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: New Home, New Schedule, Newcomers, Reigning Champions Headline Finals
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 1, 2023
There is plenty of new heading into this weekend’s MHSAA Competitive Cheer Finals – and some more could spring up before Friday’s last championship meet is complete.
The two-day event has a new home – McGuirk Arena at Central Michigan University – and a new schedule with two Finals on Thursday and two on Friday, at 1 and 6 p.m. both days. A series of first-time qualifiers also help fill the field.
Four teams have had a hold on their respective divisions the last few years, as Richmond in Division 3 is seeking its fifth-straight championship and Rochester Adams in Division 1, Allen Park in Division 2 and Hudson in Division 4 all are competing for fourth-consecutive titles. A new champion or more would surely be among headliners during a busy Finals weekend across three sports.
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: Second in Kensington Lakes Activities Association
Coach: Christina Wilson, 10th season
Championship history: Class A runner-up 1999.
Top score: 787.74 at District.
Team composition: 27 total (four seniors, seven juniors, six sophomores, 10 freshmen).
Outlook: After ending last season fifth at its Regional, Brighton is headed back to the Finals. The Bulldogs finished second at both their District and Regional and have broken 785 points four times this season – including at those two postseason events and the KLAA championship meet. Senior Natalie Rodgers led four returnees who earned all-District recognition in 2022.
GRANDVILLE
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Red
Coach: Julie Smith-Boyd, 42nd season
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2015), 10 runner-up finishes.
Top score: 790.28.
Team composition: 30 total (two seniors, 17 juniors, four sophomores, seven freshmen).
Outlook: After finishing runner-up in 2021, Grandville placed seventh a year ago and will look to jump back into contention with scores of at least 782 in six of their last seven events. Juniors Brie Vanderplow, Lexsee Pawloski, Jodi O’Dell and Avery Polinskey all earned all-Regional honors last season.
HARTLAND
League finish: First in KLAA
Coach: Candace Fahr, sixth season
Championship history: Division 1 runner-up 2013.
Top score: 789.98
Team composition: 27 total (seven seniors, 11 juniors, seven sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: Hartland returned to the Finals last season after a year away with a fourth-place finish, and the Eagles are primed to contend coming off District and Regional championships and three straight overall scores of 787 or higher. They’ve won seven of 10 competitions this season. Senior Ashley Kretz and junior Molly Woolf made the all-state first team last year, while juniors Grace DeYoung and Samantha Mollard made the second team and juniors Kaylee Balagna and Aspen Smith earned honorable mentions.
MACOMB L’ANSE CREUSE NORTH
League finish: Second in Macomb Area Conference Red
Coach: Lauren Turner, second season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 791.70 at District.
Team composition: 24 total (five seniors, 10 juniors, six sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: The Crusaders have strung together their four best total scores over their last five competitions and followed up their District championship with a fourth-place Regional finish after the three Rochester-area teams posted the top three scores at either Division 1 meet last weekend. Juniors Ina Harding and Hannah Waters were among top returnees after making the all-District first and second teams, respectively, last season.
MILFORD
League finish: First in Lakes Valley Conference
Coach: Patti Warzecha, 12th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 777.94
Team composition: 23 total (three seniors, nine juniors, eight sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Milford reached Regionals for the fourth-straight season and took the next step in making the Finals for the first time. The Mavericks have topped 772 points in five of their last six competitions and 777 three times. Senior Leah Fitzgerald made the all-District first team last year, and sophomores Emme Dreffs and Kenleigh Bailey made the second team.
ROCHESTER
League finish: First in Oakland Activities Association Red
Coach: Samantha Koehler, first season
Championship history: 14 MHSAA titles (most recent 2017).
Top score: 793.16
Team composition: 26 total (nine seniors, four juniors, 10 sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Koehler, who formerly led a strong program at Plymouth from 2016-22, took over this one from Susan Wood – who had led Rochester to all 14 of its championships dating back to the first year of Finals in 1994. Koehler has watched the Falcons score 790 or higher their last three competitions and finish first or second in all of them this winter. After missing the Finals in 2021, Rochester returned with a fifth-place finish last year. Senior Martina Dedvukaj earned an all-state honorable mention.
ROCHESTER ADAMS
League finish: Second in OAA Red
Coach: Brooke Miller, ninth season
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2022), three runner-up finishes.
Top score: 794.16
Team composition: 28 total (12 seniors, eight juniors, four sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: Adams has won three straight Division 1 championships and strung together five straight seasons finishing among the Finals top two. The Highlanders have won their last four competitions this winter and topped 791 points in their last three including District and Regional wins. Seniors Katie Burgin, Alex Ris and Ashley Rosati are returning all-state second-team selections, and seniors Emma Maynard and Peyton Regalado earned honorable mentions in 2022.
ROCHESTER HILLS STONEY CREEK
League finish: Third in OAA Red
Coach: Tricia Williams, 20th season
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2019), Division 1 runner-up 2022.
Top score: 792.76 at Regional.
Team composition: 26 total (four seniors, 12 juniors, six sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: Stoney Creek is coming off missing the championship last season by just more than 2.3 points, and finished third at least week’s Regional but just 42 hundredths of a point off tying the highest score in Division 1 for the weekend. That 792.76 was the second time the team had broken 790 this season and its third time above 789. Juniors Kacey Bauer and Abigail DeGraw made the all-state second team last season, and junior Alison Kalaj earned an honorable mention.
Division 2
ALLEN PARK
League finish: Second in Downriver League
Coach: Julie Goodwin, 17th season
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2022), four runner-up finishes.
Top score: 795.42.
Team composition: 27 total (11 seniors, 11 juniors, three sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: The Jaguars have finished first or second in Division 2 the last seven seasons, claiming the last three titles. After finishing second at the Downriver League championship competition, Allen Park has responded with three of its top four scores this season, including also a 794.98 to win its District and 789.40 to win its Regional. Seniors Kristina Beste, Alyssa Rios and Madisyn Setser made the all-state first team last season, while seniors Aleia Breckenridge and Emma Buffa made the second team and seniors Madison Buchanan and Emma Williams earned honorable mentions.
BAY CITY WESTERN
League finish: Second in Saginaw Valley League
Coach: August Jaynes, fifth season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 776.36 at Regional.
Team composition: 19 total (seven seniors, three sophomores, nine freshmen).
Outlook: Western has finished first or second at its last nine competitions and won both its District and Regional, with that 776.36 five points higher than its previous best for this winter. Both championships were program firsts, and this will be the Warriors’ first trip to the Finals. Senior Bella Glumm was named SVL MVP this season, and with senior teammates Gabbie Goulette, Ambria Nagel, Shea Walli and Allison Kaczmarczyk was among first and second-team all-District honorees in 2022.
DEARBORN DIVINE CHILD
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League Bishop
Co-coaches: Amber Genevich, 18th season; Shelley McClorey, sixth season
Championship history: Four Finals runner-up finishes (most recent 2014).
Top score: 789.34 at District.
Team composition: 19 total (two seniors, eight juniors, six sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Divine Child returned to the Finals last season after two away and finished fourth, a solid springboard as they look to jump into contention this weekend with that District score one of three times the Falcons have broken 784 this winter. Seniors Abby Krizmanich and Elena Solomon both earned all-state honorable mentions last season.
GIBRALTAR CARLSON
League finish: First in Downriver League
Coach: Alyssa Tocco, second season
Championship history: 11 MHSAA titles (most recent 2019), seven runner-up finishes.
Top score: 793.98.
Team composition: 27 total (nine seniors, three juniors, five sophomores, 10 freshmen).
Outlook: Carlson finished runner-up last season, the second time over the last three. The Marauders return to the Finals this weekend after placing just ahead of Allen Park in the league and winning their District, but finishing two hundredths of a point behind the Jaguars at the Regional. Carlson has gone over 781 points its last six competitions and 788 four of those six including the Regional (789.38). Senior Kaitlyn Demers is a returning all-state first teamer, while seniors Tiaira Michalik, Ellen Szucs and Emilee Bain made the second team last season and senior Ciana Caliguire and junior Mya Oikarinen earned honorable mentions.
GRAND RAPIDS FOREST HILLS NORTHERN
League finish: First in O-K White
Coach: Carly Sienkiewicz, sixth season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 771.50.
Team composition: 18 total (seven seniors, three juniors, four sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: Forest Hills Northern returned to the Finals last season for the first time since 1998, and placed sixth, and the Huskies are returning after jumping 16 points from a third-place District finish to qualify fourth at their Regional. They entered the postseason with two straight scores of 770 or higher and cleared the Regional cut line by almost eight points. FHN is among teams with valuable experience heading into this weekend, as all three of last year’s all-state honorees are back – seniors Julie Fiser (first team), Alexis Linder (second team) and Jennessa Byl (honorable mention).
MASON
League finish: Tied for first in Capital Area Activities Conference Red
Coach: Angela Boerkoel, 11th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 765.82.
Team composition: 20 total (six seniors, four juniors, four sophomores, six freshmen).
Outlook: The Bulldogs are back after missing the Finals last season and nearly equaled their high score getting here with a 765.78 to place third at their Regional. It’s been another nice jump after the team fell one spot shy of making Regionals in 2022. Boerkoel, who formerly coached Brighton, has led Mason to three league titles and now two Finals appearances over the past three seasons, and her team finished third or better at all of its competitions this winter. Senior Eleana Young made the all-District second team last season.
MIDDLEVILLE THORNAPPLE KELLOGG
League finish: First in O-K Gold
Coach: Adrian Nichols, third season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 772.64 at Regional.
Team composition: 15 total (three seniors, four juniors, two sophomores, six freshmen).
Outlook: The Trojans are returning to the Finals for the first time since 2015. They made a magnificent jump at their Regional, with the 772.64 nearly 14 points higher than their previous high total score this season. MTK was second at the Regional after winning the District, and has won 10 competitions total and finished second in its other three. Juniors Mali Holland, Ava Jahnke and Kenady Smith all made the all-District second team last year.
SOUTH LYON EAST
League finish: Second in LVC
Coach: Julia Tilt, fourth season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 780.06.
Team composition: 20 total (five seniors, five juniors, six sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: South Lyon East has made an incredible climb under Tilt to reach the Finals for the first time – from not qualifying for Regionals in 2020, to placing seventh at Regionals in 2021 and fifth last year and now advancing with a fourth-place finish. After finishing second at their District two weeks ago, the Cougars were nearly 27 points better at the Regional with a 769.18 and have gone 771 or higher five times. Senior Cassie Ryan made the all-Regional second team last season, and senior Hannah Westlund and junior Natalie Tilt earned honorable mentions.
Division 3
CROSWELL-LEXINGTON
League finish: Second in Blue Water Area Conference
Coach: Katie Tomlinson, eighth season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 783.38 at District.
Team composition: 28 total (eight seniors, six juniors, 12 sophomores, two freshmen).
Outlook: Croswell-Lexington has finished fourth, fifth and fourth the last three seasons and last year scored within nine points of the lead. The Pioneers could push even higher this time. They finished second to four-time reigning Division 3 champion Richmond in the BWAC this winter, then second at their District to Pontiac Notre Dame Prep by fewer than three points and third at their Regional to those two powers but less than six points off the lead. Junior Shelby Oliver made the all-state second team last season, and junior Cora Katulski earned honorable mention.
GROSSE ILE
League finish: Second in Huron League
Coach: Angela Raithel, sixth season
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2010), Division 3 runner-up 2009.
Top score: 768.92 at Regional.
Team composition: 17 total (one senior, six juniors, seven sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Grosse Ile has earned its first Finals trip since 2014, climbing from third at its District to fourth at its Regional to qualify. Raithel has been building toward this moment, with the Red Devils also claiming District titles the last two seasons and just missing out on the Finals with a fifth place at their Regional last year. Lone senior Amanda Hancock made the all-Regional first team last season, while junior Sienna Ross made the second team and sophomores Marissa Trombley and Virginia West earned honorable mentions.
HOWARD CITY TRI COUNTY
League finish: First in Central State Activities Association
Coach: Jennifer Laskey, 16th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 757.38.
Team composition: 24 total (five seniors, five juniors, 11 sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Tri County returned to the Finals last season after two years away, and is making a repeat trip with a top score this time 10 points higher than a year ago. That jump also has included a District title and runner-up finish at its Regional, and eight competition wins overall. Senior Madalynn Laskey is a returning all-state first-team selection, and senior MaLeea Neely earned honorable mention last season.
LAKE ODESSA LAKEWOOD
League finish: First in Greater Lansing Activities Conference
Coach: Kim Martin, 31st season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 766.81
Team composition: 20 total (four seniors, seven juniors, eight sophomores, one freshman).
Outlook: Lakewood is making its second-straight Finals appearance and seventh over the last 11 seasons, and placed seventh a year ago. The Vikings have won six competitions and placed second at two others including the District before finishing fourth at their Regional. Lakewood also has won 14 straight league titles. Senior Emily Root made the all-Regional second team last season.
PAW PAW
League finish: First in Wolverine Conference
Coach: Stefanie Miller, 14th season
Championship history: Division 3 runner-up 2022 and 2021.
Top score: 768.86 at Regional.
Team composition: 16 total (two seniors, five juniors, two sophomores, seven freshmen).
Outlook: Paw Paw has finished a point or less behind champion Richmond the last two seasons and returns to the Finals with District and Regional titles and victories in all but one competition overall this season. While nine seniors topped last year’s lineup, this one has experience too but just among younger athletes. Junior Molly Goodwin made the all-state first team last season, while juniors Naveh Davenport and Maya Leonard and sophomore Ashley Olsen made the second team and junior Madison Lasinski earned an honorable mention.
PORTLAND
League finish: First in CAAC White
Coach: Mindy Blaschka, 10th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 764.34.
Team composition: 22 total (four seniors, 10 juniors, four sophomores, four freshmen).
Outlook: A younger team that finished sixth last year in its first Finals trip now has that experience and a large junior class as it returns coming off league and District titles and a third place at its Regional. The Raiders have broken 753 three times over their last six competitions. Senior Lily Buckland earned an all-state honorable mention last season, and juniors Abigail Rice and Autumn Schafer were second-team all-Regional selections.
PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Coach: Beth Lockhart, 11th season
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2018), three runner-up finishes.
Top score: 786.08 at District.
Team composition: 17 total (three seniors, three juniors, six sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: The Fighting Irish last finished runner-up in 2020 and placed third the last two seasons, just a half-point off the lead a year ago. They should be in the mix again with wins in all of their competitions except one, a runner-up finish at the Rochester Adams Invitational. The District and Regional titles came against fields including reigning champion Richmond. Junior Alaina Byrne and sophomore Haleigh Campbell earned all-state honorable mentions last season and were joined by senior Ashley Quinn and sophomore Grace Kincade in also receiving all-Regional recognition.
RICHMOND
League finish: First in BWAC
Coach: Kelli Matthes, 15th season
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2022), five runner-up finishes.
Top score: 783.74
Team composition: 25 total (seven seniors, three juniors, eight sophomores, seven freshmen).
Outlook: Richmond has finished among the top two in Division 3 eight straight seasons and won the last four titles, but faces an interesting challenge after finishing third at its District and second at its Regional with NDP winning both. Still, the Blue Devils have topped 781 twice and 777 two more times, and bring back plenty of standouts with championship experience. Juniors Annabell Loftis and Ana Moskwa and sophomore Faith Thompson made the all-state first team last season, while senior Nicole Ostaszewski, junior Alyssa DeBlouw and sophomore Camryn Moore made the second team.
Division 4
ADRIAN MADISON
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Coach: Sarah Kope, fourth season
Championship history: Division 4 runner-up 2022.
Top score: 731.52 at District.
Team composition: 14 total (four seniors, four juniors, three sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Madison is back after its history-making finish a year ago and with a top score 10 points higher than at this point last season. The Regional third place was the team’s first finish outside of the top two this season. Sophomore Mya Solis made the all-state first team last winter, while seniors Abby Griewahn, Danielle Vallejo and Kaylee Paulette made the second team and junior Delaney Dopp earned honorable mention.
HART
League finish: First in West Michigan Conference
Co-coaches: Jennifer Hlady, 12th season; Ashleigh Andritsis, first season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 752.84.
Team composition: Seven total (three seniors, two juniors, two sophomores).
Outlook: Hart missed the Finals last season while competing in Division 3 after finishing eighth in Division 4 in 2021, and has been unstoppable so far this winter with victories in all 14 competitions including by 36 points at the District and 23 at the Regional. The 744.93 at that District was the team’s second-highest total score. Sophomore LexieBeth Nienhuis made the all-Regional second team last season, and junior Jasmyne Villanueva earned an honorable mention.
HUDSON
League finish: First in Lenawee County Athletic Association
Coach: Kelly Bailey, 26th season
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2022), six runner-up finishes.
Top score: 774.94
Team composition: 19 total (seven seniors, seven juniors, two sophomores, three freshmen).
Outlook: Hudson has finished first or second in Division 4 the last six seasons and won three straight titles, and last year’s 50-point Finals win could be a sign of what’s to come this weekend as well. The Tigers also are undefeated this winter with an average total score of 750.42 and scores above that in seven-straight competitions before posting a 740.38 to win the Regional. Seniors Cheyenne Eichler and Annalyse Ames and juniors Rylie Bloomer and Victoria Hawkins made the all-state first team last season, while seniors Ellie Bean, Shantzee Henderson and Isabella Moreno made the second team and junior Paige Clark earned an honorable mention.
LAWTON
League finish: First in Southwestern Athletic Conference
Coach: Holly James, 10th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 738.08.
Team composition: 13 total (four seniors, four juniors, one sophomore, four freshmen).
Outlook: Lawton has won 10 competitions this season including its District after the team improved from seventh in 2021 to third at last year’s Final. Its top score is nearly 30 points higher than when entering championship weekend a year ago. The Blue Devils are another team with plenty of returning star power, with seniors Rylee Oxley and Mikayla Reynolds and junior Kiera Banks returning all-state first teamers, senior Casandra Salgado and sophomore Amanda Aumaugher back from the second team and senior Samantha Gorenchan and junior Amanda Aumaugher having earned honorable mentions in 2022.
MASON COUNTY CENTRAL
League finish: Second in West Michigan Conference
Coach: Cheri Stibitz, 14th season
Championship history: Seeking first top-two Finals finish.
Top score: 731.56.
Team composition: 12 total (seven seniors, two juniors, one sophomore, two freshmen).
Outlook: MCC is headed to the Finals for the second-straight season after qualifying last year for the first time. The Spartans have finished first, second or third at all of their competitions, even stronger considering five were league meets that included undefeated Hart, as did the Regional. They also reached 731.22 in finishing runner-up at their District. Senior Geralyn Soberalski made the all-state first team last season, junior Emily Adams made the second and junior Marissa Quillan earned honorable mention.
MERRILL
League finish: Second in Mid-State Activities Conference
Coach: Jena Glazier, third season
Championship history: Division 4 runner-up 2014.
Top score: 717.50.
Team composition: 10 total (two seniors, six juniors, one sophomore, one freshman).
Outlook: The Vandals are returning to the Finals for the first time since 2018, with their six best total scores coming over their last seven competitions. Merrill made the jump after falling a place shy of reaching the Regional last season. Senior Brooke Breasbois made the all-District first team last season, and juniors Veda Gagne and Samantha Grubaugh made the second.
MICHIGAN CENTER
League finish: First in Cascades Conference
Co-coaches: Jessica Trefry, 22nd season; Bree Cash, first season
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2014), one runner-up finish.
Top score: 745.94 at District.
Team composition: 14 total (two seniors, five juniors, two sophomores, five freshmen).
Outlook: Michigan Center is making its first Finals appearance since 2019 and appears set to join the elite with four of their last seven scores 730 or higher and two 742 or better. The Cardinals finished second at their Regional to Hudson after winning their District with that season-high score. They just missed reaching Regionals in Division 3 last season, when junior Kate Paterson and sophomore Emma McIntyre made the all-District second team.
PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA
League finish: Second in GLAC
Coach: Staci Myers, 16th season
Championship history: Nine MHSAA titles (most recent 2019), 12 runner-up finishes.
Top score: 722.6.
Team composition: 13 total (two seniors, one junior, five sophomores, five freshmen)
Outlook: The Pirates are bringing another young team to the Finals after finishing sixth a year ago, but they are coming off runner-up finishes at their District and Regional and also finished second to Lakewood in the GLAC after joining the league for cheer this season. There’s a good deal of experience; senior Emma Flanigan made the all-state second team last season, and she was joined by senior Emily Schmitt, junior Sophia Simon and sophomores Miriam Downes and Jayde Ferguson in earning all-Regional recognition.
PHOTO Grosse Ile will be making its first MHSAA Finals appearance in competitive cheer this weekend since 2014. (Photo by Terry Jacoby.)