The final week of the girls soccer season is here; the semifinals are set for Tuesday and Wednesday with the state finals Friday and Saturday in East Lansing.
There are several programs from Metro Detroit fighting for state titles across all four divisions. Here is a preview of the eight semifinal matchups.
Division 1
Troy vs. Ann Arbor Skyline, 6 p.m. Tuesday at Rochester Hills Stoney Creek
No. 8 ranked Troy (16-3-2) is back in the state semifinal for the first time since 2019, outscoring opponents 27-1 in its postseason matchups.
The team defeated rival Troy Athens in the district final before a 1-0 victory over No. 3 Rochester Adams in the regional final.
Senior forward Sabrina Gaul (Wayne State) has been key to Troy’s run, scoring or assisting in all but one of Troy’s five playoff games.
Skyline (13-4-3) is making its third semifinal appearance, playing its best soccer of the season. After dropping three of its first five games the team has lost just once in its last 15 matches.
The program has been tested, with wins over No. 4 Saline, No. 9 Ann Arbor Pioneer and No. 12 Salem this postseason.
Rockford vs. Hartland, 6:30 Tuesday at Grand Ledge
No. 10 Rockford (20-2) dominated defending champion and No. 1 Byron Center, 5-1, for the first regional title in program history.
A strong defense has led the way, with 13 shutouts this season. The goal against Byron Center is the only one the team has allowed in playoff action.
No. 7 Hartland’s (18-3-1) high-powered offense will attempt to break through against the stingy Rockford backline. The team has scored 17 goals in four playoff games, defeating conference opponents Brighton and No. 6 Northville in regionals.
Sophomore forward Elise L’Esperance was the catalyst against Northville, scoring and assisting in the 2-0 victory. L’Esperance has eight goal contributions in the postseason.
Hartland looks to make its third appearance at the state final since 2021.
Division 2
Birmingham Marian vs. New Boston Huron, 7 Wednesday at Waterford Kettering
No. 3 Marian (20-2) is another team with a dynamic attack with 22 goals in the playoffs.
The team has won seven straight games by at least two goals, including a 2-0 victory against No. 5 Dewitt and a 6-0 win against No. 13 Waterford Kettering on its way to a regional championship.
No. 10 New Boston Huron (18-3) has three shutouts of its own this postseason, and the team’s dangerous forwards are difficult to contain. Junior Miley Skamiera has scored seven times in the last four games, while senior Avery Turk netted the only goal in the regional final win over Mason.
Both programs have championship experience, with New Boston Huron making the state final last season and Marian winning a title in 2021 and finishing as state runner-up in 2024.
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central vs. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 6 Wednesday at Holland Christian
No. 1 Unity Christian has been dominant as the program attempts to win its fourth straight state title across multiple divisions, posting a 22-0-0 record while incredibly outscoring opponents 99-1.
No. 7 Forest Hills Central’s (18-3-2) defense has improved throughout the season. After allowing nine goals over its first nine matches the backline has held opponents to just four goals over the last 14, including five consecutive postseason shutouts.
Unity Christian looks to keep its 35-game winning streak dating back to last season alive, while Forest Hills Central hopes its defense can propel the program to an upset at Holland Christian on Wednesday.
Division 3
Goodrich vs. Detroit Country Day, 6 Wednesday at Howell Parker Middle School
No. 3 Country Day (12-4-3) has cruised for much of the postseason, winning three of its four matchups by four or more scores while allowing just one goal.
Junior Georgia Hopkins led the program over Eaton Rapids in the regional final, scoring the first two goals in the 4-0 victory.
No. 1 Goodrich (18-2-1) has reached new heights this season, defeating No. 11 Almont 2-1 for the program’s first regional title.
The team poses Country Day with a significant challenge, entering the semifinal with a nine-game winning streak while outscoring opponents 36-4 during that span.
Traverse City St. Francis vs. Grand Rapids West Catholic, 6 Wednesday at Cedar Springs High School
No. 10 Traverse City St. Francis (16-4-2) dropped three of its final four regular season games but has turned around its play in the postseason, outscoring opponents 22-2 on the way to its first state semifinal appearance in program history.
No. 7 West Catholic (17-5-2) has shown mental toughness during its run, defeating No. 2 Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian in the district final and No. 5 Grand Rapids West Michigan Aviation Academy to take regionals, both via penalty shootouts.
The teams have high-scoring offenses, combining for 45 goals in nine postseason games. Both defenses will need to be sharp Wednesday at Cedar Springs.
Division 4
Royal Oak Shrine vs. Schoolcraft, 7 Tuesday at Waterford Kettering
No. 8 Shrine’s tough regular season schedule prepared the program for its playoff run, playing close against several ranked teams across multiple divisions on the way to a 5-8-3 regular season record.
With that experience the team has rattled off five straight wins with three shutouts, defeating No. 2 Clarkston Everest Collegiate 1-0 in the regional final behind a free kick goal from Julia Kraemer.
Shrine matches up with No. 10 Schoolcraft, which has been excellent on both sides of the pitch in the postseason.
The team has allowed just two goals through four games while scoring 25 times, defeating No. 6 Plymouth Christian Academy 1-0 for the first regional title in program history.
Shrine looks to contain the Schoolcraft attack and make its fourth trip to East Lansing since 2019 Tuesday at Waterford Kettering.
Harbor Springs vs. Kalamazoo Christian, 6 Tuesday at Cedar Springs High School
Defending champion and No. 7 ranked Kalamazoo Christian (13-5-3) is hungry to make it back to the state final, allowing just one goal through its four postseason matchups.
The team defeated No. 12 Kalamazoo Hackett Prep before knocking off No. 1 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian in the regional semifinal.
Standing between Kalamazoo Christian and its fourth straight state final appearance is a hot Harbor Springs team, ranked No. 9 and riding a 12-game unbeaten to the state semifinal.
Harbor Springs (18-1-2) has posted three playoff shutouts, setting up a defensive matchup Tuesday at Cedar Springs.
Nathan Korp is a freelance writer.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Breaking down the Michigan high school girls soccer semifinals
Reporting by Nathan Korp, Special to The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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By Nathan Korp, Special to The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
