Mercy’s state golf champs: a dynasty team and a dynasty coach

FARMINGTON HILLS — In sports, a dynasty is a team that maintains its position for a considerable time.

A quarter-century ago, the Mercy girls golf team fit the definition by finishing in the top three in a five-year stretch in the Michigan High School Athletic Association playoffs: a third place in 1998, first in 1999, third in 2000, first in 2001 and second in 2002.

The Marlins bested Rochester Adams by 36 strokes in 1999 and Traverse City Central by 34 strokes in 2001.

“I had the Borowiec sisters, Erin and Jennifer,” coach Vicky Kowalski says. “They were the best.”

They finished 2-3 in the top 10 in 1999: sophomore Erin 80-73 153 and senior Jennifer 79-81 160. Erin led the top 10 (81-74 155) in 2001. She was named Miss Golf. They both went to Ohio State.

Mercy cracked the top 10 list nine times in the intervening two decades until winning the 2022 title (by 27 strokes vs. South Lyon) and repeating in 2023 (17 strokes better than Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook).

On Oct. 18-19, Mercy won a three-peat by 5 strokes over Dexter on the Meadows course on the campus of Grand Valley State University. The senior captains Maeve Casey and Lila Polakowski played in all three finals, senior Macy Morphew in the last two.

“Is it a dynasty?” Kowalski asks. “This year’s team was senior-laden. I took eight girls to the state finals, six were seniors.”

Casey shot 73-79 152, fourth best among the top 10, Polakowski 77-92 169, Morphew 88-91 179, and sophomore Megan Guerrera 96-90 186.

“It was very crazy the last day,” Kowalski says. “The score kept bouncing back and forth. At one point we were down by one stroke. Our little sophomore girl birdied a hole and the Dexter girl triple bogeyed. It was a four shot swing in an instant. Stuff like that was happening all day. We were very fortunate.”

For his fourth player on the second day, Kowalski substituted senior Emily Walker for junior Ainsley Henderson who shot a miserable 107 the first day. “I think it was nerves,” Kowalski says. “I told Emily she was my secret weapon.” She responded with an 83, her best score of the season, the second best score on the second round.

“During the season,” Kowalski says, “the players told me, ‘We’re your no-drama team, none of that crying why is she playing and not me.’ They encouraged each other. One of the nicest things is where the older players see a younger player and feel they have some potential, they take them under their wings. Megan Guerrera is a good example. She fell in love with the sport. She was our No. 3 player.”

Casey will forsake golf to play hockey at Yale. “She’s terrific on the ice,” Kowalski says.

Polakowski will play golf at Piedmont College in Georgia. “She’s originally from Kentucky,” Kowalski explains, "and wants to play down south. She’s doing what I think is smart: going to a college where she can play.”

Kowalski, 69, who retired from the classroom teaching math two years ago, has been coaching golf at Mercy for 46 years and bowling for 22 years. The golf team, in addition to the five state championships, has earned 18 Catholic High School League championships and produced 20 All-State medalists.

The girls bowling team has won 10 CHSL golf championships and one MHSAA regional title and produced one All-State individual, the coach’s daughter, Cathleen, who was also selected for the girls bowling Dream Team.

Kowalski’s achievements have not gone unnoticed. She was named Girls Golf Coach of the Year four times, the CHSL Coach of the Year 18 times, the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association State Coach of the Year two times, and the National Girls Golf Coach of the Year two times.

She’s been inducted into the CHSL Hall of Fame in 2007, the MIGCA Bowling Coaches Hall of Fame in 2021, the Mercy High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022, and the Michigan High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2024.

Sounds like a coaching dynasty.

Contact Don Horkey at dhorkey4@gmail.com.