Moment: 1st Lead Only Lead EGR Needs
May 18, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
East Grand Rapids never led during regulation of the 2009 Division 2 Boys Lacrosse Final, trailing Orchard Lake St. Mary’s at most by six goals during the second period.
But with the end of overtime staring the Pioneers down, Josh Drummond gave his team the only advantage that mattered.
Drummond scored an unassisted goal with 1:36 to play in the extra period, giving EGR its first and only lead and a 13-12 win that clinched the program’s third-straight Division 2 championship.
Drummond also had scored twice during the fourth period as East Grand Rapids mounted its comeback and outscored St. Mary’s 5-2 to deadlock the score and send the game to overtime.
Drummond went on to play at Grand Canyon University. Jake Coretti, who netted the tying goal with 3:43 to go in regulation, was a sophomore that season and went on to play at Rutgers.
Watch Drummond’s game winner below from the MHSAA Network.
Moment: Owens Rings in Repeat Celebration
May 28, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Eric Solberg tied the MHSAA Final record with six goals to set up East Grand Rapids to repeat as Division 2 champion in 2018.
And Chris Owens’ bouncer into the net with 2:04 left in second overtime finished the perhaps unexpected 11-10 Pioneers’ win over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, which had doubled up EGR 14-7 earlier that spring.
The teams played to a scoreless first overtime and nearly matched it during the second during the June 9 rematch before Owens made his deciding run. He’d also scored during the second quarter.
“We had decided to settle it down, maybe get on offense, but I saw an opening and I just took a shot,” Owens said shortly after. “It’s crazy, all these people watching. It feels really good to finish it off.”
East Grand Rapids also had defeated FHC 11-9 in the 2017 Final after the Rangers took their Division 2 championship matchup 10-6 in 2016.
Click for coverage of the 2018 Final from Second Half and watch the winner below from the NFHS Network.