New Boston Huron is ranked No. 12 in Division 2, looking for its second straight trip to East Lansing after finishing as state runner-up last season. A high-scoring offense has the program in contention for back-to-back state final appearances.
The team has scored 61 goals over its first 11 games with junior Miley Skamiera and senior Avery Turk leading the way as forwards. Skamiera already has 24 goals, on pace to be its leading goalscorer for the second consecutive season.
“I can play her in the top line and she's scoring goals,” Huron coach Matt Lividini said. “I can bring her back into the midfield, she's just one of the top players in the state.”
Turk has also been dynamic with three goals and three assists against Riverview, followed up by another two goals and four assists against Monroe Jefferson just two days later.
“She had our game-winner in the state semifinal against DeWitt last year that pushed us to MSU,” Lividini said. “So, I’ve got a lot of experienced girls knowing how to put the ball in the back of the net.”
Alongside the forwards, senior midfielders Maggie Mentzer (Indianapolis) and Ava Banko have been instrumental to New Boston Huron’s attack while also supporting defensively. Mentzer missed two weeks of action because of injury, but has returned without missing a beat, scoring in each of the last two games.
While Mentzer was out Banko stepped up to control the midfield.
“She distributes really well,” Lividini said. “She's been handling the center spot all by herself since Maggie's been out, she's just doing a great job defensively, getting the attack going.”
New Boston Huron’s defense is also impressive, allowing just nine goals with five shutouts. Senior Nhi Vo moved from outside back to a central defender, pairing up with sophomore Maiya Thomas to form a lockdown duo in the middle.
With the experience of last season’s run, the program is ready to make more noise.
“All the girls have been there before, so they understand how to play at that level,” Lividini said.
After a 1-1-1 start, Pioneer has climbed the Division 1 rankings, going from No. 11 to No. 8 thanks to an eight game unbeaten streak with wins over fellow ranked programs Rockford and Saline.
The catalyst for its run was with a 1-0 loss against Plymouth, a rain shortened game that saw the only goal knocked into the net by a Pioneer defender.
“Frustrating experience for the girls, but it was a really good learning moment,” Pioneer coach Andy Irvine said. “It was nice that it happened early in the season for us so that we could rebound from it.”
The team has outscored opponents 32-5 since its only loss, with senior captains Molly Burke (Minnesota St.), Quincy Behm and Maya Borgsdorf leading the charge. Burke directs the defense from her goalkeeper spot keeping the backline organized.
“She is really the emotional leader of the team, kind of relaxing everybody and keeping the mood light,” Irvine said. “She's done a really good job of making sure we're not playing the emotion, we're playing the game.”
Burke has recorded five shutouts through her first eleven games.
Behm dominates the midfield with her physicality, winning possession back and finding attackers in dangerous areas. Borgsdorf has been the recipient of many of those passes from Behm with three goals and seven assists.
Senior Lauren Stanley and junior Milly Sandstrom have joined Borgsdorf to create a formidable top line. The Pioneer attack is starting to click, scoring six or more goals in three of its last five games.
“Our front three is a really, really difficult animal to deal with because they all score goals,” Irvine said. “Lauren has scored a ton … Millie plays center forward for us and she's just one who never quits on anything.”