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.)
'South Lyon Lacrosse' Wins Out as United Turns to Season-Long Style to Finish Title Run
By
Drew Ellis
Special for MHSAA.com
June 7, 2025
ANN ARBOR – South Lyon United girls lacrosse was perfect throughout the 2025 season playing “South Lyon lacrosse.”
So, when United found itself trailing Hartland 3-2 at halftime of the Division 2 championship game Saturday at the University of Michigan, the solution was simple.
Play South Lyon lacrosse.
United kept Hartland scoreless over the final two periods of play while controlling possession and netting four third-period goals to pick up a 6-3 win and complete an undefeated season with its first Finals championship.
“We really weren’t playing our game, so we had to just settle down and play like South Lyon lacrosse and not Hartland lacrosse,” South Lyon United coach Deanna Radcliffe said. “I just told them that if they remained poised and do what we have worked on all year, eventually (the lead) would come.”
The lead came midway through the third period. Junior Shealyn Perry netted the first goal in the second half with 7:19 remaining in the third to make it 3-3. That was followed just over a minute later by a free protection shot score from sophomore Reagan Shields to make it 4-3 in favor of United (24-0).
Sophomore Cate Cumberland added another goal only 36 seconds later on an assist from Perry, then Perry recorded her third and final goal of the match with 24.3 seconds left in the third to make it 6-3.
“I definitely did put a lot of pressure on (myself), but it was all for my team and I don’t regret it at all,” Perry said of leading the second-half charge.
With the lead, South Lyon went into possession control in the fourth, limiting Hartland’s opportunities to get back in the game. When the Eagles (20-6) did have the ball, they had some rushed turnovers that gave it right back to United.
“(South Lyon) has a talented defense. They have a lot of fast girls, and I think we were just too relaxed with our sticks in the midfield,” Hartland coach Ryan Skomial said of the scoreless second half.
United was the first to score Saturday, but it took just over 10 minutes of gameplay to get the scoring started. Junior Gabriela Lucchesi found the net first, but Hartland senior Ella Ebright answered a minute later.
In the second, Hartland senior Claire Brown gave the Eagles their first lead, 2-1, off a free protection shot. Perry responded for United with her first goal of the day, but Hartland countered with a goal from junior Amanda Norton during the final minute of the half.
Radcliffe admitted her young team, which had just four seniors, may have been nervous coming into the Final with an unbeaten record. The veteran coach admitted she had plenty of nerves herself.
“I didn’t even turn around until the very end of the game because I didn’t want to look (at the crowd). Even I was (nervous),” Radcliffe said. “It’s a different setting, a different stage.”
Perry said the team remained confident at halftime and stuck to the initial game plan with an emphasis on possession control.
She was key in all phases, helping with faceoffs, locking up on defense, and scoring three goals with an assist to earn South Lyon United its first title. Perry was quick to acknowledge her senior teammates, who played on graduation day, while holding an opponent to the fewest goals in MHSAA Girls Lacrosse Finals history.
“I could have never imagined it. I am beyond excited,” Perry said of being a Division 1 champion. “I am so proud of my coach for leading us on this journey. I’m so proud of the seniors that had to leave graduation early to play in this game with us. They know they made the right choice to come win this championship with us.”
The win for South Lyon United ended a three-year run of Brighton Division 1 titles. Brighton ended South Lyon’s season in 2024, but Radcliffe knew her team had a chance to come back and do something special in 2025.
“At the end of last year, when (the team) lost to Brighton and they realized they didn’t do what they could have done, I think they had belief that if they worked … I told them that if everybody just works a little bit harder, you can surprise yourself next year. I think they all bought into it, and here we are,” she said.
Hartland finished runner-up for the second time in program history, reaching its first Final since 2012. Skomial encouraged her players to keep their heads held high and be proud of their runner-up trophy after the match.
“It’s not something a lot of people expected. We were unseeded going into Regionals, graduated a lot of talent. I don’t think anybody expected this team to grind and get here. … Honestly, it was just an honor to get here,” Skomial said. “It’s so fun to be on this stage, and it’s such a great memory for the girls. It stings right now, but they will come away with a fond memory that they will cherish for the rest of their lives.”
PHOTOS (Top) South Lyon United players celebrate their first Finals championship Saturday. (Middle) Hartland works to slow down a South Lyon United rush during the Division 1 Final.