WESTERN WAYNE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE:
Below are the team capsules for the Western Wayne Athletic Conference. Rounds of Emails were sent to the athletics departments and coaching staffs of every girls soccer program in the state where coaches emails were available in March. To submit information for missing schools, submit additional information, or to make corrections, please email Web and Content Editor Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com or text to (248) 884-1051
Teams – Dearborn Heights Crestwood, Dearborn Heights Robichaud, Garden City, Melvindale, Redford Thurston, Redford Union, Romulus
No Teams – Dearborn Heights Annapolis
SCHOOL: Dearborn Heights Crestwood
HEAD COACH: Bassam Sammy Mroue
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 10-5-2, 5-0-1 WWAC (first)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Def. Dearborn Edsel Ford (2-1, 2OT); lost to Grosse Pointe South (1-0) in a D-1 district semifinals match.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS: Lailah Ayoub, sr. M (All-League); Natalia Sobh, sr. M (All-League; ; signed with University of Detroit-Mercy); Jenna Abdallah, soph. F
OTHER KEY RETURNEES:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: The defending league champs hope to contend again at both the league and district levels this season. The Chargers lost a nail-bitter to Grosse Pointe South in last year’s postseason.
SCHOOL: Dearborn Heights Robichaud
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: Did not field a team in 2022
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Did not field a team in 2022
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: For the second straight season, Robichaud, Redford Union and Romulus did not have enough numbers to field teams.
SCHOOL: Garden City
HEAD COACH: Mario Tartaglia
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 7-6-3, 4-1-1 WWAC (second)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Def. Detroit Cesar Chavez Academy (8-0); lost to Dearborn Divine Child (1-0) in a D-2 districts finals match.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS:
OTHER KEY RETURNEES:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: Much like league member Dearborn Heights Crestwood, Garden City is always a respectable side in girls soccer. The battle is not knowing from year-to-year how many of the league’s eight members will field teams in girls soccer and boys soccer. Garden City finished second in the WWAC last season and reached the district finals before falling to state-ranked Dearborn Divine Child in a D-2 district finals.
SCHOOL: Melvindale
HEAD COACH: Thomas Belba
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 0-12-0, 0-6-0 WWAC (fourth)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Lost to Detroit Cesar Chavez Academy (4-0) in a D-2 pre-districts match.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS: Astria Moreno, sr. G (All-League)
OTHER KEY RETURNEES:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: Melvindale’s boys team has become competitive during the last decade, even finishing as the D-2 state runner-up in 2018. In girls soccer, the Cardinals suffered through some rebuilding campaigns in recent years, going winless in both 2021 and 2022. Part of that is that league members Redford Union, Dearborn Heights Robichaud and Romulus have had to cancel their seasons each of the last two years due to low numbers, shortening the regular season by several games and additional chances to gain wins or ties. League member Dearborn Heights Annapolis still does not have a girls soccer program. Despite being outscored 69-1 last season, Melvindale forges on with hopes for a better future with player development, especially in the younger grades and middle school level.
SCHOOL: Redford Thurston
HEAD COACH: Scott Bridges
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 3-7-0, 2-4-0 (third)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Def. Hamtramck (8-0); lost to Dearborn Divine Child (1-0) in a D-2 districts semifinals match.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS:
OTHER KEY RETURNEES:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: One of four schools in the WWAC to finish last season, Redford Thurston has fielded mixed results so far in 2023. The Eagles started 3-3-0 overall and 2-3-0 in conference play. Thurston has scored 17 goals and allowed 17 goals in those six games and have pitched three shutouts. Last season the Eagles were outscored 48-23 but were able to register three clean sheets.
SCHOOL: Redford Union
HEAD COACH: Scott Purdy
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: No team in 2022
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: No team in 2022
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: For the second straight season, Redford Union had low numbers and had to cancel its girls soccer season.
SCHOOL: Romulus
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: No team in 2022
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: No team in 2022
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: Due to low numbers, Romulus cancelled its girls soccer season for the second straight season.
