Class in Session: A History in Classification
July 24, 2017
By Rob Kaminski
MHSAA benchmarks editor
This is the first part in a series on MHSAA tournament classification, past and present, that will be published over the next two weeks. This series originally ran in this spring's edition of MHSAA benchmarks.
Conversation and discussion at the March 2017 MHSAA Representative Council Meeting leaned heavily toward the subject of 8-Player Football and how to properly balance its tournament with the growing number of schools sponsoring the sport.
While the proposal to split the tournament into two divisions beginning with the 2017 school year was adopted, the MHSAA then faced questions such as when to set the divisions, how to determine qualifiers and where to host the championship games.
The topic continues to create a buzz in Class D schools across both peninsulas, and likely will do into the start of school this fall.
Likewise, the lone holdouts still conducting tournaments by class – MHSAA Boys and Girls Basketball and Girls Volleyball – took center stage at the May Council discussion, and following the 2017-18 school year, class is out for good. Both genders of basketball, and girls volleyball, will move to divisional formats thereafter.
There is much to be decided to be sure; but as those in education are well aware, history is the best teacher.
Fortunately for the sports in flux and for all sports under the governance of the MHSAA, the Association more or less wrote the book on the subject of sport classification. Following is a history lesson, with a little advanced division thrown in.
Class structure
Credited with being the first state with multiple tournament classifications, Michigan’s attention to trends and shifts in philosophy aimed at fair play and equal tournament opportunity can be traced from 80 years ago to the present.
In the earliest years of the MHSAA, there were four classifications for elections and tournaments – Classes A, B, C and D. Classes C and D had far more schools than Classes A and B. For example, 80 years ago (1937), there were only 58 schools in Class A, 94 schools in Class B, 297 schools in Class C and 253 schools in Class D.
Gradually through the years, as Michigan’s major cities spawned suburbs, there was a shift in the other direction to the point 30 years ago (1987) when school size became more balanced: 173 Class A schools, 178 Class B schools, 179 Class C schools and 182 Class D schools.
Up until 1987, the MHSAA published the dividing line between each classification, after which schools submitted their enrollments. Then, for 1988 and thereafter, the MHSAA adopted the plan of gathering all enrollments first and then placing 25 percent of the schools in each of four classes. This completed the equalization of the number of schools in each class for elections.
However, the change for 1988 did nothing to equalize the number of teams actually entered by each class in each sport. And unlike the early years of the Association when there were many more Class C and D teams than A and B teams, there were more Class A and B teams than C and D teams entering MHSAA tournaments decades later.
Moreover, the difference in number of teams entered in the different classifications for a sport continued to increase as many small schools, the fastest growing portion of the MHSAA's membership, sponsor only a few sports, or they sponsor no sports at all but enter into cooperative programs with other schools.
Because of these differences, Class A or B schools sometimes had to win twice as many games as Class C or D schools to reach the MHSAA Finals in a sport. At times, the larger classifications had District Tournaments, even rat-tail games, and/or a Quarterfinal game, and the smaller classifications did not. Most Class D Districts have had four teams (some only three), while Class A Districts often had seven or eight teams. In Regional levels of individual sports, the number of entries in the larger classification once greatly outnumbered those in the smaller classifications of the tournament for the same sport.
Over the years, these dividing lines between classes escalated gradually, as did the differences in enrollments of largest and small schools in each class. In 1937 the dividing lines were 700, 300 and 100 between Class A and B, B and C, and C and D, respectively. By 1987, the dividing lines were 1,129, 571 and 298, respectively, leading to the current method of collecting enrollments and then setting the classification.
With the pendulum swinging well past center by the late 1980s, coaches associations, MHSAA sport committees, tournament managers and school administrators began discussion and offered proposals to correct what many believed had become a flawed system of MHSAA tournament classification.
At the 1996 MHSAA Update Meetings, ¾ of 858 respondents to that year’s annual survey indicated they favored a system that would divide schools which actually sponsor each sport into two, three or four nearly equal divisions.
Problem solving
At its meeting May 4-6, 1997, the Representative Council defeated a motion that would have adopted in one action a coordinated plan of reclassification for all sports to equalize the number of schools in each tournament for each respective sport. Instead, the Council discussed and voted on each proposal that had been presented from sport committees.
This resulted in the Representative Council adopting four equal divisions for baseball and softball, four equal divisions for boys and girls tennis, four equal divisions for boys soccer and three equal divisions for girls soccer, effective with the 1997-98 school year. Helping in the decision was the success of the 1995-96 MHSAA Wrestling season, which saw the sport move to four divisions for its tournament structure
The Council delayed action on similar proposals for football and boys golf at that time to glean additional input. The same decision was made with respect to a proposal from the Ice Hockey Committee that would have split the Class A schools in two divisions and left the Class B/C/D Tournament unchanged.
“The gist of the move from classes to divisions was to equalize the path to championships for students of all schools, regardless of the size of those schools,” said MHSAA Executive Director Jack Roberts.
While the restructuring accomplished that goal for the majority of competitors, opposition exists now as it did then. The primary argument in opposition to the changes is that, in some sports, it increases the range between largest and smallest schools in the division for smallest schools, even as the range is usually reduced for other divisions.
Larger schools offered a counterpoint.
“The larger schools suggested that while they may have more students, they also attempt to sponsor more sports than the smaller schools, in some cases spreading the enrollment as thin as a much smaller school with fewer sports,” Roberts said.
“Even today, the idea of four equal divisions can be unpopular among some Class D schools which feel especially burdened by the equal division concept,” Roberts said. “There was enough opposition in 1997 that equal divisions were rejected for boys and girls basketball and girls volleyball, and some of that opposition remains.”
The numbers of schools sponsoring each MHSAA tournament are still close to the totals today, with the exception of soccer in both genders, which has enjoyed substantial increases. This spring, 466 girls teams were scheduled to compete in the MHSAA Soccer Tournament, while 473 boys teams will suit up this fall.
Since the beginning of MHSAA divisions in 1996 with wrestling, 147 additional team champions have been crowned and countless individuals have known the thrill of victory due to an extra level of Finals in various sports. Girls soccer has seen the most growth in opportunity, moving from two classes in 1987 to three divisions the following year, and then four divisions in 2000. Boys soccer had enjoyed four classes for two years prior to the new four-division format, and it was the sport of soccer that helped to create a caveat in the nearly equal division movement.
Lower Peninsula boys and girls swimming & diving expanded from two to three divisions in 2008, while boys and girls bowling are the most recent sports to enjoy increased tournament opportunity, adding a fourth division in 2010.
“Fairness is in the eye of the beholder. While having the same number of schools in each division is one kind of fairness, holding in check the enrollment range between the largest and smallest schools in Division 4 is another kind of fairness that is dear to a great number of people,” Roberts said. “Because more schools sponsor basketball and volleyball than other sports, Class D schools would have been least affected by the equal divisions concept in those sports; but that, and ‘tradition,’ did not dissuade the opponents in the 1990s.”
The shift to divisions not only paved the way for student-athletes, but also assisted administrators and schools hosting tournaments. MHSAA tournament mangers looked to equal divisions to more closely equalize the number of schools in District or Regional Tournaments and to better equalize the length of day required for these rounds of tournaments, both for management and participating teams and individuals.
Pinning down an answer
Wrestling became the first MHSAA Tournament to be conducted in nearly equal divisions when team and individual champions were crowned in Divisions 1, 2, 3 and 4 rather than Classes A, B, C/D for the 1996 winter championships.
The movement was well received, as schools saw more opportunity for success: four champions where there once were three at the District, Regional and Final levels, and a smaller range of enrollment between the smallest and largest school in all four tournaments, leading to the impetus for the Fall 1996 Update Meeting Survey of schools regarding similar movement in other sports.
Team champions that year were Holt (D1), Petoskey (D2), Middleville Thornapple Kellogg (D3) and Dundee (D4).
Getting their kicks
When the "equal divisions" concept was approved by the Representative Council for most MHSAA Tournaments for the 1997-98 school year, there was opposition from the smallest schools which, under the equal divisions, are forced to play against larger schools than reside in Class D. Compelling arguments were made – and still are – that an enrollment difference between schools with smaller enrollments (e.g., Class D) is more difficult to overcome in athletic competition than an even larger enrollment difference between schools with larger enrollments (e.g., Class A).
The opposition was most intense in soccer because of the number of students needed to field a team and the physical nature of the sport. As a result, from 2000-01 through 2010-11, soccer operated with a “20-percent modification.” This placed 20 percent of all schools that actually sponsored soccer in Division 4, and the remaining 80 percent were placed equally in Divisions 1, 2 and 3.
At the time the 20 percent modification was adopted, it was also established that soccer would return to four equal divisions when the largest Division 4 soccer school had an enrollment equal to or smaller than the mid point for Class C schools. That occurred in 2010.
Last class on the schedule
In the same volume of “history being the best teacher,” one can also find the adage, “times change.” While the division format was a welcome change in some sports, others were left to hold class without change.
In the sports of boys and girls basketball, and girls volleyball, the number of schools sponsoring the sports were so close to the overall membership of the MHSAA that divisions were not necessary; the enrollment breakdowns themselves were enough to delineate equal opportunity for tournament success.
That is no longer the case, according to MHSAA membership. The last move from classes to divisions occurred for the 2006-07 school year following Council action. Before this May, that is. Action at the most recent Representative Council meeting, May 2017, called for the shift to divisions for MHSAA Boys and Girls Basketball, and Girls Volleyball, beginning with the 2018-19 season.
“Because the MHSAA Volleyball Committee had requested this change several times a number of years ago, and because the Council felt the change inevitable, there should not be further delay,” Roberts said. “It is an important detail that the Class D maximum has dropped 50 students over the past decade so the objection that much larger schools would be competing in Division 4 isn’t very strong now.”
Using the 2017-18 enrollment figures, just eight Class C schools would be competing in Division 4 for boys basketball, 11 for girls basketball and 14 for girls volleyball.
Good things came of the previous most-recent switches in 2006-07. Competitive Cheer was re-classified from Class A, B and C-D into four equal divisions assisting in the rapid growth of sponsoring schools (approximately 80 schools per division). Alpine skiing was changed from Class A and B-C D to two equal divisions.
At that time, the MHSAA Basketball Committee had recommended to the Council the study of increased classifications, but status quo remained.
Back on the grid
As such, MHSAA Basketball and Volleyball remained the only holdovers of the MHSAA class structure. Discussion resurfaced periodically during the last two decades to bring those tournaments in line with the other MHSAA sports.
Regular-season football-playing schools are separated by class, then are reshuffled by divisions for the playoffs. Football, as we know, underwent a significant postseason facelift in the late 1990s.
While MHSAA Football also remained a class sport through 1998, it had expanded from four to eight classes from 1990-98, becoming the first MHSAA sport to crown more than four team champions. Member schools were asked to consider a pair of options in November of 1997. One called for eight equal divisions, and the second would leave Class D by itself as division 8, and split Class A, B and C schools into seven nearly equal divisions.
After much discussion, retooling, and crunching of formulas, the MHSAA unveiled its revised Football Playoff model that continues to roll today, nearly 20 years later. It was determined that 256 teams would qualify for the tournament based first on a minimum of six wins, then by Playoff Points determined by formula. From there, the field would be divided into eight divisions, with the field being filled out by a nearly equal number of five-win teams in each division as needed to reach 256.
Eight championships would indeed be enough, until football sponsorship among the MHSAA’s smallest schools – some with rich football traditions – began to trend downward. The MHSAA again went to the drawing board, examining the viability of 8-player football. After an experimental year in 2010 without a tournament, the 8-player game was playoff-ready for 2011, with a field of 16 qualifiers embarking on a four-week tournament.
Not only did the 8-player option restore recently canceled programs, but it also created teams in schools which previously had none, and convinced some 11-player schools that this new division was the best path to take.
What did this do for the Class D holdovers staying in the traditional 11-player game? Well, a couple of things, positive and negative. As two and three dozen Class D schools opted for the 8-player game, the remaining 11-player Class D schools at times found themselves in disrupted leagues and had to travel further to complete schedules. They also competed against larger teams in Division 8 of the 11-player MHSAA Football Playoffs.
However, the growth of the 8-player game among the smallest schools also resulted in more Class D schools qualifying for the MHSAA Football Playoffs than ever before. In 2012, an all-time high 44 percent of Class D schools sponsoring football qualified for either the 8-player tournament or Division 8 of the 11-player tournament. That compared to 42.2 percent of Class C schools, 44.9 percent of Class B schools and 41.6 percent of Class A schools which qualified for the 2012 playoffs.
Much is to be determined in the most recent chapter of MHSAA Tournament expansion as the 8-Player Football Playoffs welcome a second division. As the past illustrates, there will be pluses and minuses. History also shows that the MHSAA has received maximum input from its constituents, researched all possibilities, and will find solutions to questions still in the balance before an additional group of athletes hoists a new trophy in November.
Through the Years
A chronology of when which sports moved from Class to Division in the MHSAA.
1995-96: LP Wrestling
1997-98: Baseball, Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer, Softball, LP Girls Tennis, LP Boys Tennis
1998-99: LP Boys Golf, LP Girls Golf
1999-2000: Ice Hockey, LP Boys Track & Field, LP Girls Track & Field
2000-01: LP Boys Cross Country, LP Girls Cross Country, UP Boys Cross Country, UP Girls Cross Country, UP Boys Golf, UP Girls Golf, UP Boys Tennis, UP Girls Tennis, UP Boys Track & Field, UP Girls Track & Field
2002-03: LP Girls Swimming & Diving, LP Boys Swimming & Diving
2005-06: Boys Bowling, Girls Bowling
2006-07: Girls Competitive Cheer, Boys Skiing, Girls Skiing
2018-19: Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Girls Volleyball
Note: Boys and Girls Lacrosse has been a divisional sport since it began in during the 2004-05 school year.
Preview: Familiar Favorites, New Challengers Sure to Energize Competitive Cheer Finals
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 5, 2026
The return of the top four placers in all four divisions – and 23 of 32 teams total – from last year’s MHSAA Competitive Cheer Finals guarantees renewed rivalries, fierce competition and plenty of storylines this weekend at Central Michigan University’s McGuirk Arena.
It’s also easy to anticipate that an expected 7,000+ fans pouring in over the next two days will follow tradition in creating one of the most electric atmospheres of any MHSAA championship event this school year.
Division 4 leads off the weekend at 2 p.m. Friday, 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 & overall
Coach: Christina Wilson-Peacock, 14th season
Championship history: Class A runner-up 1999.
Top score: 792.10.
Team composition: 27 total (seven seniors, 11 juniors, five sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: Brighton improved from sixth in 2024 to fifth at last season’s Final and enters this weekend coming off District and Regional championships. The Bulldogs have scored 779 or more points in every competition and broken 790 three times. Seniors Sofia Tepper and Aubrie Sutton-Gates earned all-state honorable mention last season.
GRANDVILLE
Ranking: No. 4
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Red
Coach: Julie Smith-Boyd, 45th season
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2015), 10 runner-up finishes.
Top score: 791.22.
Team composition: 32 total (seven seniors, eight juniors, 14 sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Grandville could be on the verge of another jump after winning its District, finishing second at its Regional and improving from eighth in 2024 to sixth at last season’s Final. A 790.48 at the District was the team’s second-highest score of the season, and the Bulldogs also have broken 790 three times total. Senior Avery Johnson made the all-state second team last season, and senior Maddy Denman earned honorable mention.
HARTLAND
Ranking: No. 7
League finish: Second in KLAA West
Coach: Candace Fahr, ninth season
Championship history: Division 1 runner-up 2013.
Top score: 788.14 at District.
Team composition: 30 total (four seniors, seven juniors, 10 sophomores, nine freshmen).
Outlook: The Eagles are coming off back-to-back fourth-place Finals finishes and will make another push after finishing a close runner-up to Brighton in the KLAA West and also placing second at the overall league championship meet. Junior Mia Marra made the all-state second team last season, and senior Chloe Setlock earned honorable mention.
MACOMB L’ANSE CREUSE NORTH
Ranking: No. 8
League finish: First in Macomb Area Conference Red
Coach: Lauren Turner, sixth season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 786.50 at Regional.
Team composition: 30 total (10 seniors, eight juniors, eight sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: L’Anse Creuse North is back at the Finals for the third time in four seasons and after not qualifying a year ago, and advanced by posting its season-best score to finish fourth at a Regional that included six ranked teams. The Crusaders have broken 780 four times this season, all over their most recent five meets. Senior Addison Waters earned all-region honorable mention last season.
ROCHESTER
Ranking: No. 2
League finish: Second in Oakland Activities Association Red
Coach: Samantha Dean, fourth season
Championship history: 15 MHSAA titles (most recent 2023), one runner-up finish.
Top score: 793.78 twice, including at Regional.
Team composition: 30 total (10 seniors, 12 juniors, four sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: After finishing second at last season’s Final by just 32 hundredths of a point, Rochester is rallying in a big way as it upped its score 4.3 points between the District and Regional to go from third to first place, respectively, at those events. The Falcons have broken 790 points seven times this winter and reached 793.70 three times. Seniors Natalie Cote and Claire O’Neill and junior Kara Sawicki made the all-state second team last season.
ROCHESTER ADAMS
Ranking: No. 1
League finish: First in OAA Red
Coach: Brooke Miller, 12th season
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2022), five runner-up finishes.
Top score: 793.30.
Team composition: 28 total (12 seniors, 10 juniors, four sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: Adams placed third at last year’s Final after two straight runner-up finishes, but entered this postseason ranked No. 1 and won its District before finishing third at its Regional. All six of the team’s scores of 790 or higher have come over the Highlanders’ last seven meets. Senior Nikala Hall earned all-state honorable mention a year ago, and senior Libby Schultz and junior Gabriella Montgomery earned all-state recognition in 2024.
ROCHESTER HILLS STONEY CREEK
Ranking: No. 5
League finish: Third in OAA Red
Coach: Tricia Williams, 23rd season
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2025), Division 1 runner-up 2022.
Top score: 791.98 at Regional.
Team composition: 26 total (13 seniors, six juniors, six sophomores, one freshman).
Outlook: Stoney Creek is seeking to become the 13th competitive cheer program in MHSAA history to win at least three Finals championships in a row. The Cougars will attempt to do so coming off runner-up finishes at both their District and Regional, where they posted their two highest overall scores this season. Seniors Mia Badalucco, Audrey Harvath and Natalie Marco made the all-state first team last season, seniors Taylor Brandimarte and Kendall Keller and sophomore Kate Kacy made the second team, and senior Cassidy Niester and junior Isabel Willams earned honorable mentions.
ROMEO
Ranking: Unranked
League finish: Fourth in MAC Red
Coach: Jaclyn Delamielleure, 12th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 780.74 at Regional.
Team composition: 24 total (eight seniors, five juniors, eight sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Romeo qualified for the Finals for the first time by posting its top score this season and snagging fourth place at its Regional by less than a point. The Bulldogs also placed third at their District but are the only team from that group still competing. Romeo bumped up its overall score 3.08 points from the District to the Regional. Senior Claudia Berry made the all-district first team last season.
Division 2
ALLEN PARK
Ranking: No. 1
League finish: First in Downriver League
Coach: Julie Goodwin, 24th season
Championship history: Seven MHSAA titles (most recent 2025), five runner-up finishes.
Top score: 796.10.
Team composition: 23 total (four seniors, seven juniors, seven sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: Allen Park is seeking a third-straight Division 2 championship and sixth over the last seven seasons, and has finished first in all of its competitions this winter. The Jaguars have surpassed 790 points in seven straight meets, and the 796 score in nearly four points higher than their best heading into the Final a year ago. Senior Sophia Ramey and juniors Ella Brown, Peyton Keys and Isabella Robinet made the all-state first team last season, junior Daryn Bailey made the second team, and junior Ava Rice and sophomore Claire Barry earned honorable mentions.
CARLETON AIRPORT
Ranking: No. 6
League finish: First in Huron League
Coach: Emily Dusik, fourth season
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2024), five runner-up finishes.
Top score: 788.34.
Team composition: 21 total (five seniors, nine juniors, four sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Airport finished second in 2024 and third at last season’s Final, and has shown the potential to pile up points again this winter with three scores of at least 782 including at their Regional where they finished fourth among a field that included seven ranked teams. Seniors Kaddie McDonald and Jocelyn Kleman made the all-state first team last season, seniors Reese Kopsi and Lilyann Books made the second, and juniors Isabella Mulvin and Grace Post earned honorable mentions.
GIBRALTAR CARLSON
Ranking: No. 2
League finish: Second in Downriver League
Coach: Alyssa Tocco, fifth season
Championship history: 12 MHSAA titles (most recent 2023), eight runner-up finishes.
Top score: 795.20.
Team composition: 26 total (two seniors, eight juniors, 10 sophomores, six freshmen).
Outlook: After finishing first or second at 16 of the last 18 Division 2 Finals, Carlson is sure to be in the championship mix again and has scored at least 780 points in all but one meet this season – and 790 or higher five times. All of this is more impressive as the team has only two seniors, but still a solid group with big-meet experience. Junior Kaitlyn Skinner and sophomore Jillian Gates made the all-state second team last season, and juniors Josi Farago and Payton Archer earned honorable mentions.
MASON
Ranking: No. 8
League finish: First in Capital Area Activities Conference Red
Coach: Angela Boerkoel, 14th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 783.94.
Team composition: 24 total (four seniors, four juniors, five sophomores, 11 freshmen).
Outlook: Mason is back at the Finals after two seasons away and has put together an impressive run finishing first or second at all of its competitions and winning its District and Regional. The Bulldogs jumped from seventh at last year’s Regional to win by nearly 12 points this time. Seniors Chloe Showers, Ella Bahl and Hayden Surbrook and junior Mikayla Rice made the all-district first team in 2025.
MIDDLEVILLE THORNAPPLE KELLOGG
Ranking: Unranked
League finish: First in O-K Gold
Coach: Madelynn Lula, third season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 773.94 at District.
Team composition: 22 total (eight seniors, one junior, eight sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: MTK also is back after a year away and will compete at its third Final in four seasons. The Trojans have placed among the top three at all of their competitions and followed up the league championship with runner-up finishes at both their District and Regional. Senior Mia Hilton made the all-region first team last season, and senior Claira Kovich earned honorable mention.
PLAINWELL
Ranking: No. 10
League finish: First in Wolverine Conference
Coach: Kylie Cook, seventh season
Championship history: Class B champion 2000, Class B runner-up 2001.
Top score: 777.28 at District.
Team composition: 22 total (10 seniors, seven sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: Plainwell has finished first or second at 10 of its 12 meets this winter and posted its top score by nearly 12 points in winning its District. The Trojans improved from seventh at the 2024 Final to fifth last season and could climb again – the 777.28 is nearly 10 points higher than their top score heading into last year’s Final. Senior Mackenzie Meert earned an all-state honorable mention last season.
WALLED LAKE WESTERN
Ranking: No. 5
League finish: Second in Lakes Valley Conference
Co-coaches: Amber Stocks, 16th season; Michelle Frey, 14th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 785.50.
Team composition: 20 total (eight seniors, four juniors, six sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: Western placed fourth at last season’s Final and is building toward another big finish with its top two overall scores this winter coming while taking second at its District and third at its Regional, the latter as part of a field that included seven ranked teams. The Warriors also finished first or second at 10 of their 12 meets. Senior Hannah Fore and junior Audrey Breitmeyer made the all-state second team last season, and juniors Ella Spiess and Mariana Gonzalez earned honorable mentions.
ZEELAND WEST
Ranking: Unranked
League finish: First in O-K Black/White
Coach: Emillie Gort, 14th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 766.18 at District.
Team composition: 23 total (three seniors, seven juniors, six sophomores, seven freshmen).
Outlook: After the making the Finals last season for the first time, West is headed back for the second year in a row and coming off a third-place finish at its Regional after taking fourth at its District. The Dux won seven of their nine regular-season competitions, and their top score is nearly five points higher than heading into last year’s Final. Senior Addysen Miller earned an all-state honorable mention last season.
Division 3
ARMADA
Ranking: No. 3
League finish: Second in Blue Water Area Conference
Coach: Deanna Misiak, 10 season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 783.04.
Team composition: 25 total (five seniors, two juniors, 11 sophomores, seven freshmen).
Outlook: Armada has finished an impressive fourth the last two seasons and will once again look to contend after placing third at both their District and Regional while competing against BWAC champ Richmond and reigning Division 3 winner Notre Dame Prep. The Tigers finished first or second at all of their regular-season competitions. Senior Madison Porter and sophomore Madelyn LaMontagne made the all-state second team last season, and sophomores Hannah Koss and Chloe Langbeen earned honorable mentions.
CHARLOTTE
Ranking: Unranked
League finish: Third in CAAC White
Coach: Jade Bowhall, third season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 752.76.
Team composition: 19 total (eight seniors, five juniors, two sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: Charlotte returned to the Finals last season and finished sixth, and will seek to climb after finishing among the top three at all of its competitions this winter. Seniors make up nearly half the roster, and Ava Waterman made the all-state second team last season.
GRAND RAPIDS WEST CATHOLIC
Ranking: Unranked
League finish: Third in O-K Gold
Coach: Anna Ramirez, 12th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 743.80.
Team composition: 18 total (three seniors, five juniors, six sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: Grand Rapids West Catholic advanced from its District – finishing second – and scored its second-highest total of the season to finish fourth at the Regional and qualify for the Finals for the first time since 1996. Senior Kate Steffens earned an all-region honorable mention last season.
GROSSE ILE
Ranking: No. 4
League finish: Fourth in Huron League
Coach: Angela Raithel, ninth season
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2010), two runner-up finishes.
Top score: 782.02 at District.
Team composition: 21 total (two seniors, six juniors, seven sophomores, six freshmen).
Outlook: Grosse Ile finished runner-up last season, its best Finals performance since winning the Division 3 title in 2010. The Red Devils graduated seven from that team but have ascended again and won their District by 24 points before taking fourth at a Regional that had seven top-10 teams in the field. Juniors Laynie Gratz and Kamryn Waddell made the all-state first team last season, and juniors Rylie Gratz and Delaney Davis made the second team.
HOWARD CITY TRI COUNTY
Ranking: No. 5
League finish: First in Central State Activities Association
Coach: Jennifer Laskey, 22nd season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: N/A.
Team composition: 21 total (three seniors, one junior, eight sophomores, nine freshmen).
Outlook: Tri County has reached the Finals for the fifth-straight season and after moving up to fifth place a year ago, their best of this recent run. The Vikings also graduated seven last spring, but have returned with several underclassmen and by winning their District and Regional competitions both by at least 10 points. Senior Briana Cheatham made the all-state first team last season, and senior Violet Bellamy earned honorable mention.
LAKE ODESSA LAKEWOOD
Ranking: No. 6
League finish: First in CAAC White
Coach: Kim Martin, 32nd season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 763.86.
Team composition: 16 total (two seniors, seven juniors, four sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: The Vikings have returned to the Finals after a year away, and after placing third at their first competition won the rest during the regular season and finished second at their District and Regional. Senior Taylor Carpenter made the all-region second team last season, and junior Skylarr Anderson earned honorable mention.
PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP
Ranking: No. 2
League finish: Does not compete in a conference.
Coach: Jocelyn Welsh, third season
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2025), five runner-up finishes.
Top score: 787.50
Team composition: 22 total (seven seniors, six juniors, six sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: After two straight runner-up finishes, Notre Dame Prep won its first championship last winter since 2018 and will seek to repeat this weekend after finishing second to top-ranked Richmond at their District but winning their Regional by more than six points. The Fighting Irish have scored at least 782 points their last four competitions. Senior Jenna Robin and junior Eva Thomas made the all-state first team last season, and senior Madeline Rennwald, junior Sadie Shook and sophomore Holly Haras earned honorable mentions.
RICHMOND
Ranking: No. 1
League finish: First in Blue Water Area Conference
Coach: Kelli Matthes, 18th season
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2022), five runner-up finishes.
Top score: 788.62.
Team composition: 28 total (six seniors, seven juniors, nine sophomores, six freshmen).
Outlook: Richmond is looking to move up from third last season, and their scores certainly make that possible; the Blue Devils reached 788 in three straight meets before the Regional, winning their District ahead of No. 2 Notre Dame Prep by more than three points. Richmond also won all of its competitions this season before the Regional second place, impressive again as the BWAC has three teams competing this weekend and had four ranked among the top seven heading into the postseason. Sophomores Paisley Kolakowski and Ana Lovett made the all-state first team last season, senior Ava Widmaier made the second team, and senior Elizabeth Schafter and junior Anna Jagoda earned honorable mentions.
Division 4
HANOVER-HORTON
Ranking: No. 2
League finish: First in Cascades Conference
Coach: Sarah DuBois, fifth season
Championship history: Division 4 champion 2025.
Top score: 754.86 at District.
Team composition: 18 total (four seniors, four juniors, five sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: Hanover-Horton completed its ascent with its first Finals championship last season, and is pursuing a repeat after winning its District and finishing second at its Regional to top-ranked Pewamo-Westphalia. Prior to the Regional, the Comets had scored at least 748 opponents in three straight meets and have topped 751 twice this winter. Senior Aley Ketcham and juniors Maya Mason and Brynlee Swihart made the all-state first team last season, and senior Sydney Waffle and sophomore Renee Rodriguez earned honorable mentions.
HUDSON
Ranking: No. 5
League finish: First in Lenawee County Athletic Association
Coach: Kelly Bailey, 29th season
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2024), six runner-up finishes.
Top score: 747.68 at District.
Team composition: 14 total (three seniors, five juniors, six freshmen).
Outlook: Hudson saw its five-year championship streak end last season, but still finished a notable fourth and has returned this weekend after winning its District by 17 points and finishing third at a Regional that included P-W and Hanover-Horton among five ranked teams total. Junior Emmalin Rodifer made the all-state first team last season, and juniors Brooke Worrell and Paige Butts made the second.
MERRILL
Ranking: Unranked
League finish: First in Mid-State Activities Conference
Coach: Jena Glazier, sixth season
Championship history: Division 4 runner-up 2014.
Top score: 702.36 at Regional.
Team composition: 15 total (four seniors, three juniors, four sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: Merrill is returning to the Finals for the first time since 2018 and put up a big performance to get here, bumping up its previous high score this season by nearly 27 points to advance. The Vandals also made the jump after finishing sixth at their District a year ago, this time placing third and then fourth at their Regional. Sophomore Alexis Monk earned all-district recognition last season.
NORTH MUSKEGON
Ranking: Unranked
League finish: First in West Michigan Conference
Coach: Melody Zziwambazza, fifth season
Championship history: Class D champion 1997, two runner-up finishes.
Top score: 710.34 at Regional.
Team composition: 15 total (three seniors, five juniors, two sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: North Muskegon is back at the Finals after a season away and made an impressive jump to earn the trip, besting its previous high score this season by 15 points to earn a third-place Regional finish. The Norsemen also moved up from fifth at last year’s District to second this time. Seniors Naomi Zziwambazza and Gabrielle Benedict and juniors Anna Koman and Maura McRae earned all-district honors last winter.
NORWAY
Ranking: No. 4
League finish: Does not compete in a conference.
Coach: Hailey Micoley, fourth season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 761.68 at District.
Team composition: 17 total (three seniors, nine juniors, four sophomores, one freshman).
Outlook: After returning to the Finals last season for the first time since 2009, Norway is a repeat qualifier and should make a run at climbing the standings after winning all of its competitions except the Regional, where the Knights finished runner-up. They’ve scored at least 726 points in five straight meets. Junior Jenna Ramlow made the all-state second team last season, and junior Amara Humphreys earned an honorable mention.
ONSTED
Ranking: No. 6
League finish: Second in LCAA
Coach: Michelle Goetz, 10th season
Championship history: Class C runner-up 1994.
Top score: 735.96.
Team composition: 12 total (four seniors, two juniors, three sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Onsted is returning to the Finals for the first time since 2020 after finishing second at their District and fourth at their Regional among a field that included five ranked teams. The Wildcats have topped 722 points at five meets and 734 twice. They competed in Division 3 previously, and senior Sofia Priest earned a Division 3 all-region honorable mention in 2025.
PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA
Ranking: No. 1
League finish: Does not compete in a conference
Coach: Staci Myers, 19th season
Championship history: Nine MHSAA titles (most recent 2019), 14 runner-up finishes.
Top score: 780.08 at District.
Team composition: 22 total (six seniors, two juniors, nine sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: The Pirates have finished second at the Finals the last two seasons and could be on the verge of breaking through for a first championship since 2019 after reaching 750 points six times this season and 765 twice – and averaging 748.48. They won their District by 56 points and their Regional by more than 15. Junior Brynn Feldpausch made the all-state first team last season, senior Karsyn Simmon and sophomore Lainey Thelen made the second, and senior Brianna Feldpausch and sophomore Kendalyn Grays earned honorable mentions.
SANFORD MERIDIAN
Ranking: No. 3
League finish: First in Jack Pine Conference
Coach: Val MacKenzie, 36th season
Championship history: Division 4 runner-up 2018.
Top score: 751.74.
Team composition: 16 total (one senior, seven juniors, three sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: Meridian has finished first or second at all but one competition this season, winning both its District and Regional, and topped 740 points eight times and 750 twice. The Mustangs also are seeking to climb after improving from fifth at the 2024 Final to third a year ago. Junior Marlee Kelly made the all-state first team last season, juniors Ellie Beach and Payton Mathe made the second team and junior Alyza Molski earned an honorable mention.
PHOTOS (Top) Division 1 contenders take the mat prior to the start of their 2025 Final at McGuirk Arena. (Middle) Pewamo-Westphalia competes at its Division 4 Regional last weekend. (P-W photo by Jim Pivarnik.)