Just How Good has Novi Been Since 2005?

After two consecutive state titles and five state championships in the past seven years (2005, ‘06, ‘07, ‘10, ‘11), the Novi girl’s soccer team seems to have constructed a dynasty of sorts at the high school ranks. The Wildcats finished the 2011 season with a 1-0 win over Troy in the state title game, ending the season without a loss (22-0-2). They entered the season as the state’s top team, and never lost that ranking at any point in the season. Head coach Brian O’Leary is only one state title short of tying the MHSAA record of six for a head coach, the list of accomplishments goes on and on for Novi dating back to ‘05.
Novi keeper Gabby Gauruder has been as good as any in recent history during her time at Novi and was one of the most dominant keepers in 2011, as she recorded 14 shutouts, which is tied for eighth most in MHSAA history. Gauruder, only allowed 12 goals this season. The mark is the best for Novi since Kim Herbst recorded 19 in the 2005 season, which was the same season Novi captured it’s first title.
In the playoffs this season for Novi, they dominated in just about every department, Gauruder only allowed one goal throughout the entire playoffs, stopping eight shots in a 2-0 regional final win over then number two ranked Utica Eisenhower and then eight more saves in a narrow 2-1 semifinals win over Grosse Pointe South. She then made seven saves against Troy in the finals for her sixth shutout of the playoffs.
Led by two of the state’s most dangerous forwards in Nicki Caruso and Nickki Greenhalgh, Wildcats scored 32 goals in the seven postseason contests, averaging more than four goals per game.
In 2005 the Wildcats averaged better than five goals per game, pairing that with the 19 shutouts from Herbst and the Wildcats had one of the most dominant teams in the past 10 years. The Wildcats again averaged over five goals again in 2006 behind Stephanie Crawford who found the back of the net 47 times that season, good enough for second all time in Novi history and ninth all time in MHSAA history. Kristi Arrington score 51 goals in 2000 for Novi (6th all-time in MHSAA).
The Wildcats have been one of the top team’s in Michigan dating back to the 2005 season and have continued their dominance into the 2011 season, and don’t expect anything to change as long as head coach Brian O’Leary is in charge.
Gauruder and Caruso, an 2010 All-state forward will be heading to play at Michigan State next season, while Greenhalgh is heading to play for Wisconsin.