10 to Remember: Spring 2015
June 25, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The close of June officially ends of another school year. And this season’s MHSAA Finals provided another strong finish with a number of memorable moments sure to be recalled for years to come.
Below is one person’s list of the 10 most significant, drawn from the title-earning performances of 129 teams and hundreds of individuals this spring.
10. Rockford Holds On for Third Straight Girls Lacrosse Title
The Rams saw an 8-1 lead dissolve to a one-goal advantage after Bloomfield Hills Marian scored in the 22nd minute of the second half of their Division 1 Final. Rockford goalie Katie Elwell turned away a shot to tie the game with 55 seconds left, and her team won a jumpball deep on its side of the field with 36 seconds to play to hold on to a 10-9 victory – and claim a third straight MHSAA championship. Rockford is one of three programs to win four MHSAA titles during the 11 seasons of tournament sponsorship. Marian is a two-time runner-up.
9. Hartland Baseball Goes 10 Innings to Win First MHSAA Title
Hartland scored in the first inning of the Division 1 Final in pursuit of its first MHSAA championship in the sport – but then didn’t score again until the bottom of the 10th inning. Junior pitcher John Baker threw all 10 innings for the Eagles, allowing only five hits and striking out 11 batters, and he also had two hits and drove in the game’s first run. Portage Northern also was making its first MHSAA Final appearance in baseball.
8. Northville Girls Tennis Joins First-time Champs; Nguyen Joins Elite
The Northville girls tennis team was one of 32 teams over all sports that won their first MHSAA championships during the 2014-15 school year. The Wildcats finished an impressive five points ahead of Midland Dow, winning three doubles and two singles flights. Utica’s Davina Nguyen, meanwhile, finished as one of the most accomplished champions in MHSAA history, becoming only the sixth player to win at least three titles at No. 1 singles. Nguyen also won in Division 1 as a freshman and junior.
7. Cranbrook Kingswood Regains Boys Lacrosse Title on Last-Second Winner
Johnny Wagner scored 177 goals over his three-season varsity career for Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, but his last had to be the most spectacular. Three days after sending the Cranes to the Final with an overtime game-winning goal, Wagner scored in the Division 2 championship decider with 10.5 seconds to play to give his team the final edge in a 10-9 victory over Okemos. The winner was his fifth goal of the game.
6. Gull Lake Girls Soccer Wins Again on Shootout Success
The only shots to find the net in the Division 2 Final came during an overtime shootout won by Gull Lake to give the Blue Devils a 1-0 victory and their third straight MHSAA championship. That’s not to say the game lacked for excitement, with the teams combining for 37 shots. Gull Lake had also won its Regional Semifinal in a shootout and finished the spring 25-1-1. Fenton was making its first MHSAA Finals appearance in the sport, seeking its first title in any sport since 1993.
5. Warren Regina Softball Stuns After Slow Start
Teams that open 3-11 usually don’t finish as championship contenders – but those teams don’t have the MHSAA’s winningest coach, Diane Laffey, running the show to go with a strong group of upperclassmen who emerged from a competative Detroit Catholic League Central. Regina won its sixth MHSAA title and first since 2007 by downing favored Caledonia 5-0 in the Division 1 Final. Senior Marissa Tiano struck out nine batters in giving up only two hits after giving up only four hits in a 7-1 Semifinal win over Mattawan.
4. DeWitt Boys Golf Sticks Winning Shots; Carlson Goes All-Time Low
DeWitt senior Geoffry Croley birdied off the flagstick on the No. 18 hole at Forest Akers East to help the Panthers edge Cranbrook Kingswood 594-595 and claim the Lower Peninsula Division 2 title, its first since 2011. His younger brother, freshman Joey, made par on his final hole (No. 16) to also help secure the win. Meanwhile, Hamilton’s Nick Carlson finished his high school career with a second individual title and the all-time low 36-hole score in MHSAA Finals history, a 134, to edge Matt Harmon’s 135 for East Kentwood in 2001.
3. Saline Unbeatable in Claiming First Girls Soccer Title
The Hornets compiled one of the most impressive seasons in MHSAA girls soccer history in making their first Final and then winning it. Saline gave up a mere four goals – tied for third-fewest in MHSAA history – in 25 games and finished with a 22-0-3 record capped by a 4-0 win over Grand Blanc in the Division 1 championship game. The team’s 22 shutouts also rank tied for third in MHSAA girls soccer history. Senior Taylor Mulder set a school record with 43 goals this season with her second of this game.
2. Legend of Beaubien Grows with Monroe St. Mary Softball Title
Meghan Beaubien already was known by those who follow softball statewide – not many sophomores get a chance to commit to the University of Michigan so early. But what she and the Kestrels did in winning the program’s first MHSAA championship was pretty legendary. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central outscored its postseason opponents by a combined 29-0 over seven games, beating Bronson 2-0 in the Division 3 Final with Beaubien taking a perfect game into the seventh inning and hitting a two-run homer.
1. Fisher, Saline Finish Strong in Boys Track and Field Final
The Lower Peninsula Division 1 Final was filled with notable finishes – including a pair that will be listed in the national record book next month. Saline won its second MHSAA title in the sport and first since 2006, finishing ahead of East Kentwood – champion five of the last six seasons. The Hornets were keyed by a 3,200 relay of Logan Wetzel, Josiah Humphrey, Austin Welch and Kevin Hall that finished in 7:38.97 to rank among the best all-time in U.S. high school history Grand Blanc senior Grant Fisher posted the second-fastest 1,600 time in U.S. high school history, going 4:00.28.; he graduated with five individual MHSAA Finals titles. Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills’ Donavan Brazier also re-set the all-Finals record in the 800, running 1:48.98.
PHOTO: Grant Fisher, far right, set an MHSAA all-Finals record in the 1,600 that also ranks as the second-fastest in U.S. high school history. (Click to see more from RunMichigan.com. Photos by John Brabbs.)
Harbor Springs Strikes Early, Shuts Down Shrine to Claim 1st Finals Title
By
Brian Freiberger
Special for MHSAA.com
June 12, 2026
EAST LANSING – Harbor Springs returned to an MHSAA girls soccer championship game Friday for the first time since finishing Division 4 runner-up in 2001.
The Rams departed with their first Finals title after a marvelous 2-0 win over Royal Oak Shrine Catholic at DeMartin Stadium.
"This is incredible and I'm proud of the team," Harbor Springs junior Stefi Reskevics said. "From the start of the season we knew that we had to do something great."
Shrine got out on the front foot to start, but eventually, the Rams would find their rhythm after the 10-minute mark.
Nearly halfway through the first half, Harbor Springs senior Sophie Barnadyn flipped the field and found a wide-open Reskevics for a couple of touches and a rocket from outside the box that passed the Knights goalkeeper.
The Rams had many chances throughout the first half, but most of those opportunities were turned away by Shrine junior defender Maddie Malkowski.
Harbor Springs would go into the break with a sizeable control on the time of possession and shots on goal.
"This puts Harbor Springs on the map, and this program has been very successful since 2001," Harbor Springs coach Aaron Riley said. "I'm glad that we won it for that team. The ladies appreciate the community support."
Both teams would go back and forth throughout the start of the second half.
Shrine came out strong again, but the Rams turned away multiple chances.
Both teams battled in the midfield until Reskevics was injured at midfield halfway through the period.
Harbor Springs senior Lizzie Bassett received a free kick after the injury that turned into a breakaway and a penalty kick after the goalkeeper committed a foul inside of the box.
Bassett managed to find the net with a low left-side shot to give the Rams a commanding 2-0 lead.
"It's crazy that we made school history. This is the best team that we could have done it with. We worked really hard all season, and I'm just proud of everyone that we accomplished our goal," she said.
Shrine would have multiple opportunities throughout the rest of the game but couldn't find the back of the net thanks to great play from sophomore goalkeeper Lillian McShannock to complete the shutout.
The goal for the Rams (20-1-2) was to slow down Shrine sophomore Julia Kraemer, who led the Knights in goals this season. Lilly Barnadyn and Makenna Brey led the defense.
The Knights ended their season with an 11-9-2 record.
"We played really well despite the score. We had a wide-open shot in the first five minutes and didn't put it away," Shrine coach Mark Soma said. "We did everything we wanted to do as a group, and as a team you can't complain about that. Sometimes you just lose games because the team gets one or two more opportunities than you do.
Harbor Springs did a good job and scored when they needed to. ... It just seemed it was one of those days where they weren't going in. ... We played a great game, and the girls should be proud."
PHOTOS (Top) Harbor Springs players celebrate during Friday’s Division 4 championship win at DeMartin Stadium. (Middle) Harbor Springs’ Meme Animikwam (13) and Shrine’s Samantha Donley make contact with the ball at the same time. (Below) ,Donley (9) battles the Rams’ Addison Zulski (14) for possession. (Photos by Adam Sheehan/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)