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: 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.)