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: Reigning Champs Highlight Familiar Finals Field Returning to CMU
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 29, 2024
As the MHSAA Competitive Cheer Finals returns to Central Michigan University’s McGuirk Arena for the second-straight season this weekend, and to its past Friday-Saturday schedule, there is a sense of familiarity – and that’s bolstered even more by 24 of last year’s 32 contenders also returning to CMU.
Hudson in Division 4 is seeking a fifth-straight Finals title, while Rochester in Division 1, Gibraltar Carlson in Division 2 and Croswell-Lexington in Division 3 also are pursuing repeat championships.
Meanwhile, we will welcome Hanover-Horton to the Finals for the first time, and Plainwell and North Muskegon for the first time for both in more than two decades.
Division 4 leads off the weekend at 2 p.m. Friday, followed by Division 1 at 6 p.m. Division 3 starts Saturday’s competitions at 11 a.m., with Division 2 finishing the weekend at 4 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
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association West
Coach: Christina Wilson-Peacock, 12th season
Championship history: Class A runner-up 1999.
Top score: 791.2 at Regional.
Team composition: 25 total (seven seniors, six juniors, nine sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Brighton returned to the Finals last season with a fourth-place finish, and similar to last year have finished second at both its District and Regional over the last two weeks. The Bulldogs have scored at least 783 points in their last five competitions. Senior Autumn Miller made the all-state first team last season, while seniors Estella Marchesotti and Brooke Lampkins made the second and junior Adrianna Pembroke earned honorable mention.
GRANDVILLE
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Red
Coach: Julie Smith-Boyd, 43rd season
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2015), 10 runner-up finishes.
Top score: 789.32 at Regional.
Team composition: 33 total (17 seniors, three juniors, nine sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: After having only two seniors on last year’s team, Grandville has 17 from a class that’s gained plenty of experience with Finals finishes of second, seventh and then fifth last season. The Bulldogs have scored at least 783 points in nine of 12 competitions, beginning with a 786.58 at their second this winter. Seniors Lexsee Pawloski and Brie Vanderplow made the all-state second team last season, and senior Emma Leonard earned honorable mention.
HARTLAND
League finish: Second in KLAA
Coach: Candace Fahr, seventh season
Championship history: Division 1 runner-up 2013.
Top score: 791.96 at Regional.
Team composition: 23 total (eight seniors, eight juniors, six sophomores, one freshman).
Outlook: The Eagles finished fourth in 2022 and eighth last season, and they enter this Final as repeat District and Regional champions – and this time having finished ahead of Brighton at both after placing second to the Bulldogs in the league. Hartland has placed first or second at all of its competitions this winter. Senior Molly Woolf made the all-state first team last season, and senior Faith Mikula earned honorable mention.
MACOMB L’ANSE CREUSE NORTH
League finish: First in Macomb Area Conference Red
Coach: Lauren Turner, third season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 788.26 at Regional.
Team composition: 22 total (10 seniors, six juniors, five sophomores, one freshman).
Outlook: L’Anse Creuse North is returning after finishing sixth last year and repeating as a District champion two weeks ago. The Crusaders’ Regional score was nearly five points higher than their next highest this season and placed them fourth behind the Rochester schools at that competition but only 3.12 points off the lead. Senior Lily Nahas made the all-state first team last season, and sophomore Addison Waters earned honorable mention.
ROCHESTER
League finish: First in Oakland Activities Association Red
Coach: Samantha Koehler, second season
Championship history: 15 MHSAA titles (most recent 2023).
Top score: 792.68 at Regional.
Team composition: 26 total (four seniors, 11 juniors, seven sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: Rochester returned to the top of Division 1 last season in Koehler’s first leading the program after previously coaching Plymouth, and the Falcons are in position to add to that record championship total. They finished third to the other Rochester schools at the District and Regional, but less than two points off the lead at both. Seniors Madison Carpenter and Lena Cleveland made the all-state first team last season, while senior Sarah Newport and juniors Isabella Gungab and Aubrey Hillard made the second team and senior Kelly Burdick and juniors Morgan Calcagno and Natalia Grabovac earned honorable mentions.
ROCHESTER ADAMS
League finish: Third in OAA Red
Coach: Brooke Miller, 10th season
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2022) four runner-up finishes.
Top score: 794.18 at District.
Team composition: 30 total (five seniors, seven juniors, 14 sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: Adams finished second last season by nine-tenths of a point, ending a three-year championship streak – but the Highlanders wouldn’t stun anyone by claiming a fourth title over five seasons this weekend. They won their District by 62 hundredths of a point ahead of Stoney Creek, then finished 79 hundredths of a point back in the Regional rematch – and in both cases had the slightly superior Round 3. Senior Lily Hittle earned an all-state honorable mention in 2023.
ROCHESTER HILLS STONEY CREEK
League finish: Second in OAA Red
Coach: Tricia Williams, 21st season
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2019), Division 1 runner-up 2022.
Top score: 793.56 at District
Team composition: 32 total (11 seniors, five juniors, 14 sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: After finishing second in 2022 and third last season, Stoney Creek could take the final steps again this weekend coming off a Regional championship won ahead of the two other Rochester contenders – posting the top Round 1 and 2 scores at that meet. The Cougars have finished first or second at every competition but the first league jamboree. Seniors Abigail DeGraw and Alison Kalaj made the all-state first team last year, while senior Charlotte Cahill made the second team and senior Ariana Rabaut earned an honorable mention.
SOUTH LYON EAST
League finish: Third in Lakes Valley Conference
Coach: Julia Tilt, fifth season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 784.1.
Team composition: 20 total (five seniors, eight juniors, four sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: East competed at its first Finals last season, finishing sixth in Division 2, and to return this weekend emerged from a third-place league finish to place third at its District and fourth at its Regional. The Cougars have twice eclipsed their top score from a year ago, including at the District. Senior Natalie Tilt made the Division 2 all-state second team last season, and senior Jacey Czajkowski earned an honorable mention.
Division 2
ALLEN PARK
League finish: Second in Downriver League
Coach: Julie Goodwin, 20th season
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2022), five runner-up finishes.
Top score: 793.72
Team composition: 23 total (10 seniors, five juniors, three sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: Allen Park missed winning what would have been a fourth-straight Division 2 championship last season by just 68 hundredths of a point as rival Carlson took back the title. After finishing second to Carlson in the Downriver League this season, Allen Park won their Regional last week by 2.14 points to enter this weekend as arguably the team to chase. Seniors Allison Gombos and Gabrielle Simpson made the all-state first team last season, and junior Abigail Obrycki earned an honorable mention.
CARLETON AIRPORT
League finish: Second in Huron League
Coach: Emily Dusik, second season
Championship history: Class B runner-up 2003.
Top score: 781.0 at Regional.
Team composition: 22 total (five seniors, three juniors, five sophomores, nine freshmen).
Outlook: Dusik has Airport moving in the right direction quickly, as the Jets won their league in 2023 and added a District championship two weeks ago – and now their first trip to the Finals since 2006. Airport won that District by 1.7 points ahead of Carlson before finishing third at the Regional to Allen Park and Carlson last weekend, but with a score six points higher than its previous best this winter. Airport competed in Division 3 last season, with seniors Rylie Armstrong and Breanna Mulvin earning all-region recognition.
CEDAR SPRINGS
League finish: Tied for first in O-K Gold
Coach: Katy Hradsky, third season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 781.22.
Team composition: 21 total (five seniors, three juniors, six sophomores, seven freshmen).
Outlook: After a year away, Cedar Springs is returning to the Finals for the fifth time in six seasons and on a five-competition winning streak that’s included earning District and Regional titles. More than half of the team are underclassmen, and the Red Hawks’ returning all-region honoree from a year ago is among them – sophomore Taylor VerDuin.
DEARBORN DIVINE CHILD
League finish: First in Catholic High School League Bishop
Co-coaches: Amber Genevich, 16th season; Michelle McClorey, sixth season
Championship history: Four Finals runner-up finishes (most recent 2014).
Top score: 785.88.
Team composition: 22 total (eight seniors, six juniors, five sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Divine Child moved up from fourth in 2022 to third last season, and the Falcons have surpassed 780 points three times over their last five competitions including to finish runner-up at their District to Allen Park. Senior Noemi Villarruel made the all-state first team last season, while senior Amanda Shumaker made the second team and senior Anna Watson and junior Isabelle Fronczak earned honorable mentions.
GIBRALTAR CARLSON
League finish: First in Downriver League
Coach: Alyssa Tocco, third season
Championship history: 12 MHSAA titles (most recent 2023), seven runner-up finishes.
Top score: 792.34.
Team composition: 22 total (two seniors, seven juniors, five sophomores, eight freshmen).
Outlook: Carlson won its first championship of the Tocco era last season with nine seniors on the team, and she has the Marauders in position to potentially repeat with a team that while younger still has experienced past title winners leading the way. Carlson has scored at least 783 points in all but one competition and broken 791 four times. Juniors Haley Sanchez and Sofia Lanzini made the all-state second team last season.
MIDDLEVILLE THORNAPPLE KELLOGG
League finish: Tied for first in O-K Gold
Coach: Madelynn Lula, first season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 759.52 at Regional.
Team composition: 18 total (eight seniors, two juniors, seven sophomores, one freshman).
Outlook: After serving as an assistant for three seasons – and helping MTK return to the Finals last year for the first time since 2015 – Lula took over the program this winter and has the Trojans back after runner-up District and Regional finishes. MTK will look to build on last year’s fifth-place Finals finish after posting two of their three highest overall scores this season in those two meets. Seniors Kenady Smith and Anna Smith made the all-state second team in 2023.
MUSKEGON REETHS-PUFFER
League finish: Second in O-K Green
Coach: Lisabeth Smith, third season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 737.52.
Team composition: 26 total (five seniors, four juniors, nine sophomores, eight freshmen).
Outlook: Reeths-Puffer has added to its third-straight District title under Smith by reaching the Finals for the second time during her tenure and after missing a year ago. The Rockets won their District this time by nearly 14 points. Kendall Eek, Sydney Williams and Macy Fisher are among seniors finishing up standout careers.
PLAINWELL
League finish: Second in Wolverine Conference
Coach: Kylie Cook, fifth season
Championship history: Class B champion 2000, Class B runner-up 2001.
Top score: 762.9.
Team composition: 19 total (nine seniors, four juniors, six sophomores).
Outlook: Plainwell is returning to the Finals for the first time since 2003, and posted its second-highest score of the season in winning its District two weeks ago. The Trojans have placed third or higher in all of their competitions, and second or first in all but two. Seniors Raya Mergen Henry and Abigale Westerhouse earned all-region recognition last season.
Division 3
ARMADA
League finish: First in Blue Water Area Conference
Coach: Deanna Misiak, eighth season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 786.72 at District.
Team composition: 21 total (eight seniors, five juniors, five sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Armada will attempt to become the sixth-straight and third different Division 3 champion from the BWAC over the last six seasons after winning a league that included reigning champ Croswell-Lexington and 2019-22 title winner Richmond. The Tigers have scored at least 770 points in their last five competitions and edged Richmond for the final qualifying spot from their Regional, earning their first Finals trip since 2015. Senior Katelyn Carrigan earned all-District recognition in 2023.
CROSWELL-LEXINGTON
League finish: Second in BWAC
Coach: Katie Tomlinson, ninth season
Championship history: Division 3 champion 2023.
Top score: 790.1.
Team composition: 20 total (seven seniors, nine juniors, three sophomores, one freshman).
Outlook: The reigning Division 3 champion was edged by Armada in the league race, but came back to win their District by 3.24 points and Regional by nearly a point. Croswell-Lexington opened the season with a 765.5 overall score and has reached 783 points in its last four competitions, paced by the majority of the team’s standouts from a year ago. Seniors Shelby Oliver, Cora Katulski, Makayla Rice and Alexis Bales and junior Kaleigh Kelch all made the all-state first team last season, with senior Grace Hodges and junior Maggie Wallace are back after making the second team.
GROSSE ILE
League finish: First in Huron League
Coach: Angela Raithel, eighth season
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2010), Division 3 runner-up 2009.
Top score: 786.18 in Regional.
Team composition: 21 total (six seniors, seven juniors, three sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: Grosse Ile placed fourth last season in its first Finals trip since 2014, and this winter won all of its competitions before finishing second at the Regional and just 96 hundredths of a point behind Croswell-Lexington. Junior Virginia West made the all-state first team last season, with senior Elizabeth Adamczyk and junior Avelinn Flynn making the second team and juniors Marissa Trombley and Arianna Bianchi earning honorable mentions.
HOWARD CITY TRI COUNTY
League finish: First in Central State Activities Association
Coach: Jennifer Laskey, 20th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: N/A.
Team composition: 23 total (five seniors, nine juniors, five sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: A large group of upperclassmen are bringing Tri County back to the Finals after the team finished sixth last season. The Vikings placed third at both their District and Regional, topping at least 742 points at both meets. Juniors Tamya Johnson and Cadence Holtzlander and sophomores Briana Cheatham and Violet Bellamy earned all-region honors last season.
LAKE ODESSA LAKEWOOD
League finish: Tied for first in Capital Area Activities Conference White
Coach: Kim Martin, 30th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 771.76.
Team composition: 20 total (nine seniors, five juniors, one sophomore, five freshmen).
Outlook: Lakewood ran its league championship streak to 15 this season and returns to the Finals for the third-straight season, but this time as both a District and Regional champion – the latter for the first time during Martin’s tenure. The Vikings have finished first or second at all of their competitions this winter, and their top score is nearly five points higher than heading into the Finals a year ago. Senior Emily Pilar made the all-state second team last season, and senior Kylie Walkington earned honorable mention.
PAW PAW
League finish: First in Wolverine Conference
Coach: Stefanie Miller, 15th season
Championship history: Division 3 runner-up 2022 and 2021.
Top score: 773.10.
Team composition: 17 total (five seniors, two juniors, seven sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Paw Paw finished fifth last season but was in the championship mix after Round 2, and the Red Wolves have won all but three of their competitions this season including their District. A strong senior lineup brings plenty of Finals experience, with Molly Goodwin a repeat all-state first-teamer last season, Maya Leonard and Madison Lasinski returning after making the second team, and junior Taya Southworth having earned honorable mention in 2023. Senior Naveh Davenport and junior Ashley Olsen made the all-state second team in 2022.
PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Coach: Jocelyn Welsh, first season
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2018), four runner-up finishes.
Top score: 786.86 in District.
Team composition: 23 total (three seniors, seven juniors, six sophomores, seven freshmen).
Outlook: Welsh previously served as Warren Fitzgerald’s head coach for three seasons and assisted Adams during its championship success, and she took over an NDP program this winter that missed last year’s Division 3 title by seven tenths of a point. The Fighting Irish finished second in their District behind Croswell-Lexington and third at the Regional that also included Grosse Ile and Armada, posting their second-highest score of the season in that competition. Senior Ava Quasarano made the all-state first team last season, while juniors Grace Kinkade and Paige Marlinga made the second team and junior Leila Mains and sophomore Adriana Soave earned honorable mentions.
PORTLAND
League finish: Tied for first in CAAC White
Coach: Mindy Blaschka, 11th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 763.14.
Team composition: 21 total (nine seniors, four juniors, five sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: After making the Finals for the first time in 2022, Portland has earned its third-straight trip and will bring substantial experience after those first two. The Raiders have placed first or second in their last eight competitions, including at the District and Regional, as they seek to build on last season’s seventh-place Finals finish. Senior Autumn Schafer made the all-state second team last season, and senior Ava Adcock earned an honorable mention.
Division 4
HANOVER-HORTON
League finish: Second in Cascades Conference
Coach: Sarah DuBois, third season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 739.86.
Team composition: 15 total (six juniors, four sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: Hanover-Horton is headed to the Finals for the first time after finishing second at its District and third at its Regional. Sarah DuBois doesn’t have a senior, so this could be just the start, and she can supply plenty of experience as a competitive cheer coach for 23 seasons total, the first 20 at Vandercook Lake. Juniors Alexyn DuBois and Reyna Collins earned all-District honors last season.
HUDSON
League finish: First in Lenawee County Athletic Association
Coach: Kelly Bailey, 28th season
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2023), six runner-up finishes.
Top score: 766.28 at Regional.
Team composition: 20 total (six seniors, three juniors, five sophomores, six freshmen).
Outlook: Hudson is the standard in Division 4, with four straight Finals championships including last year’s won by nearly 26 points. The Tigers have finished first in all but two competitions this season, placing second in those, and their two highest scores have come in claiming District and Regional titles. Seniors Rylie Bloomer and Victoria Hawkins and junior Jayla Bright all made the all-state first team last season, while senior Kayden Rogers made the second team and senior Paige Clark and junior Courtney Rodifer earned honorable mentions.
LAWTON
League finish: First in Southwestern Athletic Conference
Coach: Holly James, 11th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 712.56.
Team composition: 13 total (four seniors, one junior, five sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Lawton has finished seventh, third, and then sixth at the Finals over the last three seasons, and a younger team this time has finished first or second in all but two of its competitions this winter with a District victory among highlights. Senior Naomi Barkalow earned an all-state honorable mention last season, and senior Kiera Banks made the first team in 2022.
MERRILL
League finish: First in Mid-State Activities Conference
Coach: Jena Glazier, fourth season
Championship history: Division 4 runner-up 2014.
Top score: 756.08 at District.
Team composition: 9 total (five seniors, one junior, one sophomore, two freshmen).
Outlook: Merrill is following a strong senior class back to the Finals, with Veda Gagne and Hope Fiting all-state second-team selections a year ago and Samantha Grubaugh and sophomore Carli Breasbois having earned honorable mention in 2023 as the team finished fifth. The Vandals won their District two weeks ago by 24 points and finished third at a Regional that included Hudson and last season’s Finals runner-up Michigan Center.
MICHGAN CENTER
League finish: First in Cascades Conference
Co-coaches: Jessica Trefry, 23rd season; Brianna Cash, second season
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2014), two runner-up finishes.
Top score: 745.98 at Regional.
Team composition: 13 total (four seniors, two juniors, five sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: Michigan Center’s runner-up finish last season was its highest at the Finals since 2016, and the Cardinals have finished first or second at all but one competition this season. They finished second to Hudson at their Regional after winning their District the week before, and their four highest scores this season have come in their four most recent meets. Seniors Grayce Sarna and Kate Paterson and junior Emma McIntyre made the all-state first team last season, while junior Gabi Ruhl and sophomore Nora Fleming made the second team.
NORTH MUSKEGON
League finish: Fourth in West Michigan Conference Rivers
Coach: Melody Zziwambazza, second season
Championship history: Class D champion 1997, Class D runner-up 1995 and 1994.
Top score: 697.46 at Regional.
Team composition: 15 total (eight seniors, two juniors, four sophomores, one freshman).
Outlook: One of the original powers in MHSAA competitive cheer, North Muskegon will compete in its first Final since 2002. Zziwambazza took over the varsity program in January 2023 and has coached the middle school team as well the last few seasons. The Norsemen improved from 10th in their District a year ago to fourth two weeks ago, and added nearly six points to their season-high score from that meet to finish fourth at their Regional and qualify for this weekend.
PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Coach: Staci Myers, 17th season
Championship history: Nine MHSAA titles (most recent 2019), 12 runner-up finishes.
Top score: 752.72 at District.
Team composition: 15 total (one senior, six juniors, six sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: A team with 10 underclassmen among 13 athletes total finished seventh a year ago, and these more experienced Pirates look like strong candidates to push up the standings after winning both their District and Regional with their two highest overall scores of this season. Senior Sophia Simon made the all-state second team last year, and sophomore Karsyn Simmon earned honorable mention.
SANFORD MERIDIAN
League finish: First in Jack Pine Conference
Coach: Val MacKenzie, 34th season
Championship history: Division 4 runner-up 2018.
Top score: 751.58 at District.
Team composition: 14 total (one senior, six juniors, two sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: Meridian is back at the Finals for the first time since 2019 after also finishing first or second at all but one competition this season. The Mustangs were runner-up to P-W at both their District and Regional, after ending their 2023 season with a fifth-place District finish. Those two most recent meets also saw Meridian post its two highest scores of this season, jumping more than 26 points from their previous best this winter. Juniors Lexi Cryderman, Danica Poston and Angela Nichols all earned all-District recognition in 2023.
PHOTO The Plainwell competitive cheer team competes this season; the Trojans are returning to the Finals for the first time since 2003. (Photo courtesy of the Plainwell competitive cheer program.)