OAKLAND TWP. – There is a first time for everything.
In a five-year period of quality play for Macomb Dakota’s girls golf team, the Cougars finally earned their very first regional title Wednesday.
The Cougars, ranked third in the state in Division 1, put together a play-five, count-four team score of 314 – and did so under perfect conditions – to claim the regional trophy at Twin Lakes Golf Course in Oakland Township.
It was the first regional crown in school history for girls golf after finishing as the bridesmaid the last two years and the Cougars did so convincingly with five golfers under 100, four under 90 and two under 80 to prevail.
In fact, Dakota had four of the top seven competitors, as senior Marissa Monteith (73) originally tied for first, junior Dakota Cooper was fourth (78), senior Angelina Accuso fifth (80) and freshman Chloe Viars was seventh (83) for the Cougars.
Romeo finished a distant second at 353 to qualify for the second straight year, while Utica Eisenhower was one stroke behind at 354 to grab the third and final coveted state qualifying berth.
The Division 1 state finals are set for Oct. 16-17 at Beford Valley Golf Course north of Battle Creek.
Oxford finished just seven strokes off the cut with a team score of 361. Rochester Stoney Creek posted a 364 and Lake Orion a 365, as the Oakland County trio of teams all missed the cut and were left on the outside looking in on a state berth. Utica (428), St. Clair Shores Lakeview (448) and Clinton Township Chippewa Valley (504) were well off the pace, while New Baltimore Anchor Bay, Sterling Heights Stevenson, Utica Ford and Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse all didn’t enter a required four golfers to post an official team score.
Dakota, which finished second at its regional at Fieldstone Golf Course last season and ended up placing second in the state last season as well, also finished second at its regional in 2024. The Cougars, also the undefeated Macomb Area Conference Red Division and Macomb County Tournament champion, captured their fourth tournament title of the campaign to walk away with its first regional title.
“We have two seniors right there (in Marissa Monteith and Angelina Accuso) that have been a big part of this since they were freshmen,” said Dakota coach Dave Prestininzi. “They came in as freshmen and worked hard and we’ve blessed to add in some other girls since then to kind of form a winning tradition. They all have worked so hard at their games and now we’ve finally won a regional. We were really close the last couple of years.”
Utica freshman Victoria McCulloch continued her strong debut high school season by tying with Monteith with a two-over round of 73 after 18 holes. The talented duo then headed back out to the 18th tee and played three additional holes – all on the 18th – before Monteith sank a 20-foot putt from along the right side to end it. She shot a 13 (5-4-4) with McCulloch carding a 14 (5-4-5) during the three-hole playoff to officially earn medalist honors.
Last year she lost on a one-hole playoff in the rain to Romeo’s Tula Puzzuoli, who is now home-schooled and not playing high school golf. As a senior, Monteith overcame some serious nerves to win an individual title on the same day her team captured their first regional trophy.
Romeo’s Braylyn Udvari gives her drive a little body english Wednesday at the Division 1 Twin Lakes girls golf regional on Oct. 7, 2026. (DAN STICKRADT — MediaNews Group)
“I was completely nervous. My hands were shaking the whole time,” said Monteith, who was an All-State Super Team selection last season for Dakota. “I just had to really concentrate out there. I wanted this one really bad. This was also special because our team won its first regional. This whole team is very close and there’s no other group of girls I’d rather be out here doing this with than these girls and coaches. I’ve learned so much about golf competing for Dakota.”
Individual-wise, Utica’s McCulloch along with Oxford’s Avery Yankee (85) and Lake Orion’s Ava Pawlosky (85) all made the cut as the top three competitors not on qualifying teams.
Lake Orion’s Ava Pawlosky lets her drive fly Wednesday at the Division 1 Twin Lakes girls golf regional on Oct. 7, 2026. (DAN STICKRADT — MediaNews Group)
Eisenhower’s Emanuella Micakovic was third with a round of 76, while Cooper, Accuso, Romeo’s Siena Salvatore (82), Viars, Yankee, Pawlosky and Romeo’s Skylar Udvari (86) rounded out the top 10 in a field where the entire top 20 competitors shot 93 or lower.
Romeo, which only has two seniors on a nine-player roster, made the cut for the third year in a row following their runner-up finish Wednesday. The Bulldogs were third at the regional round the past two seasons. Braylyn Udvari (11th, 87) and Kathaline Rice (24th, 98) aided the Bulldogs’ runner-up effort.
Macomb Dakota’s Marissa Monteith earned medalist honors after a three-hole playoff Wednesday at the Division 1 Twin Lakes girls golf regional on Oct. 7, 2026. (DAN STICKRADT — MediaNews Group)
“This is very gratifying because we knew we had some young talent coming in this year but the girls have been very competitive all year and they were able to (qualify) again this year.,” said Romeo coach Paul Scally. “We did lose our top golfer from last year, but having some talented freshmen and sophomores on this team we were still able to make it. I think we could be good again the next couple of years, too.”
Eisenhower qualified every year from 2017-2020 before ending its six-year qualifying drought. Mia Miller (14th, 88), Julia Chereton (21st, 94) and Isabella Devine (22nd, 96) rounded out the Eagles’ team score and third-place effort.
“We kept some freshmen on varsity three years ago and were around 10th at the regional. The last two years we had an individual qualifier,” noted Eisenhower coach Douglass Hartley. “This year we kind of set the goal of trying to make it to the state finals this year and the girls stepped up and did it today. It’s our first time (since 2020).”
DIVISION 1 REGIONAL
(Oct. 7 at Twin Lakes G.C.)
TEAM SCORES – 1. Macomb Dakota, 314; 2. Romeo, 353; 3. Utica Eisenhower, 354; 4. Oxford, 361; 5. Rochester Stoney Creek, 364; 6. Lake Orion, 365; 7. Utica, 428; 8. St. Clair Shores Lakeview, 448; 9. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 504; 10. (tie) New Baltimore Anchor Bay, NTS; Sterling Heights Stevenson, NTS; Utica ford, NTS; Harrison township L’Anse Creuse, NTS.
TOP 20 INDIVIDUALS – 1. Marissa Monteith (Macomb Dakota) 73 (won medalist honors on three-hole playoff, 13-14); 2. Victoria McCulloch (Utica) 73*; 3. Emanuella Micakovic (Utica Eisenhower) 76; 4. Dakota Cooper (Dakota) 78; 5. Angelina Accuso (Dakota) 80; 6. Siena Salvatore (Romeo) 82; 7. Chloe Viars (Dakota) 83; 8. (tie) Avery Yankee (Oxford) 85*; Ava Pawlosky (Lake Orion) 85*; 10. Skylar Udvari (Romeo) 86; 11. (tie) Braylyn Udvari (Romeo) 87; Milliana Cartwright (Lake Orion) 87; Nikhita Chanchali (Rochester Stoney Creek) 87; 14. (tie) Mia Miller (Utica Eisenhower) 88; Isla Donaldson (Oxford) 88; 16. (tie) Megan Sypniewski (Rochester Stoney Creek) 89; Sarah Kopec (Oxford) 89; 18. (tie) Hannah Hasenauer (St. Clair Shores Lakeview) 92; Magaly Morales (Rochester Stoney Creek) 92; 20. Olivia Connor (Lake Orion) 93.
Utica Eisenhower’s Emanuella Miracovic putts the ball Wednesday at the Division 1 Twin Lakes girls golf regional on Oct. 7, 2026. (DAN STICKRADT — MediaNews Group)
INDIVIDUAL STATE QUALIFIERS – 2. Victoria McCulloch (Utica) 73*; 8. Avery Yankee (Oxford) 85*; 8. Ava Pawlosky (Lake Orion) 85*.
TEAM RESULTS
MACOMB DAKOTA (314): 1. Marissa Monteith, 73; 4. Dakota Cooper, 78; 5. Angelina Accuso, 80; 7. Chloe Viars, 83; 25. Madison Mangeno, 99
ROMEO (353): 6. Siena Salvatore, 82; 10. Skylar Udvari, 86; 11. Braylyn Udvari, 87; 24. Kathaline Rice, 98; 32. Hannah Lertola, 105
UTICA EISENHOWER (354): 3. Emanuella Micakovic, 76; 14. Mia Miller, 88; 21. Julia Chereton, 94; 22. Isabella Devine, 96; 28. Isabella Stojkovski, 103
OXFORD (361): 8. Avery Yankee, 85; 14. Isla Donaldson, 88; 16. Sarah Kopec, 89; 25. Raegan Donaldson, 99; 28. Reese Boyd, 103
ROCHESTER STONEY CREEK (364): 11. Nikhita Chanchali, 87; 16. Megan Sypnieski, 89; 18. Magaly Morales, 92; 22. Sophie Ruddy, 96; 35. Elise Lommen, 108
LAKE ORION (365): 8. Ava Pawlosky, 85; 11. Milliana Cartwright, 87; 20. Olivia Connor, 93; 27. Olivia Bagdasarian, 100; 28. Elise Bagdasarian, 103
UTICA (428): 1. Victoria McCulloch, 73; 33. Ellie Nelson, 106; 48. Peyton Mathers, 132; 39. Paylin Fertik, 117; DQ. Ava Williams, 160
ST. CLAIR SHORES LAKEVIEW (448): 18. Hannah Hasenauer, 92; 36. Aubrey Murphy, 114; 39. Abigail Billiu, 117; 45. Morgan Vogel, 125; 47. Paige Jacobs, 130;
CLINTON TOWNSHIP CHIPPEWA VALLEY (504): 37. Ivy Watruba, 115; 43. Mia Prokop, 122; 39. Chloe Coppage, 117; 52. Kenzie Rank, 150
ANCHOR BAY (NTS): 28. Allie Godfryd, 103; 34. Taylor Surgener, 107
STERLING HEIGHTS STEVENSON (NTS): 44. Lauren Timbuc, 124; 49. 133; Aleah Martin, 144
UTICA FORD (NTS): 37. Gianna Cappellaro, 155; 50. Alana Johnson, 144;
HARRISON TOWNSHIP L’ANSE CREUSE (): 42. Ariana Selvidge, 121; 46. Ryleigh Greenfelder, 129; 50. Annabelle Raferty, 144.