DETROIT — History was rewritten by 18 Catholic High School League teams in the 2025-26 competition for state supremacy.
Novi Detroit Catholic Central accounted for six championships in football, baseball, hockey, golf, lacrosse and wrestling. The Shamrocks also won six in 2009-10 (cross country, bowling, golf, hockey, football, and wrestling).
The Shamrocks celebrated a baseball title for the first time in 27 years and in football for 17 years. It was 41 years ago the last time Dearborn Divine Child won in football, 33 years ago for Warren De La Salle Collegiate in soccer, and 12 years ago for Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood in boys golf.
Here’s the lineup of champions:
BOYS BASEBALL: Novi Detroit Catholic Central
For the first time since 1999 (fourth in school history), the Shamrocks won a state championship in baseball, shutting out Rochester Adams 7-0 in the Division 1 title game. Catholic Central rode an offense that reached the record books and brilliant pitching from senior Mikey Laser to glory. The offense broke the championship game record for most triples, hammering five of them, four during the first two innings. “A lot of fans and outsiders doubted us and we were like, ‘This year is going to be OUR year,’” senior Bennett Thompson said. “We’re going to buy in. Everyone’s going to give it their all. We’re such a senior-led team. We knew it was our season this year.”
BOYS BASEBALL: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep
Trailing 4-0 after three innings, the Eaglets (36-5) rallied for a 6-4 victory in eight innings for the Division 2 championship, its first since 2022 and seventh in school history. “We were calm, cool and collected,” senior Hudson Brzustewicz said. “We knew we were going to put up runs. It was just a matter of time before the bats got hot and balls started dropping.”
BOYS FOOTBALL: Novi Detroit Catholic Central
The Shamrocks capped a 14-0 season with a dominant 42-19 victory over Detroit Cass Tech for their 11th Division 1 championship, the first since 2009. “We had a theme all week that our special teams and run game are going to be the body shots,” coach Justin Cessante said. “Our uppercut is going to be making big plays on offense, and our defense — brick wall — was going to be the head shots. I think we did that in all three phases.”
BOYS FOOTBALL: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep
The Eaglets defeated Dexter 51-14 to claim their second-straight Division 2 title and 10th overall. Junior quarterback Jabin Gonzales finished with more than 400 total yards of offense, throwing for 304 and four touchdowns on 17-of-22 passing, and rushing for 102 on 13 carries. “It was just playing my game, playing me,” Gonzales said. “Like my dad (OLSM coach Jermaine Gonzales) always says, don’t be Superman, do you and everything is going to fall into place.”
BOYS FOOTBALL: Dearborn Divine Child
The Falcons (13-1) had to survive a back-and-forth battle, 23-22, against Hudsonville Unity Christian for the Division 4 crown to win the school’s third championship, the first since 1985 and 1975. Senior Marcello Vitti scored what turned out to be the winning difference on a five-yard touchdown and a 2-point conversion run. “I am just so proud of this group,” coach Chris Laney said. “They really answered the bell all season. And they said before the year they wanted to leave their mark, their legacy. They certainly did that today. So I'm real proud of these guys.”
BOYS FOOTBALL: Jackson Lumen Christi
The Titans’ 28-14 victory over Kingsley for the Division 6 title was the school’s state-best 15th championship and its fourth title in a row. Herb Brogan, 76, for 46 years the head coach of Lumen Christi, is a dozen victories away from becoming the winningest high school football coach in the state. His record of 432-93 is second to Farmington Hills Harrison’s John Herrington (443-112). “Something we kind of stressed to the kids,” Brogan said, “is that we’ve done some great things, but nobody has ever done this. Our slogan was ‘Leave Your Mark,’ and their mark is they were able to do something no other team has been able to do before.”
BOYS GOLF: Novi Detroit Catholic Central
The Shamrocks clawed their way back to claim their third consecutive Division 1 boys golf championship (ninth school history). Senior Jack Whitmore, who finished with a two-round 145, shot a 69 on Saturday, with an eagle from about 65 yards on hole 18 during the second round that clinched the win. “We started the day nine strokes back,” said Detroit Catholic Central coach Mike Fras. “Everything really worked. We felt the pressure, but we handled it.”
BOYS GOLF: Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood
In fifth place and trailing by 12 shots going into the final round, Cranbrook shot a sizzling second-day score of 292 to rally and win its first finals championship in boys golf since 2014. The Cranes finished four shots ahead of 2025 champion Grand Rapids Christian. John Minnich resorted to simple math as the primary message. “I said, ‘We were 15 back (after the first day) last year. We’re only 12 back. That’s three shots per player. That’s nothing. I said, ‘You guys are good. We can make up three shots per player.’”
BOYS ICE HOCKEY: Novi Detroit Catholic Central
In another dominant championship game performance, the Shamrocks (29-1-) made it seven straight Division 1 titles with a 6-0 win over Northville. “It doesn’t get old,” head coach Brandon Kaleniecki said. “I think each one’s special in their own way. We try not to look at the numbers in a row. Each year is its own special team, and that’s what makes it so much fun for us.”
BOYS LACROSSE: Novi Detroit Catholic Central
The start to the game ultimately became the deciding factor in the outcome. The Shamrocks (17-5) scored the first six goals over the opening seven minutes of play and eventually led by eight goals during the second quarter. Catholic Central prevailed 14-10 and claimed the program’s third Division I championship. “This group was tough," coach Dave Wilson said. “They had a tough stretch and played some really good teams, but that’s why we do that. You always hope that stuff pays off so they can endure moments like this.”
BOYS SOCCER: Warren De La Salle Collegiate
De La Salle capped back-to-back championships for the first time since 1992 and 1993 with a 2-0 triumph over Hudsonville Unity Christian in the Division 2 Final. It was the seventh state title in school history, all under legendary head coach Thaier Mukhtar. “Credit goes to the boys,” Mukhtar said. “It goes to them for just listening to what they were supposed to do, and they got it done.”
BOYS SWIMMING: Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood
The Cranes collected their fourth-straight team title by amassing 261 points. Only two swimmers — A.J. Farner and Blake Schwab — have been on all four teams. “Our seniors four years ago were an example to our younger swimmers,” coach Paul Ellis said. “They set an example for others. All the teams have been very different in personality, talent, preparation and how they conduct themselves. All teams have their ups and downs, but keeping your focus and honing in are everything, and they did that right.”
BOYS TENNIS: Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett
The Knights fought off determined Jackson Lumen Christi (runner-up 21 points), claiming the crown with 31 points by stretching its lead during the championship flights. Liggett also won state titles in 2022, 2020 and 2017 since joining the CHSL in 2017-18, and 39th in school history. “The theme for the season was ‘play the ball,’” said coach Mark Sobieralski, finishing his 44th year, “and not worry about who you are playing against and let everyone play Liggett. You have to use that to your advantage because of the history of the school.”
BOYS WRESTLING: Novi Detroit Catholic Central
Multiple Shamrock wrestlers made a personal sacrifice for the betterment of the team, and it paid off. The Shamrocks defeated Hartland 43-16 in the Division 1 final, claiming their fourth-straight championship, 19th overall. Coach Mitch Hancock said: “We had a slogan this year that was pretty important; it was ‘Culture, Faith and Process.’ If they can keep their eyes on Jesus Christ, focus on their study around a great culture, we can be successful.”
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Jackson Lumen Christi
The Titans pulled away from Pewamo-Westphalia in the fourth quarter, winning 52-36 in a game that was tied after the third to claim the Division 3 state championship, the first in the school’s history. “We went in at halftime, regrouped, and did what we needed to do,” coach Scott Stine said. “They’ve been challenged all year, so being tied up going into the fourth quarter, it wasn’t anything new for us. As I told them coming into the game, when we get into that moment I have complete confidence in them, because they’ve been there and done that.”
GIRLS SWIMMING: Farmington Hills Mercy
On the final event of the day, Mercy’s 400-yard freestyle relay team — Avery Tack, Campbell Shore, Lyla Collins and Ella Hafner — nipped Grosse Pointe South by 1.63 seconds to earn the Marlins their third-straight Division 2 title and 14th championship overall, by a slim margin of 337-335. “I not only think we were physically ready, but also mentally,” said Hafner, who swam Mercy’s anchor leg. “We had our momentum going and we were ready to swim fast because we knew who we are and we were able to finish strong.”
GIRLS TENNIS: Ann Arbor Greenhills
The Gryphons easily topped the Division 4 field finishing with 35 points, 11 ahead of runner-up Grand Rapids Catholic Central. It was Greenhills’ fifth state title in a row, the sixth since joining the CHSL in 2017, the eighth overall in school history. “I’m in a perpetual state of holistic anxiety,” said Mark Randolph in his 55th year of coaching. “I’ve not slept well in the last month thinking about all the things that could happen.”
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Farmington Hills Mercy
Mercy got back to its game in the fourth set and put itself back on top of the state with a 25-18, 25-20, 23-25, 25-20 victory against Bloomfield Hills. The win gives the Marlins their third Division 2 finals title and second in three years. And, for the second time since 2023, they doused their coach Loretta Vogel with water and Silly String. “I’m going in there to talk to everybody in the locker room, and I just get drenched,” Vogel said. “It’s definitely becoming a custom here.”
FINALISTS
In addition, 11 teams lost their bids for state titles in the finals: Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (D1 boys golf), Cranbrook Kingswood (D2 girls golf), Bloomfield Hills Marian (D3 girls tennis and D2 girls soccer), University of Detroit Jesuit (D2 boys swimming), Farmington Hills Mercy (D2 girls tennis and D2 girls softball).
Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett (D4 boys soccer), Lumen Christi (D4 boys tennis), Catholic Central (D1 boys track), Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep (D3 boys ice hockey), Riverview Gabriel Richard (D4 boys bowling) and Royal Oak Shrine Catholic (D4 girls soccer).
Contact Don Horkey at [email protected].
