Let’s take a look back at the best Leelanau sports stories of 2025. From state championships to dramatic upsets, 2025 was a year for local teams competing at their best.
Houtteman named Mr. Golf (June)
Glen Lake alumni Michael Houtteman was named Mr. Golf in his senior year by the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association. In his senior year, Houtteman averaged a nine-hole score of 35.9, earning him an almost unanimous vote for the award.
Houtteman won the MHSAA Div. 4 state championship by four strokes by finishing four under par to score 138 at the Katke Course at Ferris State University despite breaking his putter while in transit to the state championship. On the final day, he entered with a onestroke lead and then hit an eagle, three birdies, 13 pars, and one bogey. Houtteman is the first boys’ golfer to win a state championship for the Lakers, joining graduate Nicole Cox, who won three straight individual championships from 201517. He was named to the MHSAA Super Team as a junior.
Comets taste glory; leaves legacy (November)
Leland boys soccer claimed its second championship in school history following a 2-1 shootout win against University Liggett in November. Leland finished the season on a sevengame win streak, including the state championship where senior Adrian Spencer opened the scoring. Liggett responded before the end of the half.
The score would stay the same until the state championship was decided by a shootout.
Leland senior Nano Creamer gave the Comets the lead in the shootout after a Ravello Smith save. Weston Burda scored, but Liggett fought back to tie it at two. Spencer made his kick, and with another shootout Smith save, Howie Kropp, a senior who switched positions at the beginning of the year from goalkeeper, had his chance to win the game and did.
SB wins first conference championship since 2007 (October)
For the first time since 2007, Suttons Bay won a share of the Northwest Conference Championship with an 18-2 regular season record. The win that earned the achievement came against Bear Lake, in which the Norse won in three sets. Senior Megan U’Ren believed that leadership helped the team win a share of the conference.
Suttons Bay coach Olivia Dohm credited each member of the team with holding one another accountable and being willing to be coachable to correct their mistakes. Suttons Bay’s first loss of the season came in late September against Onekama. The season was a flashback to the dominant era of Suttons Bay volleyball in the early 2000s, when the Norse won back-to-back conference championships in 2006-07, and four straight district championships in 2003-07.
Lakers second half wins district championship (November)
A streaky Glen Lake football team hosted East Jordan in the district finals, winning 28-14 to earn its first district championship since 2019. The Red Devils took an early 14-7 lead in the first quarter, but the Glen Lake defense played stoutly, allowing the offense to work as needed to hold onto the ball and earn the win.
Lakers runners-up at states; Leland’s Grinage finishes fourth (November)
Glen Lake boys cross country fell short in the MHSAA Div. 4 cross country state championship race to Holland Calvary Christian. Five Laker runners are a part of the top-10 all-time fastest runners in Glen Lake history. Laker freshman Spencer McNitt was the first Laker to cross the finish line at 11th, Christian Feeney at 16th, junior Abraham Feeney at 24th, and senior Liam McCaw at 28th.
Leland girls’ cross country top runner was sophomore Sophia Grinage, who finished fourth to cap off an impressive season, finishing the race in 18:59.
Herman captures 500th win (May)
Glen Lake baseball coach Kris Herman captured his 500th win at the end of his 21st season. Herman earned the win during a tune-up game for the district round of the playoffs against Traverse City Central. Senior Tristin Boze hit a walkoff double with two outs after the Lakers were no-hit for 6.2 innings. The late-game spark came when Max Galla broke the no-hitter with a base hit. Benji Allen drew another walk, then Boze hit a double on the first pitch to clear the bases and win 3-2. Isaac Hlavka pitched a complete game with three hits and nine strikeouts.
Vang breaks MHSAA singlegame steal record (May)
Suttons Bay senior Austin Vang broke the single-game Michigan High School Athletic Association record for steals on his senior night. Vang snagged 16 steals in a game against Boyne Falls. The record was officially announced in May after coach Noah Phillips compiled and submitted clips to the MHSAA. Vang broke the record by one that was set by Felix Quevedo of Crystal Falls Forest Park in 2023. The Norse beat Boyne Falls 81-7, and Vang had 10 points to go along with his 16 steals
Sutherland breaks 800-meter record (April)
Glen Lake graduate Colebrook Sutherland broke his third individual record, adding the 800meter with a memorable performance at the Bruce Garland Relay at Benzie Central in the spring. Sutherland beat the record that was set in the 1990s by Matt Kibbey by 1/100th of a second. It was Sutherland’s first attempt at the 800-meter record during his senior campaign.
Leland’s Grinage dominates Pete Moss Invitational (August)
Leland sophomore Sophia Grinage won her first race of the season when she shocked the field by placing first by 15 seconds, good enough for a minute- and-a-half personal record. Glen Lake’s Carmella Julian and Leland’s Natalie Burpee both placed in the top 20 at the meet as well.
Comets upset Panthers (February)
After a two-win regular season, expectations weren’t high for the Comets when the district rounds started in the playoffs. Leland got out to an 11-9 start after the first quarter, but Frankfort took the lead by halftime. The Comets fell behind by ten points in the third quarter, but by the start of the fourth quarter, Leland had cut the lead down to three, 36-33. After both teams scored seven points in the first four minutes of the quarter, Adrian Spencer and Chris Knudsen would turn on the jets, giving Leland a five-point lead and the ability to ice the game from the free-throw line, earning a 52-49 win.
