The Royal Oak Shrine Catholic High School varsity girls soccer team celebrates its second state title in four years after earning a 1-0 victory over Kalamazoo Christian High School in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division IV state championship at Michigan State University’s DeMartin Stadium June 17.
By: Sarah Wojcik | Royal Oak Review | Published June 30, 2022
ROYAL OAK — Royal Oak Shrine Catholic High School’s varsity girls soccer seniors have seen almost every possible outcome since their freshman year in 2019.
They earned the school’s first-ever state title in 2019, lost a season in 2020 due to COVID-19, and fell just short in 2021 with a loss to North Muskegon High School in the state finals.
Shrine Catholic in 2020, as the defending champions, had returned a strong core for a shot at defending its title.
“We had basically all our starting players back except one,” senior Bridgette Drouillard said. “It was pretty hard not being able to come back and defend our title.”
Entering their last year, the Shrine Catholic seniors returned to give the season everything they had. The team they would have to go through would be none other than Kalamazoo Christian, who Shrine Catholic beat in the state finals in 2019.
“It kind of feels like a full circle,” Drouillard said.
On June 17, Shrine Catholic edged Kalamazoo Christian 1-0 in the Michigan High School Athletic Association state championship game at Michigan State University’s DeMartin Stadium.
Junior Norah Tisko scored the lone goal 30 seconds into the second half as Shrine Catholic’s defense prevailed.
Shrine Catholic’s back line was dominant all season, allowing less than a goal per game and recording 11 shutouts on the year. Four of the team’s shutouts occurred in the playoffs.
Led by senior captain Ava Gappy, Shrine Catholic’s back line was loaded with experience in seniors Allison Jablonski, Maddy Smith and Jackie LaPoint.
“Ava is basically our field general from the back,” Shrine Catholic coach Mark Soma said. “Everyone basically responds from her going forward.”
Sophomore goalkeeper Elena Gallagher was consistent in net for Shrine Catholic this season, and she will be a key factor for the new-look defense of the 2023 team.
“She’s a really talented goalie,” Soma said.
Shrine Catholic’s offense was explosive, averaging over four goals per game during the playoffs as its offensive leaders answered when the team needed them most.
As its state semifinals game against Bad Axe High School went into overtime, Shrine Catholic was awarded a penalty kick with a trip to the state finals on the line. Like all season, its seniors delivered.
Drouillard drilled the game-winning goal to send Shrine Catholic to its third-straight championship game.
The offense scored three or more goals in four of its seven playoff games.
Shrine Catholic’s offense was led this season by Drouillard, Tisko and senior Claire Plaskey. Shrine Catholic’s offensive chemistry was the focal point of its nine-game winning streak to end the season.
“Towards the end of the season, we really clicked,” Drouillard said.
While six starters will be graduating from the championship-winning squad, Shrine Catholic’s freshman class received a healthy number of minutes this season.
Freshmen Ella Poulton, Margaret Murphy and Isobel Malcom lead a youthful group that will return next season with the goal of continuing the program’s success.
As for the graduating seniors, the championship is a memory that none of them will ever forget.
“I feel like winning states this year is going to be my best memory,” Drouillard said. “It was great winning it my freshman year, but I feel like I didn’t have a grasp as to how important it was for us and the community.”