Three Area Females Playing Football at Cascades Conference Schools

Napoleon kicker Maggie Van Wagnen. Photos by Jeff Steers, JTV Sports.

Friday Football Feature – A kickoff for your weekend high school football

By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports

(September 30, 2022 11:08 AM) Napoleon High School athlete Maggie Van Wagnen believes that participating in sports is pushing her toward higher standards.

And if she forgets, her dad is a constant reminder with his saying “No A’s No Play.”

Van Wagnen, Marissa Dahn, and Tracy Ackley are three females that are contributing to their schools varsity football teams.

Van Wagnen is a kicker for the Pirates and also plays club soccer.

Dahn is a lineman on the Vandercook Lake High School 8-man football team.

Ackley is a junior linebacker, offensive tackle, and special teams player for Hanover-Horton High School.

Van Wagnen is in her second year as a kicker in the Pirates’ program. She is also a soccer commit to Oakland University – a D-1 college program. Her schedule would wear out the average person.

“I go to football from 3 to 4:30 p.m., drive an hour (to Wixom) for club soccer, and get home approximately 9:30 p.m. Van Wagnen said of her busy schedule. “From 9:30 to midnight I make sure my homework is done.”

It hasn’t affected the junior as she maintains a 4.0 grade point average in her class – putting her in the top four.

“I never thought about playing football until last year,” Van Wagnen said. “It’s not about me … it is inspiring a generation underneath me.”

Van Wagnen’s club team – the Michigan Jaguars – play in the Girls Academy League with teams from other states. The Pirate kicker sometimes has to drive five or six hours to get to out-of-state tournaments right after football on Friday night.

“I have connected with soccer players all over the United States and around the world,” Van Wagnen said.

The Napoleon kicker has converted on 6-of-7 extra points this season.

Dahn of Vanderook Lake plays offensive and defensive line. She has played guard and center on offense and tackle on defense. She is also well versed in a variety of sports – football, volleyball, bowling, softball, and track and field – and expects to graduate in 2024 with 15 or more varsity letters.

“We are trying to build a program with a lot of younger players,” Dahn said. “I love the intensity and atmosphere on the football field.

“The love of the game keeps us going.”

Dahn also hustles to make multiple practices each day, being involved in football from 3 to 4:45 and at volleyball practice after that.

“Sports teaches you how to work with others and builds character,” Dahn said. “It is fun to see how everyone has improved in games and practices this season.”

Defensively, Dahn has two tackles for losses for the Jayhawks.

Ackley of Hanover-Horton is also a junior who plays linebacker on defense, offensive tackle, and is on the special teams for the Comets.

She has five tackles for the Comets in five games.