![\"Soccer](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TOP-L-OCBestGSOC-041226-02.jpg\")
Troy Athens’ Abby Waldron (11) passes a ball up the field from the back line in a D1 state semifinal against Saline on Thursday, June 11, 2025 in Birmingham. (BRYAN EVERSON – For MediaNews Group, file)\nAuburn Hills Oakland Christian (D4)<\/p>\n
For the first time this century, Oakland County didn\u2019t have a girls soccer team in a state final last season.<\/p>\n
Even a blue moon seems commonplace comparatively for an area that has produced over 30 state champs and almost as many runner-ups over the last 25 or so seasons. Despite 13 teams in the polls heading into last spring\u2019s playoffs, including one ranked at least in the top-2 of each division, it\u2019s a reminder that rankings are an indicator, but not a guarantee.<\/p>\n
Still, history says that rarity won\u2019t repeat twice in a row, and talent speaks for itself. There\u2019s plenty to go around this spring.\n<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a look at some of Oakland County\u2019s teams expected to have a chance at going far.<\/p>\n
Troy (D1)<\/p>\n
For the first time in a while, the Colts are led by a new coach, Tony Casali. After losing in a district shootout last spring to its rival, Athens (the county\u2019s only team to make a state semifinal), Dan Troccoli passed the torch at an apt time where his successor will have nine returning players.<\/p>\n
First team All-State senior Olivia Jasniewicz (Ashland) and Honorable Mention Sabrina Gaul (Wayne State) will lead the line, while Northern Michigan cross country and track commit Audrey Hamilton will be an engine in the midfield alongside others that include Butler commit Maren Swan, Sara Chbihi, Kaylee Worrell and Brynn Zawislak. Emma Rozek (Hope), Serena Hua and Raigan Richard are standouts along the defense.<\/p>\n
As Casali is aware, the depth will be huge, and is a big reason why the Colts (4-0) are ranked No. 2 as of now. \u201cWe have the ability to rotate players in and the level of play won\u2019t drop,\u201d he said. \u201cThe team unity and passion will drive this team forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bloomfield Hills Marian (D2)<\/p>\n
Marian rightly had high hopes for last year\u2019s campaign. It won the CHSL Bishop Tournament, had only lost in the regular season to D1 No. 2 Bloomfield Hills and eighth-ranked Troy Athens, but also had proven it could hang with even the best Division 1 teams as evidenced by its win over Rochester. However, the Mustangs went out in districts to league rival Farmington Hills Mercy.<\/p>\n
Now, the Mustangs return eight starters and look to be hungry to atone. First team All-State midfielders Clair Dauer (14 goals, 12 assists last season) and Robert Morris commit Nia Bordogna (13 G, 17 A in \u201925) will anchor the midfield. Emma Wyciskella will be even better attacking off the left flank after accumulating 21 goals and nine assists as a freshman, and she\u2019ll have help from junior Leah Nalichowski, who played ECNL her sophomore year, but already is racking up the goals this year. Denison commit Frankie Kulpa provides offense from left back, too.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had an influx of very talented freshman, many of whom come in with strong club experience, which gives us something exciting to build on for years to come,\u201d Marian head coach Danny Price said. \u201cThe varsity group is strong, and I feel they\u2019re more mature than in past seasons in their understanding of what they want to accomplish, their focus on achieving it, the collective drive they bring every day. The program as a whole excites me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Off to a 3-1 start, Marian is currently ranked fifth in the D2 polls.<\/p>\n
Clarkston (D1)<\/p>\n
Coach Damian Huffer\u2019s team was competitive in the OAA White last season and is expected to be in the running for the division again this year after going out in 2025 to Oxford in districts in a shootout. They have a pair of losses so far, but one is to Troy, and they scored a result (1-1 tie) against No. 9 Rochester.<\/p>\n
Among the nine returning starters are Wayne State commit Molly Labate (13 goals, nine assists in \u201925), Dani Wisser (Ferris State), Emi Catinella (Delta) and Ella Pierce (Saginaw Valley State).<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel we are very solid all round,\u201d Huffer said about this year\u2019s squad. \u201cWe create plenty of chances and work extremely hard as a team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Troy Athens’ Abby Waldron (11) passes a ball up the field from the back line in a D1 state semifinal against Saline on Thursday, June 11, 2025 in Birmingham. (BRYAN EVERSON – For MediaNews Group, file)
\nAuburn Hills Oakland Christian (D4)<\/p>\n
The Lancers lost only one game in the MIAC Blue Division last season, and they went out to a team ranked higher than them in districts, Clarkston Everest Collegiate, so last year didn\u2019t exactly end in a total letdown. Still, Oakland Christian, No. 12 in the latest D4 rankings, brings back seven starters, so it stands to be at least (if not more) competitive. The Lancers will be led by Hope College commit Rowan Klein, who had 25 goals and 10 assists as a junior.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe expect to be competitive within the MIAC this season, as we have historically,\u201d Oakland Christian head coach Patrick Reyes said. \u201cWe do have a lot of new players that we are trying to develop, but the core of the team are players that have been with us since our regional championship and Final Four run in 2024.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (D3)<\/p>\n
In retrospect, an overtime loss to Warren Regina in the district final last season didn\u2019t look so bad after the Saddlelites went on to reach the D3 final.<\/p>\n
Graduation impacted the Irish (currently eighth-ranked in D3) in a few areas, but there\u2019s replacements and enough returning talent to make them more than formidable yet again. Loyola-Chicago commit Sarah Collins is a first team All-State midfielder\/defender who contributed 11 goals and 10 assists as a junior, while she\u2019ll have help from classmates Ellie Whalen (7 G, 7 A in \u201925; Wayne State) and Cate Jesena (4 G, 6 A in \u201925; Mary University), as well as other seniors including Alex Prater, Maggie Maher and Addy Chapman. Sophomore defender Vivian Swick is among the promising younger talents.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe like our roster,\u201d ND Prep head coach Jim Stachura said. \u201cThey\u2019ve shown some good and bad early on in the season, and many of our faults are just inexperience and youth. Both of those can be fixed as the season goes on. We have good leadership from the returners and the new additions are contributing right away. We\u2019ll find out what we\u2019re made of as playoffs come, and if things go as planned, we may be a D3 contender this year again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Troy Athens (D1)<\/p>\n
Even though the Red Hawks went further in the playoffs than their counterparts last spring, they\u2019ve got seven returning starters capable of making them a contender for the always nails-tough OAA Red again. All-State Honorable Mention Charlotte Cotta will look to build upon her sophomore season that saw her score 13 goals and 11 assists, and she\u2019ll be joined in the attack by sophomore Lily Greaves and junior Ashley Thornton, who combined for nine goals and seven assists last year, as well as senior Luleta Thaqi, who had a handful of goals and six assists in 2025.<\/p>\n
Lauryn Harper will be counted on to make a bigger impact in the midfield as a sophomore, while the defense will be anchored by seniors Abby Waldron (Davenport) and Annie Lawson.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year\u2019s squad blends the experience of a state semifinal run with the energy of a talented younger group,\u201d Athens head coach Jason Clark said. \u201cA strong core of returning players is complemented by a large group of underclassmen contributors, including promising sophomores and freshmen ready to make an immediate impact. Our strength will be the defense with the entire starting backline returning and additional depth across the defensive group.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Red Hawks are currently No. 11 in a D1 poll that includes three other teams from the league.<\/p>\n
BEST OF THE REST<\/p>\n
Rochester Adams (No. 5 in D1); Rochester (No. 9 in D1); Detroit Country Day (No. 2 in D3); Everest Collegiate (No. 2 in D4); Royal Oak Shrine (No. 4 in D4); Madison Heights Bishop Foley (No. 9 in D4).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For the first time this century, Oakland County didn\u2019t have a girls soccer team in a state final…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":267829,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[2044,795,143,904,145,144,127],"class_list":["post-267828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-oakland","tag-high-school-sports","tag-michigan","tag-oakland","tag-oakland-county","tag-oakland-headlines","tag-oakland-news","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=267828"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267828\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/267829"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=267828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=267828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=267828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}