe at their Regional and should continue to build.
PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA
Ranking: No. 3
League finish: Does not compete in a conference.
Coach: Staci Myers, 18 season
Championship history: Nine MHSAA titles (most recent 2019), 13 runner-up finishes.
Top score: 771.14 at the Regional.
Team composition: 23 total (five seniors, six juniors, two sophomores, 10 freshmen).
Outlook: Last season’s runner-up appears plenty capable of making the jump to win its first championship since 2019, especially coming off a Regional-winning score that was more than 12 points higher than its previous best this season. The Pirates had finished second at their District by 12.11 points before winning the Regional by 5.08, and they’ve finished first or second at every competition this season. Seniors Addison Hengesbach and Caidence Nyhus and junior Karsyn Simmon made the all-state first team last season, seniors Jayde Ferguson and Miriam Downs made the second team, and junior Taryn Schafer and sophomore Brynn Feldpausch earned honorable mentions.
SANFORD MERIDIAN
Ranking: No. 1
League finish: First in Jack Pine Conference
Coach: Val MacKenzie, 35th season
Championship history: Division 4 runner-up 2018.
Top score: 772.88.
Team composition: 18 total (six seniors, two juniors, eight sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: Meridian – fifth a year ago – has not scored below 704 points at a competition this season, and is averaging an overall 745 –with three straight rounds of 760 or higher heading into this weekend. The Mustangs had won all of their meets before finishing third at their Regional. Senior Lexi Cryderman made the all-state first team last season, sophomores Marlee Kelly and Alyza Molski made the second team, and sophomores Ellie Beach and Payton Mathe earned honorable mentions.
PHOTO: Pewamo-Westphalia competes during its Regional last week at Michigan Center. (Photo by Jim Pivarnik.)