Northern Michigan University can assemble a pretty strong women’s soccer team simply by recruiting within Livingston County.
Northern is a popular destination for many of the county’s aspiring college players, particularly those of Finnish descent, with seven on the current roster and reinforcements on the way.
Of the 11 players on the All-Livingston County first team, four have signed with the Wildcats and another plans to plan for Northern.
Hartland’s Alyse Daavettila, Emma Kastamo and Katie Swirczek are heading to Northern, as his Brighton’s Irene Kiilunen. Brighton’s Ainsley Seiter could join them.
The first team is comprised of players from three of the county's seven teams — Brighton, Hartland and Pinckney.
Alyse Daavettila
► School: Hartland
► Class: Senior
► Positions: Forward, midfielder
► Accomplishments: Daavettila is only the third Hartland player to make the all-state Dream Team and was part of two teams that reached the Division 1 championship game. The Northern Michigan University signee was Hartland’s leading scorer the last two years, collecting 12 goals and six assists this season.
► Coach Andrew Kartsounes: “Whatever we were looking for out of a situation, we could move her up top when we needed goals and put her in the midfield to run the offense. This year, something she wanted to do was be more involved in the building of the offense.”
Peyton Delongchamp
► School: Pinckney
► Class: Senior
► Position: Goalkeeper
► Accomplishments: Delongchamp finished her four-year career with 36 shutouts, the most ever by a Livingston County goalie according to records submitted to the MHSAA. She had 11 shutouts this season, matching her school record from last year. She allowed only eight goals in 17 games. Delongchamp, who received Division 2 all-state honorable mention, will play for the University of Findlay.
► Coach Sean Grace: “As far as leadership and captain wise, she’s been amazing. It’s been like having another coach. Only every seven or eight years do captains like that come around; I’ve probably only worked with two or three in my career. We’re losing a player who has been a rock star since the first day.”
Addie Frantti
► School: Hartland
► Class: Junior
► Position: Forward
► Accomplishments: Frantti had two goals and one assist during a 3-2 victory over Lake Orion in the regional semifinals, including the winning goal with 4:12 left. She was third in goals and second in total points for Hartland, scoring nine goals and eight assists.
► Coach Andrew Kartsounes: “She’s just a very creative force up top. She’s someone you could count on to put the ball in the back of the net, but also to play others in. It wasn’t always about scoring goals for her, but creating large numbers of assists.”
Zaryah Griffin
► School: Pinckney
► Class: Senior
► Position: Midfielder
► Accomplishments: Griffin scored 23 goals and 10 assists this season, the most goals and points by a Livingston County player from a Division 1 or 2 school. She finished her four-year career with 55 goals and 26 assists. Griffin, who will play for Indiana University East, received all-state honorable mention.
► Coach Sean Grace: “She literally does everything on the field. She sees the field better than just about any player I’ve coached. Her engine is nonstop. I don’t take her off the field ever. She defends, she scores. She’ll be super successful in college with a larger group and more pieces around her that let her be that center-mid.”
Emma Kastamo
► School: Hartland
► Class: Senior
► Position: Midfielder
► Accomplishments: Kastamo was a four-year starter for Hartland teams that reached two state finals and one regional final. She made third-team all-state after scoring six goals and eight assists as a senior. The Northern Michigan signee scored directly off a corner kick for an early goal in a 2-0 victory over Brighton in the district final and on a penalty kick in a 2-1 victory over Grand Haven in the state semifinals.
► Coach Andrew Kartsounes: “She was a two-year captain, which shows she was very much a leader on our team. This year we asked her, with Katie Swirczek getting injured, to move into a spot where she was a holding defensive center-mid. Once we got that worked through, that helped us make the run in the end. We needed to make that adjustment, and Emma was the one we were able to do that with.”
Irene Kiilunen
► School: Brighton
► Class: Senior
► Position: Defender
► Accomplishments: Kiilunen was the top defender for a Brighton team that allowed an average of only one goal per game. She made the first team after being a second-team selection each of the past two seasons. The Northern Michigan signee had two goals and one assist.
► Coach Ryan Carriere: “She was a vocal leader. Being on the team for four years really allowed her to see what the program is and she epitomizes it. She’s a hard worker who just wants to win more than anything and is a great teammate. She plays with a ton of confidence; center backs need that confidence.”
Emily Kramer
► School: Brighton
► Class: Senior
► Position: Midfielder
► Accomplishments: Kramer has received all-county honors for four years, making the first team as a sophomore and senior. She was a third-team all-state selection this season after playing sparingly while recovering from a knee injury her junior year. Kramer had six goals and two assists.
► Coach Ryan Carriere: “Stepping into her senior year, she was back to form and even improved from her sophomore year. Her ability to go forward with the ball, defend and just own the middle of the field was really impressive.”
Sophia Pietila
► School: Hartland
► Class: Junior
► Position: Defender
► Accomplishments: Pietila has been a starting center back for Hartland since her freshman year. She received all-state honorable mention this season after helping Hartland post nine shutouts in 23 games, allowing more than one goal only six times.
► Coach Andrew Kartsounes: “She really just ran the defense. She’s been our Defensive Player of the Year the last two years. She was really a big part of molding that defense and turning it into one that really improved from the beginning to the end of the season and one we could rely on to keep us in games.”
Olivia Sebestyen
► School: Brighton
► Class: Junior
► Position: Midfielder
► Accomplishments: Sebestyen has received all-state honorable mention and been a first-team all-county selection the last two years. She had team-high totals with 10 goals and nine assists. Sebestyen had three goals against Howell and set up a late game-winning goal against Novi and a late tying goal against Canton.
► Coach Ryan Carriere: “Her and Emily were really compatible; they complemented each other. Her ability to finish when she needed to finish continues to increase. We look for her to be confident around the goal and go at the goal from that attacking mid position.”
Ainsley Seiter
► School: Brighton
► Class: Senior
► Position: Midfielder
► Accomplishments: Seiter has been a versatile piece in Brighton’s lineup for four years. She made the first team after being a second-team selection as a sophomore and receiving honorable mention as a junior.
► Coach Ryan Carriere: “Ainsley is one of the connectors. She makes everyone feel welcome and helps other people feel confident when they’re lacking. She’s definitely going to be missed. Ainsley can play anywhere on the field. She understands the game at a really high level. She was the person we would move to make adjustments, because she’s so flexible.”
Katie Swirczek
► School: Hartland
► Class: Senior
► Position: Midfielder
► Accomplishments: Swirczek made the all-county first team for the third time, despite missing the final nine games with a knee injury. She scored four goals and two assists, impacting the game offensively and defensively as a central midfielder. Swirczek has signed with Northern Michigan.
► Coach Andrew Kartsounes: “Even after the injury, she would come to games and provide that leadership and analysis of what we were doing from the sideline. Her and Emma (Kastamo) were co-winners of our Coach’s Award. I always joke when I give them those awards that I expect them to become coaches themselves. Katie’s approach puts her in that kind of place.”
SECOND TEAM
Maya Bjedov, Brighton, F, Soph.
Brynn Bobby, Brighton, F, Soph.
Jenna Brock, Hartland, GK, Jr.
Josie Cheyne, Hartland, F, Sr.
Cailyn Cockerill, Fowlerville, F, Jr.
Izzy DePestel, Hartland, D, Jr.
Valerie Graves, Pinckney, F, Sr.
Audrey Johnson, Livingston Christian, F, Jr.
Ellie Laier, Hartland, D, Sr.
Paige Sundman, Hartland, F, Soph.
Ella Vandemergel, Brighton, F, Jr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Brighton: Madison Bell (Jr.), Naomi Bongero (Jr.), Anna Brown-Nall (Fr.), Cameron Eberly (Sr.), Elaina Vandemergel (Jr.), Anna VanKannel (Sr.).
Charyl Stockwell: Abby Landers (Sr.), Clara McCauley (Jr.), Sophia Spirko (Sr.), Grace Tiderington (Jr.).
Fowlerville: Addie Borowy (Jr.), Autumn Carr (Jr.), Emma Copeland (Jr.).
Hartland: Eva Larson (Soph.), Claire L’Esperance (Fr.).
Howell: Marleigh Chapman (Jr.), Riley Livermore (Soph.).
Livingston Christian: Allie Hunt (Jr.), Allie Johnson (Soph.).
Pinckney: Alexis Altizer (Sr.), Julia Garcia (Soph.), Kinley Mays (Fr.), Mackenna Prince (Jr.).
Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@gannett.com. Follow him on X @BillKhan
Most Popular
Comments / 0