Puma-Quick Potter's House Wins Matchup of 1st-Time Finalists
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
November 6, 2021
NOVI – Wyoming Potter’s House’s first trip to the Division 4 soccer championship match was a successful one, to say the least.
On Saturday at Novi High School, the Pumas (24-3-1) lived up to their nickname, racing past Clarkston Everest Collegiate 3-0 to claim their first Finals title.
It was the first Finals appearance in boys soccer for both schools.
On its way to the championship, Everest (18-3-4), which had nine freshmen on varsity, beat No. 4 Royal Oak Shrine, No. 11 Lansing Christian and No. 10 Bad Axe.
Potter’s House had knocked off No. 2 Grandville Calvin Christian, with the Pumas winning three one-goal games and their District final in a shootout on their way to the Final.
Saturday’s battle wasn’t as close.
Potter’s House, boasting nine players taller than 6-foot, took the fight to Everest with their quickness for most of the first half as both teams missed a couple of scoring opportunities.
“These guys have been working passing patterns for the last month-and-half,’’ said Pumas coach Mike Colago. “Guys have been hitting their spots, playing between the lines. A lot of experienced players and a lot of guys buying into what we are doing. We just try to dominate from the beginning and play really fast.’’
That philosophy worked again.
Forward Jonathan Stout, the team’s leading scorer and a Michigan State recruit, finally got the Pumas on the board with a boomer from 25 yards out at the 15:27 mark of the first half. It was his 27th goal of the season.
“There were a bunch of alumni here and guys I played with in the past,’’ said Stout. “This is the first time we’ve made it this far. For future generations coming here, they can say we can do this because the team before us did it. It builds confidence.’’
Quickness paved the way for the Pumas’ second goal as Yosia Mukanda put the eventual winners up 2-0 with nine minutes left in the first half when the Mountaineers were unable to clear the ball out of their end.
“Until we get that first goal, we’re just pushing and pushing and pushing,’’ said Stout. “Once we got that first goal, in my head, I thought we were going to set back. But Yosia and Rukundo (Masengesho) had other plans.
Masengesho wasn’t technically credited with a goal because it hit an opposing player on the way. But he was the initiator of the action that led an Everest defender to accidentally put the ball in his team’s own net with 5:59 left in the half to make it 3-0.
“In the second half we’ve had to hold onto those leads, but we were fortunate enough to have a three-goal lead instead of a one-goal lead to hold onto,’’ said Stout.
PHOTOS (Top) Jonathan Stout (13) leads the attack for Potter’s House while Everest defenders Lucas Cross (10) and Luke Walker (22) pursue. (Middle) The Pumas’ Yosia Mukanda (16) and Mountaineers’’ Charlie Reichert (5) race downfield. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
Record-Setting Saving, Historic Scoring Send Grosse Ile to 2018 Boys Soccer Finals
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 17, 2024
Grosse Ile’s Division 3 runner-up season in 2018 included multiple MHSAA team records for defensive and offensive success.
The Red Devils set a record with 21 straight shutouts and 24 total over 29 games, and also finished third all-time scoring 158 goals.
Their 23-game winning streak that season remains tied for seventh-longest as Grosse Ile finished 27-2.
See below for more recent additions to the MHSAA boys soccer record book, and click the heading to see the record book in full.
Boys Soccer
Keeper Ethan DeJager and Grandville Calvin Christian were nearly unbeatable in 2020, finishing 19-1-2 and runner-up in Division 4. They set a record allowing only four goals for the season, while DeJager is fourth on the season shutouts list with 19 over those 22 games and tied for the second-longest shutout streak at 13. DeJager was a senior that season.
Seth Davidson capped his four-year varsity career this past fall on three records lists for shutouts – 15 over 22 games this past season, 26 for his career and nine straight as a senior. Berkley as a team also made the fewest goals allowed list, giving up only 11 in finishing 18-2-2.
Caden Saxton capped a memorable four-year Flint Kearsley varsity career in the fall with four entries in the record book. He made the assists list with 27 over 21 games as a senior and also the single-season points list with 65, and made career lists in those categories with 63 assists and 149 points, respectively, over 71 games.
Jonesville advanced in its District this past season with an 8-5 overtime win over Blissfield on Oct. 12, and Warrick Elder played a big part scoring six goals. He’s a senior.
Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep’s run to the Division 4 Semifinals saw contributions from several players, and junior James Whiting was among those leading the way. He made the assists list with 30 over 22 games, and also the total points list with 49. He also sits on the career assists list after three seasons with 66 and one more season to play.
Holland Christian made the team list for 12 straight shutouts from Sept. 8-Oct. 19, and 15 shutouts total over 20 games this past season. Junior Adam Bergman was in goal for all 15 including the 12 consecutive.
Muskegon Oakridge senior Arturo Romero-Serrano capped his career in the fall with his second season reaching 40 goals, netting 42 total to finish his four-year career with 105 and also on the MHSAA career points list with 125. He also added a second six-goal game, against Muskegon Catholic Central on Aug. 25.
Monroe Jefferson’s season came to an end Oct. 11 in a District game against Riverview, but senior Gabe Gelso finished with a state record. He made 49 saves in the 9-0 defeat as the Bears had only eight players total.
Ian Klenk added eight more shutouts in goal this past fall to finish his three-season varsity career with 25 in 60 games and make the career list in that category. He’ll continue his career at Kuyper College.
PHOTO Grosse Ile's keeper Brendan Ebler (1) gathers the ball and charts his next move during the 2018 Division 3 Final.