Four Teams One Dream: Michigan D1 Semifinals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2026 Michigan High School (MHSAA) Division 1 Girls Lacrosse Semifinals took place on Wednesday, June 3rd, featuring two major matchups: Hartland vs. Rockford and Bloomfield Hills vs. South Lyon. All four teams entered with strong records and were ready to compete.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In 2025, Hartland and Rockford played each other in the semifinals, with Hartland winning in overtime, 7-6, giving Rockford a chip on their shoulder and something to prove. South Lyon is last year's reigning State champ, playing Hartland in the finals, with a final score of &nbsp;6 to 3.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hartland came into the game with a season record of 13-6, and Rockford with 10-8. With Hartland and Rockford playing each other in the semifinals for the past 3 years, the rivalry added another layer of intensity to the game. Both teams have a similar game play, both being aggressive, working a lot off-ball, and utilizing 1v1s. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rockford ended up coming out on top with a final score of 9–4. The game started slower, both teams finding their groove and taking time on offense, but things heated up towards the second half. At halftime, Hartland was up 3–2. But in the third quarter, Rockford found their rhythm, locking down on defense and connecting on offense. They went on a run of six unanswered goals, securing their spot in the championship game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The second semifinal game was South Lyon vs Bloomfield Hills. South Lyon is the state reigning champs, and they are looking for a 2-peat with an undefeated 26–0 record. Bloomfield Hills came in at 16–7, ready to challenge undefeated South Lyon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The semifinal ended with South Lyon securing a 23–8 victory over Bloomfield Hills, continuing their winning streak. South Lyon started strong from the opening draw, with Shayla Perry scoring two goals within the first three minutes. With less than 4 minutes left in the first quarter, [player_tooltip player_id='73194' first='Molly' last='Rubel'] tied the score, but South Lyon responded immediately and never let them catch up. South Lyon stayed up the rest of the game, taking a 10–5 lead into halftime and never letting Bloomfield close the gap. Every time Bloomfield Hills generated a drive, South Lyon answered with lockdown defense and quick finishes, never allowing the momentum to shift. Their consistency on both ends of the field kept them ahead, sending them back to the championship game with a chance to go back‑to‑back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are eight players from the semi games that made an impact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["73189"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a21e0ae5d469"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Gordon is a true 2-way middie. Her eyes are always up, reading the field. On defense, she is aware, finding cracks and filling them, causing turnovers and stopping fast break opportunities. Gordon is also strong in a 1v1 situation, breaking down her opponents. On attack, she has a strong split dodge that lands her an angle on goal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["73190"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a21e0ae5d4aa"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kruisenga is a force to be reckoned with on the field. She has crazy endurance, allowing her to be at 100% in every play. She's reliable in getting the ball down the field, providing her team with valuable possessions. Kruisenga had two goals during the semifinal game, using her power and fakes to get the ball in the back of the net. She plays a selfless game, always looking for the best opportunity for her team, and this led to her giving an assist that kick-started Rockford's run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["73191"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a21e0ae5d4d1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Norton scored the first goal of the game and scored all four goals for Hartland. She is not only fast but also agile, letting her swiftly dodge around defenders to get squared with the goal. Norton can hold her own under pressure, either finding a clean pass out or breaking the double to keep the offense moving.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["71834"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a21e0ae5d4f1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Wekenman is a lefty crease player, easily able to roll the crease and get a look at the goal. She's a strong cutter from low, able to get her hands free and find an angle. She feeds well, having on-point passes giving her teammates good looks at the goal. On the field she works hard, forcing bad passes and capitalizing in those moments. During the semifinals, she scored a quick goal after forcing a bad pass and getting it back from a teammate. She can also take the draw, placing it well for her teammates to secure possession.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["73192"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a21e0ae5d50f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Cumberland made first‑team all‑state alongside [player_tooltip player_id='73195' first='Shaelyn' last='Perry'], and her performance in the semifinal game shows why. She leaves it all out on the field. From slowing down fast breaks to stopping an ISO to getting the ball down in transition, Cumberland gives it her all. Her consistency and effort make her one of the most dependable players on the field.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["73193"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a21e0ae5d52c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jakubiec is always there when her team needs her. She capitalizes on fast‑break moments, turning them into quick scoring opportunities. She's constantly finding space inside the 8, making herself a reliable option on every possession. During the semifinal game, she broke free from her defender multiple times, creating wide-open looks and finishing them with confidence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["73194"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a21e0ae5d548"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Rubel is a leader on the field, setting up offenses and backing up her teammates. This season, she has 68 ground balls. She is constantly moving off‑ball on attack, cutting and getting open for quick looks in the middle of the eight. She's patient on her dodges, giving herself time to trick defenders and get to the goal, making her a threat in ISO situations.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["73195"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a21e0ae5d564"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Perry came into the semi-final game hot. She started off the game scoring the first 3 goals for her team and being gritty on the draw, winning her team possessions. She likes to attack from the right shoulder, either face dodging for an outside righty ripper or split dodging for a quick release in the middle. Perry can find the back of the net from any angle, making her a major threat when she gets her hands free.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->