STATE CHAMPS! at the 2019 MHSAA Boys Soccer Finals

date shams and the

state

finals

is presented by Lawrence Technological University where Blue Devils dare also brought to you by the Michigan High School Athletic Association promoting the value and values of educational athletics and hungry Hallie's famous for flavor hello and welcome to another

state

champ special presentation this is the

boys

soccer

state

championship show for

2019

joining me here on set is dan stick Randy's our man who covered

soccer

all year long for us he loves

this for covers the sport Dan thanks for being here again man it's always a pleasure to be all right another exciting season is in the bag yeah what do you what do you how would you just kind of encapsulate as we get into the

state

finals

highlights what this season has been overall I think you saw all four championships in the MHSA the winners were all ranked the top 5 goes into 30 minutes all the

state

powers rose to the top at the end the cream always rises to the top this year in

particular let's begin in Division two we go to Novi I'm Chuck Behler ito and let's check out the Division four

boys

soccer

finals

from Novi high school girls Pointe Woods University of Liggett Knights came in at 18 to win one looking for their first

state

title in school history Muskegon West Michigan Christian warriors 18 2 & 3 they won law in 2010 and this group is looking to do it again 1st half Michael massamba steals from the knifes deep in their own end quick shop I keep

her Sam sword right there with the save and we went scoreless into the half Liggett trying to put some pressure on the Warriors to start off the second Doug wood passes the steward Smith has some room puts the shot on goal but Jamison Gorman is there with the diving stop to keep the warriors off the board Marcus Weigel passes from midfield down to Matthew summers we pass to Stuart Smith but just a little too much on it as Gorman comes out of the goal to make the save time winding down a

regulation no one under is what gives the throw in at around some warriors shoots but Gorman there with a diving save dogwood with the second chance for Gorman able to get up just enough to send us into overtime warriors stop the nice clear attempt and Ashtyn levering gets it back to breven bayern has some space takes a shot bounces it off a diving sam swords arms scoreless after 80 minutes we head to a penalty kick shootout first up is the ligand Knights sending Matthew summers to the line he

goes right Gorman guests left Liggett up 1-nothing warriors counter with Brandon Flay's he goes left and sticks it in the corner just out of swords reach shootouts tied at one apiece Liggett comes right back with Stuart Smith but Gorman dives right in front of it and comes up with the save brother and Bayern comes up for the warriors he goes left and Sam sort dives gets his hand on it to punch that one away that's one goal one save for each side now shake Manas the number three up for

the Knights he goes left as well Gorman able to punch it away we're still tied at one charlie L free up to take his shot for West Michigan he gets set goes after sword fooled him for the second but he gets his arm on it keeping this as close as we can get two blocks for both of these keepers incredible will Nicholson looking to break the tie for Liggett but Gorman won't let that happen he has to go backwards on this one Nicholson can't believe it but that's three blocks for

Gorman now isaac van Hoven steps up for West Michigan Christian goes right at sword can't get down fast enough beats him five hole warriors up last chance four legged if no one that endures one can get this one in we go to sudden death under snow with the run up the kick Gorman dives and blocks his fourth penalty kick Lee's Muskegon West Michigan Christian to their first

state

title since 2010 in stunning fashion stopping four of five penalty kicks to win one nothing and take home the

hardware there's overwhelmed with excitement so I'm really happy right now I just think I'm gonna save every single one that was my goal going in there that was my mindset so colleges hoping to save every single one or just give my team the best shot to win I sort of knew one two and over time it's gonna cause gonna peak a shoot out so I wasn't hoping to not go in that I I like our chances in the peak a shoot out so I'm coming tours in ski and we'll stay a no-buy for

the Division two

finals

the two teams looking for their first day titles Melvindale Cardinals came in at 16 3 & 2 their first time making it past the regional round or still northern Huskies coming in undefeated 2200 and 1 they were runner ups last year and in 2015 they lost both of those in a shootout hoping things are different this time around halfway through the first half and FHN awarded a penalty kick Aidan O'Connor takes and beast goalie join Castillo left side and the Huskies

take the early advantage Simon Skerritt gets the upfield pass on the sideline keeps working towards the net jumps over to Cardinals in his way and puts a shot on goal but Castillo comes out of net to stop it Cardinals clear and we keep a one-goal game at the half Huskies keep the pressure coming scar-h passes towards the goal and cardolan home is there to receive the pass to steal we're out of the net but this one ends up just going Y Cardinals turn to apply some pressure now a loss on Yaya

with the free kick gets headed away by a husky but Carlos Mirta chases it down puts a shot on goal Jonathon Keeler brings it in to safety no harm done 15 minutes left Forest Hills northern pushing upfield scar-h passes up to Nate Metcalf quickly passing to Lubbock Tillie cuz deal out of the net but Tilley dances around and pushes it left side the Huskies increase their lead to nil clock ticking down an FHN trying to make sure there's no chance of overtime this year Andrew Kramer passes

towards the middle alpha Carlo on to make Metcalfe's foot and towards the goal Bukka steals there to make the stop and it wouldn't be enough is Grand Rapids Forest Hills northern downs Melvindale by a score to knell to win their first ever

state

title finished off an undefeated

2019

champagne yeah I mean we haven't we've been scored on only four times this playoffs and all of them were when I wasn't on the field so yeah everybody knows that uh we've had a history of

losing

state

finals

it's it's good to finally break that standard we knew with this many guys returning that we had a shot again and we knew that we could make it here and I mean it was a lot of work but it wasn't a surprise all right welcome back inside the

state

champ Sports Network studio dan stick right here we're talking about Division two and Division four so Grand Rapids Forest Hills northern right undefeated great two-year run for them and of course Saturday was no

difference came into the championship 45 one and two run over the past couple of seasons they're only lost last year's finale a shootout and that was at the hands of Detroit Country Day this time they finished the year twenty three oh one one Dan last year runner-up this year champion just kind of encapsulate what for Sears northern is right now you know they returned 14 seniors Western I believe 17 total players so this was what they were waiting for and this is a programs but knocking

on the door to the last decade a lot of long-term in Ron's 2015 and 18

state

runner-up there girls programs lost in the d2

finals

four straight years so for coach Dan Tyminski every dog does have its day they finally knocked on that door with probably their best overall team they've had in their school history yeah it really was impressive and how about Melvin do you know they come in I know they had a great you know atmosphere and in fan base you know rooting for them but this is by far

their greatest season ever yeah they had never been past the regional semi

finals

over this year in fact all they're just district successes but in the last five years a very good collection of talented players not a lot of high club level players but guys that play with in men's leagues in the summer and fall in the spring Wow they kind of put it together I had a nice run they just were overmatched Forest Hills northern the one thing if you watch that game they just were physically

stronger taller at every position this seemed stronger and that led to a twenty three to five shot said they dominated that game start to finish yeah Muskegon Western Michigan Christian certainly no stranger to winning

state

titles they do it quite frankly this one however against Grosse Pointe Woods University the Leggett took a shoot out their goalie where's number zero so that was kind of a appropriate but again in the end he was spectacular talking about Jamison Gorman Jamison Gorman I

have never seen a goalkeeper stop for straight shot to shoot out for Haley I've seen you've seen a lot of stuff seen forwards you know shake it over the crossbar off the crossbar I have to go in with it legitimately stopped the last four PKS and Jamison Gorman was brilliant that whole game that game was a type of game where it could have gone either way back and forth ball teams to kind of share possession made runs in the end you need a star player to step up and that kid stepped up ten

twenty years now people will still be talking about his performance in that shootout and it wasn't just the

finals

it was the semi

finals

as well you know certainly Grandville calvin christian was a great team and it was a regional final shootout win that got them to get even you know to be even close to getting to the final they beat the one two three and five teams in the last four games with tournament you talked about running the got win in earning a

state

championship you can't do

any better than what they were they were ranked fourth going into the tournament and the Warriors just raised their game to another level now whether you call it Division four class the University Liggett and this they knew each other I mean they've been going at it and have been near the top of the ranks for decade yes since the MHSA took over back in 1982 those both those programs have made a lot of runs I believe Western Michigan Christian is now seven and seven all-time to

state

finals

that's that's incredible for a program for over thirty nine years twenty seven goals they had in the tournament and allowed just one yeah and they had great balance there's a lot of different guys stepping up over the last three weeks and credit Liggett I mean they had nineteen in the tournament they only gave up three goals but unfortunately in this one they'll just have to settle for runner-up but again great season for both of them and a boy a lot of exciting play out at Novi

so took place out at Comstock Park we're gonna check it out right after the break I'm on the Blue Devil football team and that's a great place to be because other colleges wouldn't let me be both the football player and a nursing student and just because I'm a dog on the field doesn't mean I can't take care of people and man do I love people the small class size of LT you give me an awesome access to my nursing professors war instead War Blue Devils dare nope I got

my start in officiating when a friend told me I should try it at first I just did basketball and I got hooked before long I added baseball softball football and volleyball I really enjoy giving back to the game working with kids and working with my local association to recruit and train new officials I like to say to anybody that officiating is great way to help kids and stay connected to the game I always need new officials yes help wanted justice you do know you wanna contest an old day with

me right mm-hmm and you just want to see how he just delicious pizza we could do other things will do anything for flavor now get a meal deal to fit any budget at the home of flavored crust hungry I'm Laurin plants and we had that car heist goal for the division three

boys

soccer

state

finals

Grosse Ile the Red Devils coming in undefeated 2000 and three last time they won the title 2002 runners-up a year ago in heartbreaking fashion they fell 3 2 1 and overtime to Hudsonville unity

Christian the Grand Rapids South Christian sailors 21 wins only four defeats two ties they won the title in 2015 but have not been back to a finale since the Red Devils looking to get out to a quick start they do Bosh Tanny upfield shoots it short side 1 nil Red Devils 14 minutes in sailors working quick here Tom DeVries going to get it upfield the response with the shot but Alex keihan out of the net a slide and the block Alex de santé with the free kick for the Red Devils going top shelf but

Nick Shepherd gets up juggles it able to bring it down for the sailors free-kick opportunity for the sailors now it's Kayla we ranga puts his right leg into it but ski and there to catch it no problem Red Devils kept the one nil lead going into the second half the sailors Boston nap here sprinting upfield he's gonna get it over to boss in the box but ski and able to get a piece of it and send it wide Tanny working towards the sideline able to deliver a pass to Joe Duke in front of the

net Shepherd slides and knocks it away it was still a one goal game we riga taking another free kick for the sailors up high jeff Haruma puts it in the box for tom DeVries but ski and able to get to it before he can put an attempt on it Diego tips Corino plays it in off the Red Devil Reese boss and a follow up gets his head on it just at a ski hands reach sailors tied up with 19 minutes left to go in the game grows eel back with the ball clayton lafayette passing towards the net Josh Davis

juggles it around Kayla wearing ax puts a left leg on it but off the table crossbar cleared by wearing go we stayed tied at one we we're headed for overtime two minutes left in the second overtime period sailors trying to capitalize boss passing back to Diego Tesco Rio works away from the defender takes a shot but ski hand comes up with another clutch save we were headed to a best of five penalty kick shootout first up south Christians Behrend to burgeon he goes left ski and guess right

sailors 100 advantage so gross eel since Josh Davis up next he buries it in the right corner Red Devils even it up sailors sending Tom DeVries to the line he's shot just wide of the net we're still tied at one Bosh Tanny trying to make the most of his opportunity had the lone goal for the Red Devils beat scheppers to the left side grows eel takes the advantage to one can't fall too far behind now tisks Corino he beats ski han worked back to even Red Devils sending Tony boga tied to

the line scheppers all over it bats this one away we were still not enough caleb wearing it stern tries left just too much banks and off the post coming down to the wire eight shooter max Aston he will go laughs snake it inside the post giving crow seal the advantage three to two now if Skien makes the stop here grows eel our

state

champs

Riley Visser puts his right leg into its key hand with the diving denial Wow the grow seal Red Devils their first

state

championship since 2002 they win this

one to one by way of a peek a shootout Wow I mean it was just surreal it was amazing I don't even I don't even know how to describe it it's just amazing I mean you just got to focus on the game you gotta work hard harder than the other team and then just you know put everything on the line last game I couldn't even hold back I was crying I was so happy and I've never cried before being happy at something I played with these guys since I'm with three or four ever since

ever and this is our time weeping you deserve this honestly we've been wanting this so bad we stay at Comstock Park for the Division one

boys

soccer

championship Traverse City West eighteen four and two they've never won a

state

title Troy Athens 22 wins just two defeats one tie they haven't won the championship since 1997 when they beat Salem by a two-to-one score let's get to action in the first half game scoreless the Eagles laundry myth Tory passes up to teach a burnout

he's going to get it deep in the Titans end he'll get a shot on goal but Blaine called Fleiss there for the stop able to jump on the ball before any damage is done later Athens with a free kick Jaden Mackowski the chance puts it high but called fleisch gets even higher able to haul it in TC West with a free kick chance of their own it's gonna be taken by Finn Durban big boot on it but Jason Kemp catches it right in the breadbasket we were scoreless at the half 2nd half action now

Troy Athens chance at the free kick myth Tory puts his leg into it goes top left corner this one passed cold slice Athens up 1 nil later and it's another free kick by Mackowski this is a long one going to hang in the air for a while headed once then again by Rishi Kalin puts it on goal but called flies up and knocks it away then Gavin Michael going to get the header from Collin blackboard he's going ahead towards the goal gets taken out by Paul siak that led to a penalty kick for the

Titans blackboard will take the PK knows exactly where to put it we are tied at one just under 14 minutes to go we flash forward to time winding down Athens hoping to make a move Renauld with a stop gets redirected out to Donovan sharp puts a left foot on it cold flesh able to just get a piece and deflected away we were headed into overtime tied at one just like what happened in d3 1 overtime not enough we needed a second Davis deal Shivani feeds it up to Ryan Kruger keeps it away from cold

flights gets back up and buries it back in the net Troy assets up to 1 and the Redhawks continue to be red-hot this is two minutes later grew KO with the corner kick bounces around in front of the net xishi Kali on there - bangin home Athens up 3 to 1 now 2 minutes later Athens jack Musto going to clear the ball out under a titans leg Ryan Kruger able to chase it down and find the back of the twine Troy half the score three goals in the second overtime to claim their first

state

championship in

22 years final score 4 to 1 I was super proud of them you know we we had talked a lot about

soccer

being a game of moments in a game of momentum and I thought early in that second half we had a lot of pressure on their goal he scored the goal on the free kick and then they came back with the penalty kick and and I think our kids for the first time this season maybe got a little rattled it's overwhelming right now we've been working on this more than just four years at being at Athens

we've been dreaming of this moment playing together for probably eight nine years so to finally be able to do it last year we we had a really successful season we went undefeated in the regular season but got knocked out early in the district so all this came in the summer with the mindset that we got come out play even better work harder and then the offseason and each one of us just worked our butts off on the offseason early morning 7:00 a.m. all fed Athens working out at the night and to

finally see that paid off with the

state

championship is undescribable there's a lot going through obviously the excitement that we want to game but there's emotions that seniors are leaving it was our final game of the year but it was a good one it was a good way that I've been dreaming about that moment my whole life it's not that's the moment not many people get to go through in it a lot especially with my whole team they're right behind me and so much more I think I

was confident going into a regional final I had that that same mentality I got the goal and I think my team has always always helped me to me that counts as well so putting in there I thought I wasn't good on that and that's what happened he sees immense heat having in the back of your you always on your dagger be safe no matter what's going to happen you know it's will be safe and just having this bloke the leader I think it always has welcome back inside the

state

champs

studio just had an opportunity to check out Division three in Division one highlights great games both of them dan stick rad here joining me as we kind of break it down a little bit first off talk about Division three Adams ski hamper grow seal came up huge it was kind of the tournament of the goalie if you will was able to stop Grand Rapids South Christian and whether he got some help from the posts or not the bottom line is grow seal our

state

champs

yes just another great performance by a

goalie and you saw that all year there was a great collection of goalies in the

state

of Michigan missed your seniors and juniors that stood out and when when there's such parity in the

state

of Michigan in certain divisions where there's so many teams there so even goalkeeper a lot of times as a side effect or a game of inches they make that one key saving in a regional final or shootout the

state

final and that makes a difference at the end I know and after falling in the division

three final the Hudsonville unity christian in overtime last year to come back and again you're in something that's as tight as it gets and you get your second title in program history because it had been a while since they won one yeah 2002 and like a lot of those kids weren't even born yet the last time they won and girls seal has always been a strong program down river yeah they've been scoring lots of goal over the last few years but their defense was was there was a strong

point all season for them and they they they actually played the summer league over the summer with some Oakland and Macomb County school ran about toughen up strengthen up for the the season I think that paid dividends here Leon yeah and I think you probably when you do see teams that make that extra effort to find you know really solid comp competition in the summer I think you know everything pays off in November yeah and they're a team used to winning there are only two losses were in

August and I believe September 7th was the last one they actually lost and shootouts in a couple of weekend tournaments those shortened games so they went literally about almost two months without a loss incredible run my girls feel no doubt about it in Division one on one of the really cool things is the fact that when you have an opportunity as a coach to win a

state

title that's amazing when you have an opportunity to win a

state

title as a coach at your alma mater that's even more

amazing when you have the opportunity to win a

state

title as a player which Todd Hugh was at Troy Athens in the 80s and to win a

state

championship then and to win one now it is their fifth title being Troy Athens which is great but the first since 1997 yeah it's been 22 years and that was under the legendary tim storage unit right athletics director and head coach up at alpena yeah but todd hugh heat actually took over Rochester high about 20 years ago and his team steadily went I mean he

was a stay runner up with the girls in 2007 it's 2002

boys

at Rochester were

state

champs

in d1 and then Troy Athens got to the semis in the girls side in 2015 and then 2016 they lost the East Kentwood in a shootout in the final so he has a history of getting his team's prime for the tournament run and it's interesting

soccer

is you talk about momentum shifts you know this is a tight game we ran over time here and all of a sudden the Red Hawks just find the way to find the back of

the net frequently yeah like a volcano erupting yeah Athens in last year's district final they out shot Utica for EE 21 to 5 and lost one to nothing on a lake free-kick you think that was on the mine a lot of those early players I believe they had 13 guys back maybe in freshman teams only lost like a game or two last year so the talent was there they ran the gauntlet they won another o a a red division title and then you know remain hot throughout the tournament and score three goals in the

last nine minutes of the second overtime to prevail so that's right made no doubt so Dan thanks for being here man appreciate it absolutely he's dan stick rad I'm Loren plant want to thank you for watching this year's edition of the

2019

boys

soccer

state

championships we're gonna do this for all the sports so make sure you keep checking out

state

champs

network.com follow us on social media whether it's Facebook Twitter Instagram we load fresh content on there each and

every day again hope you enjoy this and we will see you next C date chance at the

state

finals

is presented by Lawrence Technological University city where blue devils dare also brought to you by the Michigan High School Athletic Association promoting the value and values of educational athletics and hungry Holly's famous for flavor