South’s girls’ varsity ice hockey team, looking to defend its back-to-back titles, faced the Traverse City Bay Reps in the 2026 state championship on March 7. The game ended in a 0-6 loss for the Blue Devils; they placed second in the state despite numerous obstacles throughout the season.
The matchup between South and Traverse City was not the first this year. The two teams previously faced off in February, with South coming out on top with a 2-0 win, but as the season progressed, maintaining a consistent goaltender became a problem. Other girls on the team rose to the occasion, including Evie Wodzisz ’26, who transitioned from defense into goal for the state championship game.
“I stepped up because the team really needed someone and it didn’t seem like anyone else wanted to do it,” Wodzisz said. “So I thought it would be an interesting way to spend my last hockey game ever.”
In the first two periods, South fell 0-5, but players like Kylie White ’28 maintained a positive attitude and a determination to end their season strong.
“Even though the game wasn’t going as we wanted, we still just put our heads up and enjoyed the last couple of minutes we had together,” White said.
The end of the game marked not just the end of the season but also the end of the high school hockey careers of many players. This season, the team had a total of nine seniors.
“When the game ended, everyone was kind of bummed. But it wasn’t even directly because of the score,” White said. “It was more just that the season was over; it was definitely heartbreaking.”
According to Captain Ruby Lenhard ’26, the goalie issue in the final game was a problem all year. After their starting goalie graduated last year, finding a replacement has posed a challenge.
“I’m not going to lie, this season was rough even before it started,” Lenhard said. “We didn’t even have a goalie coming into this season. But honestly, I sort of think the whole situation bonded us in some sort of way.”
Despite the challenges, the team posted 19-5-0 record over the season. Head Coach Lexi Bohlinger hopes the team leaves better than they were before the season, as players and as people.
“I think we had a really skilled team,” Bohlinger said. “Probably one of the most skilled teams I’ve seen in my four years at South. They were really fun to coach, high-level hockey players; they fought the game well.”
Lessons were learned in a season full of ups and downs, and though the team may not have won the championship, that loss does not diminish the crucial lessons learned and the lasting friendships made on this team.
“I’ve never experienced what my team did this year,” Lenhard said. “Even though I knew how important it is being a teammate, this year made it more evident to me.”
