One Game at a Time: Greenhills Field Hockey Prepares for CHSL Championship Showdown

With a 10-game winning streak and an 11-1 overall record, the Greenhills varsity field hockey team is making school history—and it’s not done yet. 

This Saturday, the team will compete for the Catholic High School League (CHSL) championship against Academy of the Sacred Heart, a matchup that pairs two of the top programs in the state. Greenhills is ranked first in the CHSL, second in Michigan overall, and boasts a top-10 strength of schedule. The team already holds two regular season wins over Sacred Heart, both by narrow 2-1 margins. Saturday’s game promises intensity, familiarity, and a championship on the line.

“It’s a high-stakes game for a variety of reasons,” said head coach Jill Dixon. “We’re on a winning streak, we’re undefeated in our division, and we’re getting some media attention, so the players are feeling that pressure. They want to perform well, and on top of that, they’re juggling homecoming, exams, and all the usual chaos of fall.”

Despite the noise, Dixon and assistant coach Alvaro Salcedo de Diego are keeping preparation focused, structured, and grounded in the values that have carried the team all season.

“We’re not suddenly changing everything,” Dixon said. “We want practices to be challenging, but also familiar. It’s about preparing both mentally and physically—getting reps in for things like overtime scenarios or shootouts—but also making sure players feel confident, connected, and calm.”

This year marks the first season that field hockey is officially sanctioned by the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA). As a result, all field hockey teams, regardless of school size, compete in a single statewide division. The shift has leveled the playing field and added even more significance to Greenhills’ ascent.

“It changes the landscape,” said Dixon. “We’re not just playing other Division II teams anymore, it’s one competitive pool. And we’ve played a challenging schedule, which makes our current record even more impressive.”

So what’s behind the program’s leap forward? Dixon points to a combination of increased depth, consistent structure, and unshakable trust.

“We had 11 new players join this year. That’s a huge shift,” she said. “It raises the level of competition in practice. It means our starters can take a breather and trust the bench to keep the intensity up. We’ve had big moments this season with younger players—ninth, tenth, and eleventh graders—coming in to score goals, make key defensive plays, and really change the game.”

That depth has allowed the coaching staff to run more challenging practices, better simulate game conditions, and build a team dynamic where everyone contributes. And with a postseason on the horizon, that trust could prove crucial.

After Saturday’s CHSL championship, Greenhills will play one final regular-season game before heading into MHSAA regional playoffs the week of October 8. From there, it’s win-or-go-home all the way to the state championship.

“We’ve trained all season for this,” said Dixon. “Physically, the team is ready. From a skill standpoint, they know what to do. Now it’s about managing the moment—staying composed, trusting each other, and bringing the grit that this level demands.”

Win or lose this weekend, one thing is already certain: this Greenhills field hockey team has set a new standard—and it’s not done making history.