DREAM SEASON: Salem’s Hammill leads local soccer All-State honorees

Claire Hammill motors up the field against Grosse Pointe South. PHOTO BY CHAD SCHWARTZENBERGER
Claire Hammill’s only year of high school soccer evolved into a “Dream” season for the Salem High School senior.
After competing for the elite Michigan Hawks 2006 ECNL team during her first three years of high school, Hammill joined the Rocks for her final year of high school and her exemplary play led to a spot on the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association’s “Dream Team”, an 11-player squad made up of players from all four MHSAA divisions.
Set to play for Rutgers University beginning in the fall, Hammill was not allowed to play for Salem until this spring due to conflicts with her club team’s schedule.
“When I noticed there was an opening in our Hawks’ schedule this spring, I talked to my Hawks coach and convinced her I could make it work and do both (club and high school soccer),” Hammill explained. “She kind of joked and said, ‘OK, but you better come home with a (district) trophy’.”
Two trophies for Rocks
Hammill did that and more, helping Salem win its first district title since 1999 in addition to a regional championship. The Rocks advanced to the Division 1 semifinals before suffering a tight 2-1 setback to eventual state champion Rochester Adams.
Hammill assisted on the Rocks’ lone goal against Adams when her bending corner kick was nudged across the goal line by teammate Lauren Driscoll. She nearly knotted the game at 2-2 in the final minute, but her dangerous free kick from near mid-field was re-directed on a spectacular play by Adams’ keeper.
Watch Claire Hammill’s last-minute free kick nearly tie Division 1 semifinal game by clicking here.
Hammill was the only player from the highly-regarded KLAA West Division to make the Dream Team; however, she was joined on the MHSSCA’s All-State First Team by Novi’s Talie Burns.
Earning a second team All-State nod was Northville senior Natalia Leavens.
The third team included Northville’s Caroline Meloche and Novi’s Anna Lindsey.
