May 78 min read

UPPER PENINSULA GIRLS SOCCER LEAGUE TEAM CAPSULES 2024

BY DAN STICKRADT

Communications Specialist | Web And Content Editor | Director of News |

Social Media Director | Interns and Freelance Coordinator

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(Michigan Soccer Network Communications Specialist / Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt compiles team capsules for over 460 girls soccer programs statewide. Email pertinent information to stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com. Follow on Twitter @msn_stickradt, @LocalSportsFans, or @MiSoccerNetwork and on numerous social media platforms.)

Competing Schools – Houghton, Iron Mountain-Norway Unified, Kingsford, Marquette, Sault Ste Marie-Rudyard Unified

SCHOOL: Kingsford

HEAD COACH: Jenette Gunville

2023 OVERALL AND LEAGUE RECORD / FINISH: 9-5-1, not available UPSA (second)

2023 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Upper Peninsula Tournament only; lost in UP finals to Marquette (1-0)

RETURNING STARTERS: Mia Counter, sr. F/M; Libby Vross, jr. M/F; Megan Bittinger, sr. F/M; Alaina Kowalski, sr. G/M; Audry Veale, jr. D; Aubry Phillips, jr.

OTHER KEY RETURNEES: Hallee Jacobson, jr.; Rachel Hackstock, jr.; Abby Przeslakowski, jr.; Mya Fox, sr.; Ingird Holt, soph. M; Audrey Veale, jr.; Addison Paternoster, jr. M; Chloe Roell, soph.

KEY NEWCOMERS: Mariah Gustafson, fr.; Mara Tripp, fr.; Onika Smeester, fr.; Laelonii Miner, fr.; Jordan Maenpaa, fr.; Aubrey Bellmore, fr.

NOTABLES/OUTLOOK/COACH’S QUOTE: One of five current girls soccer programs in the Upper Peninsula, Kingsford has always been competitive against northern teams and squads from Wisconsin. Now the Flivvers will have a chance to compete in the MHSAA state tournament for the first time since 2006-07. Kingsford’s boys team enjoyed its best season to date and actually won a D-3 district championship. Can the Flivvers enjoy the same success remains to be seen, as the team only returns six players and most of the roster is underclassmen. Still the shot of competing downstate against D-3 schools south of the bridge is long overdue. The Flivvers opened the season with a 3-3-0 record and 1 16-14 scoring edge. … “We will be a fairly new team this year. There are only three returning seniors and one new senior. A large portion of our team will be freshmen this year,” said coach Jenette Gunville.

SCHOOL: Houghton

HEAD COACH: Madison Matilla

2023 OVERALL AND LEAGUE RECORD / FINISH: No record located on-line regarding the 2023 season.

2023 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Competed in the six-school 2023 Upper Peninsula Tournament.

RETURNING STARTERS: Chloe Sanders, sr. M; Callie Knuuttila, soph. D/M; Aila Weeks, jr. G/M; Mallory Eddy, sr. M/F; Robin Kisiel, sr. F; Ella Markham, sr. G.

OTHER KEY RETURNEES: No players specified.

KEY NEWCOMERS: Madi Green, fr. F/M; no other players specified.

ROSTER: No list submitted, and no list located on the school’s athletics website or on an outside source.

NOTABLES/OUTLOOK/COACH’S QUOTE: Like other schools in the Upper Peninsula, this will be the first time since the 2006-07 school year that Houghton will have the option of entering the MHSAA state tournament. Houghton did not enter its boys soccer program last fall into the MHSAA state tournament but has plans to do so this fall. The Gremlins will compete in Division 3 in this year’s state tournament. The Gremlins started the campaign 1-4-0 this season and outscored 17-5 with one shutout. The sole win came against Iron Mountain-Norway Unified. The program also has some games coming up against programs from northern Wisconsin.

SCHOOL: Iron Mountain-Norway Unified

HEAD COACH: Carly Lambert / Bethany Merrill

2023 OVERALL AND LEAGUE RECORD / FINISH: No record located on-line regarding the 2023 season.

2023 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Finished third overall in the six-school Upper Peninsula Tournament in 2023.

RETURNING STARTERS: Emily Copley, sr. G; Kille Howe, sr. D/M; Aylah Hoffman, sr. M.

OTHER KEY RETURNEES: Alexis Buchanan, soph. F; Gigi Sampoll, jr. D; no other players specified.

KEY NEWCOMERS: No players specified.

ROSTER: No list submitted, and no list located on the school’s athletics website or on an outside source.

NOTABLES/OUTLOOK/COACH’S QUOTE: Like other schools in the Upper Peninsula, this will be the first time since the 2006-07 school year that Iron Mountain-Norway Unified will have the option of entering the MHSAA state tournament. Iron Mountain’s boys soccer team did so last October. One of five current varsity girls soccer programs from the Upper Peninsula, the school can still compete in the one-day Upper Peninsula Tournament in late May before entering the MHSSA districts at the end of the month. The program plays a scattering of schools in the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin, as it is some three hours west of the Mackinac Bridge and it is quite a distance to play contests against downstate programs from the Lower Peninsula. So far this year Iron Mountain started the campaign 0-4-0 and outscored 20-1. This is the first season that the school is listing Houghton girls soccer as a varsity program and not a varsity club.

SCHOOL: Marquette

HEAD COACH: Laura Wayland, first season.

2023 OVERALL AND LEAGUE RECORD / FINISH: 10-4-2, 8-0-0 Upper Peninsula Soccer Association (first)

2023 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Def. Houghton (6-0); def. Kingsford in the Upper Peninsula Tournament finals (1-0).

RETURNING STARTERS: Alyson McCarthy, sr. M; Alanna Jobin, sr. D; Annabel Ollia, jr. D/M; Jaya Lonston, jr. M; Lily Eberhard, sr. F; Ellarie Thierav, sr. D.

OTHER KEY RETURNEES: No players specified.

KEY NEWCOMERS: Erin Phillips, sr. M; no players specified.

ROSTER: No list submitted and no list located on the school’s athletics website or on an outside source.

NOTABLES/OUTLOOK/COACH’S QUOTE: Marquette, the winningest soccer program in the Upper Peninsula, has captured four of the last five U.P. Tournament titles and UPSA league titles.

SCHOOL: Sault Ste Marie-Rudyard Unified

HEAD COACH: Erin DeLude, first season.

2023 OVERALL AND LEAGUE RECORD / FINISH: No record located on-line regarding the 2023 season.

2023 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Lost in first-round of Upper Peninsula Tournament.

RETURNING STARTERS: No players specified.

OTHER KEY RETURNEES: Cierra Aikens, soph.; Eleanor Carey, soph.; Annabelle Fazzari, jr.; Liza Fazzari, sr.; Alexia Hall-Pine, jr.; Makenna McMillan, sr.; Adrianna Natzke, sr.; Hilarie Porcaro, sr.; Annabelle Talsma, soph.; Evelyn Weber, soph.; Mia Woolever, sr.

KEY NEWCOMERS: Piper Bell, fr.; Madee Darling, fr.; Kendall Jannetta, fr.; Kadynce Love, fr.; Jada Teneyck, fr.; Jillian Newhouse, jr.; Taryn Pratt, sr.

NOTABLES/OUTLOOK/COACH’S QUOTE: The Blue Devils graduated seven players and lost two other underclassmen for various reasons. The program, however, has seen an uptick in talent this year and is off to a 6-4-0 overall start which is believed to be the best in program history. Part of that start included a 16-12 scoring edge. There are 11 returnees on the roster and seven newcomers including five freshmen.

Sault Ste Marie will be allowed to compete in the MHSAA state tournament for the first time since the 2006-07 school year. In the past, Sault Ste Marie has competed in the Upper Peninsula Tournament, which has encompassed anywhere from 6-12 schools depending on the school year. Since Sault Ste Marie and Cheboygan are the only schools from the Straits Area Conference to be host schools for soccer programs, SSM competes in the UPSA and Cheboygan in the Northern Michigan Soccer League.

MORE UPPER PENINSULA SOCCER

SCHOOL: Ironwood-Bessemer-Wakefield-Marenisco Unified

NOTES: The school has not been able to offer boys soccer and girls soccer teams during both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years due to dropping enrollments at these high schools and waning interest in the sport.

SCHOOL: Escanaba-Gladstone Bayside Unified

NOTES: Since the program does not have enough high school-aged players, the girls athletes compete on the boys soccer team in the fall. That program is still registered as a club-funded program and did not enter the MHSAA state tournament last fall. It has enjoyed some success in the last decade in the Upper Peninsula Tournament-Division II with three titles in the last decade, including 2021 and 2022. If the numbers increase over the next couple of school years, then Bayside will consider offering a girls soccer program in the spring.

SCHOOL: Manistique

NOTES: The school sponsored girls soccer for a number of years, but dropped the program after 2015 due to dropping enrollment and subsequently lower numbers to keep the girls soccer program going.

SCHOOL: Calumet

NOTES: The school dropped its soccer programs in 2008 after the court order disallowed Upper Peninsula programs from participating in the spring and entering the MHSAA state tournament.

SCHOOL: Gwinn

NOTES: The school dropped its boys soccer and girls soccer program close to 20 years ago due to dwindling enrollment and lack of interest and has never brought soccer back.

SCHOOL: Mackinac Island

NOTES: This program is co-ed and competes in the fall in the Northern Lights League. The program did enter the MHSAA Division 4 state tournament last fall.

SCHOOL: Beaver Island

NOTES: This program is co-ed and competes in the fall in the Northern Lights League.

SCHOOL: Cooks Big Bay De Noc

NOTES: This program is co-ed and competes in the fall in the Northern Lights League. The program did enter the MHSAA Division 4 state tournament last fall.

SCHOOL: Hannahville Nah Tah Wahsh-Bark River Harris Unified

NOTES: This program is co-ed and competes in the fall in the Northern Lights League. The program did enter the MHSAA Division 4 state tournament last fall.

SCHOOL: Brimley Ojibwe Charter

NOTES: This program is co-ed and competes in the fall in the Northern Lights League.

SCHOOL: Grand Marais-Burt Township

NOTES: This program is co-ed and competes in the fall in the Northern Lights League. The school has not entered any MHSAA postseason state tournaments in any sport in over 15 years and is the only public high school in Michigan not to do so.

SCHOOL: Munising Baptist

NOTES: This program is co-ed and competes in the fall in the Northern Lights League.

Munising Baptist is not a member of the MHSAA and is not eligible for postseason competition unless it becomes a member.

SCHOOL: Negaunee Unified

NOTES: This team offers a boys soccer program in the fall but allows female athletes to compete on the team. It is a club-funded program and did not compete in the MHSAA boys soccer state tournament last fall. In the past, the program has competed in the Upper Peninsula Tournament-Division II. The program pulls from Negaunee and has drawn players from Ishpeming and Ishpeming-Westwood in the past. There is no word if this program will officially be attached to a particular host school in the future and enter the MHSAA state tournament, or if there will be enough interest from female athletes to create a girls soccer program unified from multiple area high schools.

SCHOOL: Chassell Copper Country Christian

NOTES: The independent school, which does not have a conference or postseason governing body, only sponsors a boys soccer team in the fall but allows some female athletes to compete on that team. Copper Country Christian has not been a member of the MHSAA in nearly two decades. The program does enter the Upper Peninsula Tournament-Division II in the fall. The Warriors play schools from around the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin.

OTHER UPPER PENINSULA SCHOOLS – Baraga, Bark River-Harris, Beaver Island, Bessemer, Brimley, Brinley Ojibwe Charter, Calumet, Carney-Nadeau, Cedarville, Chassell, Crystal Falls Forest Park, DeTour, Dollar Bay, Eben Junction Superior Central, Engadine, Escanaba, Escanaba Holy Name Catholic, Ewen-Trout Creek, Gwinn, Felch North Dickinson, Gladstone, Gwinn, Hancock, Hannahville Nah Tah Wahsh, Iron River West Iron County, Ironwood, Kinross Maplewood Baptist, Lake Linden-Hubbell, L’Anse, Manistique, Manistique Bethel Christian, Marquette North Star Academy, Menominee, Munising, Munising Baptist, Newberry, Ontonagon, Painesdale-Jeffers, Paradise-Whitefish Township, Pickford, Powers-North Central, Rapid River, Republic-Michigamme, Rock Mid-Peninsula St. Ignace, Stephenson, Wakefield-Marenisco, Watersmeet, White Pine.

ROSTER CALL:

The Michigan Soccer Network is collecting varsity girls soccer rosters from 460-plus teams across the state. Send in copies to MSN Communications Specialist / Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com