At the 2026 MHSAA Division 2 State Finals, junior swimmer Anthony Kopinski had a meet for the ages! He helped his team secure a third-place finish and had outstanding swims that earned him All-State honors in all four of his events. 

Anthony started off with the second-fastest 50 backstroke time (in the medley relay) in the entire meet, and his teammates followed him to finish the relay in fourth place, posting the third-fastest time in Dexter Swim & Dive history. 

He followed that up with a runner-up finish in the 100 Butterfly with a time of 50.39, a time that places him as the fourth-fastest 100 flyer in Dexter history. Not to be outdone, Anthony earned his first individual state championship in the 100 Backstroke a short time later, earning him a Dexter top five all-time spot. To cap off a tremendous weekend, he anchored the 400 Free Relay with the team’s fastest time and another fourth place finish!

Dexter's first individual state champion in five years, Anthony scored 37 individual points at the meet (the most by a Dexter swimmer since 2019) and was the second-highest point earner of any swimmer at State Finals. He will return next season to build on the momentum he has built this season with aspirations of winning more state titles and helping his team come home with another trophy!

Senior tennis player Siena Taylor is a three-year varsity athlete and was selected to serve as a captain this season. She started the season 6-1 with notable wins over Divine Child, Battle Creek Lakeview, and North Farmington. 

Speaking not of win/loss records, this season has been a breakthrough year for her according to Head Coach Rob Smothers. “As a captain, she has exemplified Dreadstrong values on and off the court by giving maximum effort in practice and matches. Her actions help to maintain the culture of hard work and family that our program is built on. She has a newfound spark this season and it is contagious in the best way!” he said.

A future Michigan Wolverine, Siena has a weighted GPA of 4.369 and is an International Baccalaureate Diploma candidate as well as a member of the National Honor Society. 

A regional finalist last year, she has the experience to help lead the team toward their goal of making it to the MHSAA State Finals Tournament for the sixth consecutive year. 

Senior Ella Jensen is a three-time varsity letterwinner on the Dexter Dance Team. As a captain this season, she was an incredible leader, showing exactly what it meant to be a part of DHSDT. Head coaches Morgan Dubey and Jena Davenport said, “she is not only incredibly talented, but she’s dependable, motivating, and never settles for less than 100%!” 

Ella’s constant drive, energy, and support of her teammates helped lead the team to its first National Championship in program history at Dance Team Union Nationals in Orlando, FL in February. 

A stellar student, Ella excels in the classroom and maintains a 4.17 GPA (weighted). She participates in Youth in Government, National Honor Society, and she teaches young dancers at Dancer’s Edge while also taking dance classes to improve upon her already-advanced skills. To top off her DHS dance career, Ella was voted this season’s MVP by her teammates. 

Senior basketball player Will Simpson is a three-year varsity player and two-year starter, serving as team captain for the 25-26 season. He finished the season scoring in double figures in important games against the team’s biggest rivals. Will was at his best during these games, which was a direct reflection on how he approached and prepared for competition.

According to Head Coach Jason Rychener, “Will is one of the most talented players I have coached in my 30 years in the sport, but talent alone did not get him to this level. He put in the time necessary to be great. At every basketball-related event we have had in the last two years, we could count on Will being there and leading from the front. He has made a huge impact on Dexter Basketball and will be missed tremendously.”

Voted on by all the SEC Red coaches, Will was selected as a First Team All-SEC player at the conclusion of his outstanding senior year. He will be attending Hillsdale College in the Fall to play football.

Sophomore Layla Blumberg is a second-year varsity player, starter, and proven leader on the Dexter girls basketball team. According to Head Coach Rachel Canen, “Layla puts in the extra work needed to be successful in her sport. Not only does she better herself every day, she is always looking for ways to help her teammates become better. All of that work truly shows up in her game.”

Her dedication to the game of basketball is paralleled by her dedication to her studies. A 4.0 student, Layla excels in the classroom. This past Fall, she also excelled in the sport of cross country. She earned All-SEC honors and her coaches awarded her the “Dreadstrong Award,” an accolade earned only by hard-working and high-achieving student-athletes.     

Layla was recently selected to attend the 2026 MHSAA Women in Sport Leadership Conference, held biennially in Lansing, MI. There, she represented the Dreadnaughts with pride and had the opportunity to further advance her leadership skills as co-captain of her team.

The team’s leading scorer in nine games, she scored over 20 points in five of those games. Coach Canen also said, “Layla is always a ray of sunshine! Her commitment to her team is inspiring - she’s truly a breath of fresh air!”

Freshman diver Fletcher McCarthy had an incredible January! He started the month at the Spartan Invitational, which featured some of the top Division 2 divers in the state. Fletcher placed ahead of multiple 2025 state qualifiers and his score earned him a place on the All-Time Top 10 performers list for 11 dives, slotting into the #8 spot with a score of 363.20!

He continued his strong month by winning every dual meet during January, going 8-0 and setting multiple personal best scores. During the meet against Bedford, Fletcher went to a new level and once again earned himself a spot on the All-Time Top 10 performers list for six dives, entering the list at #5 with a score of 264.50. He also set a new freshman class record, eclipsing the old mark by almost 20 points!

Fletcher finished up January by becoming the first Dexter diver to qualify for the MISCA meet since 2019. According to Head Coach Michael McHugh, “Fletcher is just getting started and has a very bright future ahead of him. We are proud to have Fletcher McCarthy as Dexter's January Athlete of the Month!”

Senior Jasper Dye is a two-time captain of the varsity wrestling program and an invaluable asset to his team. Head Coach Shawn Chamberlain said, “he brings a kind, selfless mentality to everything he does, always putting others ahead of himself. As one of the hardest workers in the room, Jasper consistently leads by example, dedicating countless hours over his four years to improving himself and elevating those around him.” Dye posted a 23-2 record in December and several of his victories were against state-ranked opponents. He went 5-0 at both the Manchester and Southgate dual meets and took first place at the Skyline Invitational. In 21 of his 23 wins, he won with bonus points, further benefitting his team. 

Senior competitive cheerleader Karley Philage has been an incredibly strong and reliable leader of the varsity cheer program for four years. This competitive season, she has gone above and beyond by always putting her team first. She leads her team on a daily basis, organizes team bonding events, encourages her teammates to work on skills outside of practice, and is actively present as a friend and resource to all. As the captain of the sideline team, she was also the head coach of the 5th/6th grade youth cheer team this Fall, during which she earned a 3.7 GPA. According to Head Coach Amy Philage, “Karley is one of the most dedicated, hard-working people I’ve ever coached and I am thrilled for all of her efforts to be recognized!” 

Senior volleyball player Chloe Burns was the steady heartbeat of her team’s offense during the last month of their hard-fought season. As the volleyball team’s primary setter, she consistently kept hitters in rhythm and the offense balanced. Averaging an impressive 18.5 assists per match while maintaining a 92% serving percentage, Chloe brought both precision and poise to the court. Her ability to stay composed under pressure and make smart, timely decisions elevated everyone around her. “Beyond the stats, Chloe’s leadership, communication, and relentless work ethic have made her the true quarterback of our team’s success” stated Head Coach Erin Penn.

The MHSAA record-breaking football duo of seniors Cooper Arnedt and Cole Novara helped lead the Dexter Football team to its first ever trip to the State Championship at Ford Field this fall, while also putting together two of the best statistical seasons at each of their positions. Cole finished the season with 128 receptions for 2162 yards and 28 touchdowns; all of which are single season records for a receiver in the state of Michigan. Cooper finished the season with 268 completions for 4537 yards and 53 touchdown passes. He now holds the state's single-season records for both completions and passing yards, and sits second for touchdown passes in a season.  

Both Cole and Cooper have been starting for the Dreads since they were sophomores, and at a young age the coaching staff knew that this tandem would be special. They always seemed to be on the same page and knew what the other was thinking. According to Head Coach Phil Jacobs, “what separates Cooper and Cole is not only their production on the field or their work ethic, but how in their accomplishments they always chose to give praise to their teammates instead of themselves. They are a true representation of what it means to be Dreadnaught football players and have provided excitement and passion to the community and many future Dreadnaughts.”
 

Senior field hockey player Lilly Mitchell helped lead Dexter to the MHSAA State Finals four times in her four years. This two-time state champ was named “Player of the Year” by the Michigan Field Hockey Coaches Association this fall. Head Coach Keely Tamer said, “there isn't a single notable performance to share as every day that Mitch practiced or played a game, she gave 100% and competed to the best of her abilities. She prepared in the off-season, modeled what fitness for the sport looks like, loved her teammates, strived to win every season, every game, and every play. Her determination shows most when she is recovering back when a ball has found its way behind her. She understands the tactics, knows how to control the game and the ball and uses her voice on the field to help her team. She is well-deserving of this honor!”

Senior tennis player Cayden Cappelli was selected Athlete of the Month for October after being nominated by Head Coach Rob Smothers. Cayden played #2 singles this year and had the best record on the team (15-5). He was a regional finalist and posted wins against Saline, Chelsea (#5 in Division 3), and Mattawan during the regular season. A relentless competitor in every match, he exerted his athletic ability in ways that are uncommon in the tennis world. He came up just short of winning a match at States against the #9 team in the state in D2 (U of D Jesuit), but just like the entire season, he left everything on the court and was celebrated by Dexter players and parents alike. Coach Smothers said, “I think that his play and conduct throughout this season embodies all that DreadStrong stands for! Not only did he have success on the court, he also was a great leader of this team.”

Junior Kodie Snyder is a three-year varsity athlete on the girls cross country team and has been the team’s top runner in every race this season. Kodie is having a breakout year and broke 19:00 minutes in the 5K at the Jackson Invitational. She ran 18:59, earning the #10 spot on the Dexter Cross Country all-time leaderboard. Kodie hasn’t let any setbacks keep her from running personal bests (PRs) on almost every course she has raced so far this season.

Head Cross Country Coach Seana Larson said, “Kodie shows up to practice with a smile every single day and leads by example. She often asks to do more than the assigned workout and runs on days when there is not team practice. Kodie is the perfect example of ‘hard work pays off!’”
 

In a season marked by injuries and adversity, senior Andrew Barbaro has been the backbone of the 2025 boys soccer team. He shows up every day with the mindset to improve—not just himself—but everyone around him. Early in the season, the team took some tough losses against strong SEC Red opponents, but they kept grinding and Andrew led the way.

Over the past two weeks, the growth is apparent: a hard-fought battle against AA Huron (ranked #2 in the state in D1), a close match against Saline, and then on Senior Night, Andrew stepped up and led the team to a statement win over rival Chelsea. According to Head Coach Jamie Lewis, “Andrew commands the field at center-mid with work ethic, composure, and leadership. He and his twin brother Dane represent everything that’s right about high school athletics—character, toughness, and a team-first mentality. Everyone on this coaching staff is proud to have coached him.”
 

According to head softball coach Tim Kimball, junior Clara Lamb is “one of those players that coaches dream about. She not only has the athleticism of a great athlete, she has the intelligence and drive to go with it.” Clara brings the knowledge that she acquires from her North Carolina-based national travel teams to the Dexter dugout, making everyone a better player or coach.

Clara’s work ethic and ability to lead by example were two of the traits that led to her being elected by the team as a captain and voted “Most Valuable Player” this year. She is instrumental in the coordination of pre-season training and takes it upon herself to work in the Iron Dread powerlifting program to get even stronger.

An epic battle ensued for the District title this year against Battle Creek Lakeview. The game went back and forth into 11 innings and Clara threw 146 pitches, allowing only four earned runs. Offensively, she led the team to victory with a home run, four hits of her own, and three RBIs.

In the season statistics arena, she led the team in many categories: batting average, on-base percentage, total hits, singles, doubles, triples, home runs, and RBIs. She was selected to the SEC Red All-Conference team and the MHSSCA All-District and All-Region teams.

Clara’s attitude is always one of “what can I do to help,” and “how can we do this better,” while never complaining or criticizing her teammates. Coach Kimball also said, “she is a very positive leader. I already can’t wait for next year!” 

Senior Cameron Clark is a four-year varsity letter winner and was the top Track & Field thrower for Dexter this season. Cam nearly doubled the varsity points he scored from the year before with 90. He also added two feet to his best shot put mark of 48’ 5.5” which puts him third all-time in Dexter history. 

While thinking of himself as more of a shot putter, he crushed his discus throwing this year by adding over 36 feet from his junior year. Throwing nearly 161 feet, he qualified for Regionals and then the State Championship where he placed third, breaking the 32-year-old school record by over 14 feet. Cam is the first boys’ team discus thrower to make the State Finals in several decades. 

According to his throws coach Kirk Keebler, “Cameron takes a happy-go-lucky approach to his throwing, not being bothered too much by disappointments, and keeping an upbeat and positive attitude toward the sport, which makes him a great athlete to coach.” Cameron was awarded “Most Improved Athlete” by his Track & Field coaches after making major strides and several contributions to the team during his fantastic final season. As of the beginning of June, Cam is already training at the University of Wisconsin where he will play football on a full athletic scholarship.

Senior Braden Richards is a four-year varsity player and three-year captain of the varsity golf team. Braden possesses immense leadership qualities and takes the initiative to motivate younger players. Prior to every tournament, you will see Braden encouraging the team and wishing everyone - including his competitors - a successful day on the course. He is a very responsible individual who is always smiling; he shows up every day with a positive attitude and makes great effort to include everyone. 

Braden is currently leading the team in scoring average and is in the Top 10 for SEC points. Outside of golf, Braden is active with the Unified Sports Program where he has helped it grow to become a varsity sport. Braden volunteered with Unified soccer and basketball and was selected for the Unified “Peer of the Season” Award in Fall of 2023. He has also volunteered with the Dexter Lions Club.  

Braden was named to the SEC All-Conference team in 2024 and also received the SEC Sportsmanship Award. Head Coach Greg Palkowski said, "having a player like Braden on this team, with his leadership qualities on and off the course, is awe-inspiring. In my eyes, Braden exemplifies an all-around exceptional student athlete and is a true leader of our golf team." 

As the senior captain and four-year starter for the Dexter soccer team, Olivia Shaieb embodies everything it means to be a leader—on and off the field. With unwavering commitment, tireless work ethic, and a fierce competitive spirit, Olivia has set the tone for the team’s culture and success.

Her leadership is not just heard in huddles or seen in statistics—it’s felt in every practice, every game, and every teammate she uplifts. Olivia leads by example, pushing herself and others to give their best, regardless of the scoreboard. Her soccer IQ and relentless hustle have made her a key component to the team’s strategy. 

Beyond her athletic talent, Olivia is a mentor to younger players, a trusted voice in the locker room, and a respected representative of Dexter Athletics. She’s helped build a legacy of unity, resilience, and pride—one that will last long after her final game. 

She’s a National Honor Society officer and Dexter City Council student representative, and her 200+ volunteer hours helped her earn the United States Presidential Volunteer Service Award. She maintains a 4.1 GPA and will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall. 

Head Coach Matt Murphy said, “Dexter is stronger, tougher, and more inspired because of Olivia Shaieb. And that’s the mark of a true captain.”

Oftentimes the biggest challenge for an athletic program is keeping momentum going in the off-season after a successful season. When Head Coach Justin Mambro was asked who was instrumental in doing so, the student-athlete who stood out the most was senior Marty Watson.

One of the main goals of the program was to bring back the JV team, and Marty immediately ran with this challenge. From fundraising, recruiting new players, staying connected with returning players, mentoring underclassmen, leading at winter conditioning and organizing captains practice, Marty definitely went above and beyond.

A month into the season, Marty has kept the team’s momentum strong and is leading the charge in the early season, including a five goal performance in the season-opening win over Lakeview High School. Not to be outdone is what he does off of the Al Ritt Stadium Turf. Marty is a 4.0 student, a member of the National Honor Society, and is a great representative of the lacrosse team in the community. Coach Mambro said, “we have an expression in our program called "process over prize" and he shows up every day with a purpose, shows great respect for his teammates, and loves the standard to make sure that every single one of them gets better and embraces the process.”

Emma Bishop, senior captain of the Dexter Girls Water Polo team, has been named Athlete of the Month for March for her outstanding leadership, dedication, and impact both in and out of the pool.

According to Head Coach Kevin Dillon, Emma is a cornerstone of the program, known not only for being the team’s leading scorer but also for the energy, organization, and heart she brings to every aspect of the team. She was instrumental in recruiting ten new players this season, helping grow and energize the roster. As the first athlete on deck each day, Emma sets the tone by running team warm-ups, leading stretches, and preparing the squad for both practices and games. Whether she’s handing out caps, organizing game balls, or getting the team locked in for competition, Emma leads with focus and pride.
Her leadership extends beyond athletics. Emma organizes team communication through a weekly newsletter and helped establish a strong parent-player community group to keep everyone connected and informed. She is the kind of captain every coach hopes for — someone who leads by example, supports her teammates, and takes initiative to make the program better.

Emma’s dedication and selflessness have made a lasting impact on Dexter Water Polo. Her teammates respect her, her coaches admire her, and the entire Dexter athletics community is proud to celebrate her as this month’s standout student-athlete.

In her second year on the varsity basketball team, sophomore Addison Wylie has established herself as one of the top players in the SEC. She was the team’s leading scorer in February, averaging 11.5 points per game. Addy is a fearless player who will always do what's best for the team, and that is evident in her averaging 4.7 rebounds per game. 

Her selflessness can also be witnessed in her participation as a peer in the high school SNAP program (an inclusive club for people with disabilities). Addy is a stellar student with a GPA of 3.77, and she brings compassion and her work ethic to everything she does. “It is an honor to get the opportunity to coach Addy Wylie, and we are so excited to see what she is able to accomplish in the rest of her career,” said Head Coach Lauren Thompson.

Over the course of senior Steven Merz’s three years on the swim team, he has continued to get better each year according to Head Coach Mike McHugh. Going into the month of February, the plan was for Steven to swim the 50 Free and 100 Fly, but in the last couple of meets, he showed great promise in the 100 and 200 Free and ultimately decided to swim those events at the SEC Championship for the first time. It was a great decision! Steven earned his first-ever state qualifying time in the 200 Free during prelims and followed it up with his second qualifying time in the 100 Free during Finals. 

Over the course of SECs, Steven dropped a total of 8.48 seconds in his two events, a feat that is nearly unheard of in those events in the swimming world. At State Finals, Steven lowered his times in both of the individual events he participated in, breaking the 1:50 barrier in the 200 Free and the :50 barrier in the 100 Free. What a way to finish his high school career!