Alcona Savors McCoy's National Saves Record
September 28, 2017
By Dennis Chase
Special for Second Half
LINCOLN – When it comes to the MHSAA record books, Conner McCoy is the real McCoy.
The Lincoln Alcona senior keeper, who previously set the state soccer record for saves in a season, added to his laurels Wednesday night, becoming the state and national leader in career saves.
McCoy stopped eight shots in a 2-0 win over Oscoda to increase his career saves total to 1,191 – six more than Corky Hickmott, who played at Montrose from 2004-07. Hickmott was in attendance to see McCoy eclipse his mark Wednesday night.
“I was super psyched about getting it,” McCoy said afterwards. “I thanked my team so much. Plus, I knew my mom was watching down on me. It was exciting.”
Wednesday’s game was stopped in the second half when McCoy broke the record. The game ball was saved and will later be inscribed with the date he set the record along with his final number of career saves.
“We’re a small Division 4 school,” Tigers coach Tim Munro said. “Something like this may never happen here again. He’s setting a record that’s going to be tough to beat because we’ve got several more games to play. He’s going to annihilate it.”
It was a big night in this small town. Playing before the largest soccer crowd in school history – Munro estimated it at about 1,000 – Lincoln Alcona clinched at least a share of the North Star championship with its shutout victory. That feat, however, was overshadowed by the historical significance of the moment.
And McCoy and his teammates did not disappoint.
“He was really nervous,” Munro said of McCoy. “I’m glad it’s over for him. He played well, getting the shutout, but there wasn’t a whole lot of pressure (shots) on him. Our defense was really good.”
McCoy was quick to praise his teammates afterwards.
“The first thing I did was to thank my team,” the 17-year-old captain said. “I couldn’t do anything without them. They’ve given me so much support throughout this. They were so excited I got it. I think there were a few tears (shed). We’re like family. When we got together that first day (of practice), we knew there was a real connection between all of us.”
One of his closest friends is senior forward Jordan Steiner, who netted both goals Wednesday to bring his season total to 40. He had 47 a year ago.
“I’ve been playing (soccer) with Conner since I was 5,” Steiner said. “To see him go through this, and achieve this, is crazy. Kudos to him. He earned it. He worked hard for it. He’s like a stone wall at the net.”
Steiner said the Tigers were “careful” not to talk too much about McCoy’s chase for the record because they didn’t want to add more pressure on their goalie. Instead, as the record neared, they focused more on the team angle.
“We approached it like, ‘Hey, this is just another game. Let’s do our best and try to get a win,’” Steiner said.
McCoy was unaware Hickmott was among those watching. Had he known, McCoy said he probably would have been even more nervous.
McCoy reached out to Hickmott recently. Hickmott made the trip to West Branch Ogemaw Heights on Monday when it appeared the record could fall that night. McCoy made 18 saves in a 3-2 setback, leaving him three short of the record.
“It was amazing (Hickmott) drove all the way here after going to Ogemaw Heights,” Munro said. “He’s a nice guy. He didn’t want to, but I said, ‘C’mon you’ve got to be on television.’ He was interviewed after the game, too. It was really neat.”
McCoy set the MHSAA single-season save record with 391 as a sophomore. That lasted one year as the athletic 6-foot-2 goalie turned away 401 shots in his junior campaign.
Then, right as he was finishing his basketball season in March, his mother, Sheryl, passed away from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 50. Sheryl coached youth soccer for 14 years.
“She always loved soccer, and she loved to coach,” McCoy said. “She pushed everyone to be the best they could be. She could see the potential in everyone.”
McCoy said he can still feel her presence.
“Before every game I say a prayer and look up to God,” he said. “I know she’s watching.”
McCoy’s father, Tim, and older brothers, Jordan and Chris, carry the torch now as Conner’s most ardent supporters.
“I’m nervous for him and excited at the same time,” Tim said Monday on the drive home from West Branch. “If that was me out there I’d be a nervous wreck. I don’t think I’d be able to do it.”
That’s not to say Conner didn’t experience a few butterflies this week.
“I think (Monday) was the first time I’ve ever seen him nervous, all because he was getting close to the record,” Tim McCoy said. “Normally when he’s out there, no matter what team they’re facing, he plays like he’s in a comfort zone. He’s solid.”
So what fatherly advice did he offer?
“I told him to play his game, not worry about the count, and focus on every shot,” Tim said. “He wants his team to win more than he wants the record.”
“He likes to win. That’s the driving force,” Munro added.
It was a coincidence the record fell in a league showdown with Oscoda. Tim works at a call center there that deals with government contracts. He said his co-workers are well versed on Lincoln Alcona soccer and his son’s accomplishments.
“I don’t think there’s a single person at work who doesn’t know about (the record),” he said proudly. “I tell everybody.”
Wednesday’s win improved Lincoln Alcona’s record to 9-6-2. But that mark is deceiving, Munro said.
“We’re a small school,” he said. “We only have 200 kids to pick from and we play a lot of bigger schools in Divisions 1, 2 and 3. That makes a big difference. That’s one of the reasons why there are so many shots at (McCoy).”
Also, the Tigers, who face Gaylord on Saturday, play the maximum number of games in the regular season and are two-time District champions.
“We lost to Genesee Christian the last two years in Regionals and they went on to win the state championship,” Munro said.
So now that the record is behind him, what’s next for McCoy and his teammates?
Here’s a clue: It’s not about saves, it’s about wins.
“We’re hoping for a (District) three-peat,” he said.
Dennis Chase worked 32 years as a sportswriter at the Traverse City Record-Eagle, including as sports editor from 2000-14. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Lincoln Alcona's Conner McCoy goes high to stop a header for one of his saves. (Middle) McCoy stretches out to deflect the ball away from his goal. (Below) McCoy slides to the ground to gather up another save toward his national record. (Photos courtesy of the McCoy family.)
VIDEO: WBKB shows McCoy's three saves to break the national record and interviews him after.
Preview: Time to Take the Final Step
October 31, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Half of this season’s boys soccer finalists have never won an MHSAA championship.
But they’re surely looking forward to another opportunity after just-misses in the past.
Grand Rapids Covenant Christian has finished runner-up in Division 4 the last two seasons. Opponent Birmingham Roeper has made the Semifinals four times including last season and lost in its lone Final appearance. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood has fallen in Semifinals two of the last five seasons, and Williamston fell in overtime in the Division 3 Final only two years ago.
One of the Division 4 teams is sure to celebrate Saturday. Cranbrook and Williamston have their work cut out, however, against two of the most storied programs in MHSAA history. Division 1 is the lone division matching former champions.
Below is Saturday's schedule, followed by a look at each team in the hunt:
Division 1 at Brighton, Noon
Canton (23-0-3) vs. Rochester Adams (13-4-7)
Division 2 at Brighton, 3 p.m.
East Lansing (23-2) vs. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood (19-2-1)
Division 3 at East Kentwood Crestwood Middle School, Noon
Hudsonville Unity Christian (23-1) vs. Williamston (14-3-6)
Division 4 at East Kentwood Crestwood Middle School, 3 p.m.
Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (21-3-2) vs. Birmingham Roeper (22-1)
All four Finals will be streamed live on MHSAA.TV and available on a subscription basis. A one-day pass costs $9.95 and allows access to all four games plus the Lower Peninsula Cross Country Finals. A month pass costs $14.95 and allows fans to also watch live the Volleyball Semifinals and Finals and Lower Peninsula Girls Swimming & Diving Finals, plus weekly coverage of the football playoffs. Radio broadcasts of the Soccer Finals will be available on MHSAAnetwork.com.
Click for links to brackets and scores. All statistics below are through Regional Finals.
DIVISION 1
CANTON
Record/rank: 23-0-3, No. 2
Coach: Mark Zemanski, second season (40-2-6)
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association Kensington Conference
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2011).
Players to watch: Jack Zemanski, sr. M (5 goals, 17 assists); Carter Schenk, sr. F (14 goals, 6 assists); Hunter Olson, jr. M/F (15 goals, 9 assists).
Outlook: Canton’s undefeated run has included wins over No. 3 Livonia Stevenson (by shootout), No. 9 Plymouth and No. 10 Northville (by shootout in the Regional Final) and one of the ties was against Rochester Adams, this weekend’s championship game opponent. Jack Zemanski and Schenk both earned all-state honorable mentions as juniors, with Zemanski this fall the main distributor to four players with at least 12 goals. Three keepers have combined for 15 shutouts, including a string of seven straight through the middle of the season.
ROCHESTER ADAMS
Record/rank: 13-4-7, honorable mention
Coach: Josh Hickey, sixth season (70-33-30)
League finish: Second in Oakland Activities Association Red
Championship history: Division 1 champion 1999, runner-up 2001.
Players to watch: Kevin Lencioni sr. F (17 goals, 5 assists), Lennart Zorn, jr. F (15 goals, 8 assists), Dylan Brown, soph. GK (0.50 GAA, 9 shutouts).
Outlook: Hickey has led Adams to two straight District titles and four total in six seasons, this time after a rather middling 1-1-4 start to the fall. Adams downed No. 4 Fraser 3-2 in the Semifinal in one of only five games the team gave up more than one goal. The ties are many but impressive against honorable mentions Novi, Detroit Catholic Central (which Adams later beat) and Canton, as mentioned above. Brown is one of three sophomore starters and also has a freshman among defenders in front of him.
DIVISION 2
BLOOMFIELD HILLS CRANBROOK KINGSWOOD
Record/rank: 19-2-1, No. 10
Coach: Chad O’Kulich, 16th season (214-54-24)
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League AA
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Paul Holmes, sr. M (14 goals, 9 assists); Kolin Clark, soph. M (13 goals, 4 assists); Ken Kernen, jr. F (14 goals, 9 assists).
Outlook: Cranbrook’s run has been impressive with three shutouts and its last two wins coming over No. 5 Linden in the Regional Final and No. 9 Dexter in the Semifinal. Both losses were during the first half of the regular season to honorable mention Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, and the Cranes also own a win over Division 3 No. 9 Detroit Country Day. They’ve won nine straight league titles and 11 in 12 seasons, plus three straight Districts and two Regionals in three seasons. Five seniors man the middle and back in front of junior keeper Trevor Stormes, who has 10 shutouts.
EAST LANSING
Record/rank: 23-2, No. 4
Coach: Nick Archer, 38th season (595-154-72)
League finish: First in Capital Area Activities Conference Blue
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2013), two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: DeJuan Jones, sr. F (22 goals, 13 assists); Zach Lane, jr. M (15 goals, 7 assists); Elmedin Celovic, sr. M (11 goals, 6 assists), Chris Wallace, jr. GK (15 shutouts).
Outlook: The Trojans followed last season’s championship with four shutouts to start 2014, and their lone losses were to top-ranked Mason and honorable mention DeWitt, the latter in a shootout. East Lansing avenged that Mason loss by beating the Bulldogs in the Semifinal and also beat No. 3 Spring Lake and DeWitt during this tournament run – and Division 1 No. 1 Okemos during the regular season. Jones has committed to play next season at Michigan State University and could be a finalist for Mr. Soccer.
DIVISION 3
HUDSONVILLE UNITY CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 23-1. No. 1
Coach: Randy Heethuis, 21st season (395-66-30)
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Green
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2012), four runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Trent Vegter, sr. D/M (14 goals, 22 assists); Jared Timmer, sr. M (29 goals, 22 assists); Andrew DeJong, sr. F (21 goals, 6 assists); Carson Brinks, sr. F (17 goals, 13 assists); Lucas Ohlman, sr. GK (0.51 GAA, 15 shutouts).
Outlook: Unity Christian has won three of the last seven MHSAA titles in Division 2, including in 2012, and makes the move into Division 3 with a strong senior class looking for one last crowning achievement. Nine of 12 seniors start for a team that has shut out 16 of its last 18 opponents including No. 6 Grosse Ile 3-0 in the Semifinal. The lone loss was to Division 7 No. 3 Grand Rapids Christian, 4-3.
WILLIAMSTON
Record/rank: 14-3-6, No. 4
Coach: Brent Sorg, 10th season (132-83-21)
League finish: First in CAAC White
Championship history: Division 3 runner-up 2012.
Players to watch: Josh Ward, jr. M (11 goals, 13 assists); Aidan Pace, sr. F (6 goals, 9 assists); Zach Griffin, jr. F (18 goals, 3 assists); Brian Ganton, jr. F (14 goals, 5 assists).
Outlook: Williamston has taken a step into the elite over the last four seasons with four District and two Regional titles and a just-miss overtime loss to Grand Rapids South Christian in the 2012 Final. This Hornets run included wins over No. 7 Frankenmuth, No. 3 Flint Powers Catholic and regular-season victories over Division 1 No. 1 Okemos, Division 2 honorable mention DeWitt and Division 4 No. 3 Kalamazoo Hackett. Ward made the all-state second team last season as a sophomore, and Pace earned an honorable mention.
DIVISION 4
BIRMINGHAM ROEPER
Record/rank: 22-1, No. 4
Coach: Ed Sack, 17th season (226-113-21)
League finish: First in Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Blue
Championship history: Class D runner-up 1995.
Players to watch: Simon Roennecke, soph. F (35 goals, 34 assists); Max Whipple, sr. F (42 goals, 19 assists); Calvin Lind, jr. GK (1.06 GAA, 10 shutouts).
Outlook: Roeper took on its share of Detroit area teams with multiple wins during the regular season over No. 10 Plymouth Christian and honorable mention Allen Part Inter-City Baptist, and avenged an early overtime loss to honorable mention Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett with a win at the end of the regular season and then another in overtime in the Regional Final. Whipple made the all-state first team last season as a defender and ranks among the highest scorers in MHSAA single-season history; Roennecke made the all-state second team last season, and his assists tie for eighth-most for one fall in the MHSAA record book.
GRAND RAPIDS COVENANT CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 21-3-2
Coach: Mike Noorman, 11th season (145-70-17)
League finish: First in River Valley Conference
Championship history: 2013 and 2012 runner-up.
Players to watch: Travis Bouwkamp, sr. F (20 goals 33 assists), Jared Minderhoud, sr. M (24 goals, 6 assists); Colin Riemersma, jr. F (32 goals, 10 assists).
Outlook: Covenant Christian has fallen by a goal in both of the last two Division 4 Finals and graduated a strong senior class this spring. But Bouwkamp, an all-state first-team selection in 2013, has led a new group of standouts as they’ve outscored opponents by a combined score of 102-23. Covenant beat No. 3 Hackett in the Regional Final and then No. 9 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian in the Semifinal, and the losses all came to much larger schools including Division 2 No. 6 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern and No. 8 Holland Christian.
PHOTO: East Lansing's DeJuan Jones will attempt to lead the Trojans to their second straight Division 2 championship and fifth MHSAA title overall.