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.)
Preview: Reigning Gymnastics Champs Lead Title Chase Again, But Challengers Await
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 7, 2025
The reigning MHSAA Gymnastics Finals team champion appears as strong as ever heading into this weekend’s meet, and the Division 1 individual champion is back after another dominating Regional performance as well.
But both are set to face fierce challenges again at Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills.
Rockford is seeking a fourth-straight team title and scored the highest score at any Regional last week – but with surging Hartland less than a point off the pace.
Individually, Farmington United’s Leah Hodge is seeking a Division 1 repeat and will lead a chase that could include Rockford’s Ava Ezell and Hartland’s Alexis Fundich among several others. Farmington also will go for the individual sweep as Sophia Yee is a strong contender in Division 2.
Team competition begins at 2 p.m. Friday, with individual competition in both Divisions 1 and 2 beginning at noon Saturday. For information on purchasing tickets, Finals rotations for both days and Regional results, go to the Gymnastics page – and see below for several contenders to watch:
Team
Farmington United: Last season’s runner-up was most recently champion back-to-back in 2018 and 2019 and finished only two tenths of a point behind Rockford a year ago. Farmington United won its Regional by 5.4 points last week with a total of 145.925, paced by a 37.050 on floor exercise and at least a 35.200 on all four apparatuses.
Hartland: The Eagles are pursuing a first team championship since 1999 and coming off a Regional title last week won by more than nine points with a score of 149.175. Hartland made a nice run last season at the Final, finishing fourth but only 1.425 points off the lead. The Eagles scored at least 36.325 on every apparatus at last week’s Regional and broke 37 on three of them.
Northville: The Mustangs placed fifth last season, and they are seeking their first championship after most recently making a run with a runner-up finish in 2018. They won last week’s Regional at Salem with a 144.875, nearly four points more than the field and with scores of at least 35.100 on all four apparatuses and a high of 37.100 on balance beam.
Rockford: The Rams have won three straight team championships and are coming off a Regional win by nearly 14 points last week with a score of 150.05. They went over 38 points on both vault (38.1) and floor (38.425) and approached that total on beam (37.925) while placing the top three in Division 1 all-around and top four in Division 2.
Division 1
Ava Ezell, Rockford senior: She’ll compete at her first MHSAA Finals coming off a Regional all-around championship by nearly two points and sweeping all four apparatuses. She scored a 38.700, finishing first on vault (9.7), bars (9.525), beam (9.75) and floor (9.725).
Alexis Fundich, Hartland junior: She’s set multiple school records this season and won her Regional all-around last week with a score of 37.975 that included first places on beam (9.7) and floor (9.625 - tied). She tied for sixth on beam at last year’s Final.
Kate Gostlin, Hartland junior: Gostlin finished fifth all-around at her Regional with a 36.200 that included a championship on vault (9.8). She placed 23rd all-around at last season’s Final with a third on vault.
Abby Griffen, Hartland junior: She finished third all-around last season with third places on bars and beam and enters this weekend coming off a third-place all-around Regional finish (37.450) that included top-four places on all four apparatuses.
Leah Hodge, Farmington United senior: The reigning Division 1 champion did so with a 38.000 all-around last year that included a first place on bars and second on vault. She won her Regional last week by nearly two points at 38.075 with firsts on bars (9.6), beam (9.45), and vault (9.6).
Leah Koch, Rockford senior: She’s finished Regional all-around runner-up two seasons in a row, this time with a 36.725 that included second places on vault (9.6) and bars (8.525) and third places on floor (9.45) and beam (9.15). She won vault and finished 11th all-around at last year’s Final.
Noelle Licari, Northville senior: After tying for first all-around at her Regional last season, Licari won it outright this time with a 36.625 that included a championship on vault (9.25) and top-five places on the other three apparatuses. She placed 19th all-around at last year’s Final.
Stella Musialowski, Huron Valley United junior: A Regional runner-up for the second-straight season, she scored a 36.375 all-around last week finishing at least third on every apparatus and with a championship on floor (9.475). She tied for 15th all-around at last year’s Final.
Taylee Nadolski, Vassar senior: A Bay City Central student participating as part of a cooperative team, she’s coming off a 37.750 to finish Regional all-around runner-up to Fundich and after tying her to win floor (9.625) and finishing first on bars (9.6). She finished fourth on floor at last year’s Final.
Keira Sadler, Linden/Fenton/Lake Fenton senior: She improved from 12th all-around as a sophomore to 10th last season while tying for sixth on bars and beam. She’s coming off a fourth-place all-around Regional finish (36.775) that included a second on beam (9.5) and tie for third on floor (9.4).
Division 2
Reese Beauleaux, Adrian junior: She edged Livonia Stevenson’s Leah Ciavaglia by five hundredths of a point to win their Regional all-around last week with a 34.925, paced by a second place on floor.
Avi Einfeld, Rockford senior: She finished 15th all-around at last year’s Final with two top-nine (with ties) apparatus placings, and she was a Regional all-around runner-up last week (36.000) with a shared championship on vault (9.4) and second place on floor.
Lillian Green, Rockford sophomore: She finished third all-around at her Regional last week (35.850) thanks in part to a second place on beam.
Sydnee Schrauben, Rockford senior: She placed fourth at her Regional last week with a 35.800, just two tenths of a point out of second and with a championship on bars (8.85).
Kate Tracey, Rockford senior: The returning Division 2 Final champion on beam will compete this time coming off a Regional all-around title, as she scored 36.650 last week with a win on beam (9.7) and third place on bars.
Morgan Thomas, Fowlerville/Pinckney/Morrice/Webberville senior: She won her Regional all-around title with a 35.925 that included championships on beam (9.35) and floor (9.525).
Lucy Tull, Grosse Pointe United senior: She placed 14th all-around at last year’s Final and second at her Regional last week with a 35.350 that included top-three (with ties) finishes on vault, beam and floor.
Sophia Yee, Farmington United senior: She improved from 16th all-around at the Final as a sophomore to fifth last season and is coming off a second-straight Regional title as she scored a 35.925 all-around with a win on beam (9.45) last week.
PHOTO Rockford’s Leah Koch competes on balance beam during last season’s MHSAA Team Final at Kenowa Hills. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)