East Lansing Breaks Free for 4th Title
November 2, 2013
By Tom Kendra
Special to Second Half
KENTWOOD – Ben Swanson-Ralph was just looking to making something happen, to break the ice.
The senior forward did more than that – scoring what proved to be the game-winning goal late in the first half in East Lansing's 2-0 victory over Spring Lake on Saturday at Crestwood Middle School in the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Boys Soccer championship game.
"Out of all the goals I've ever scored in soccer, this was the best," said Swanson-Ralph, an all-stater last year as a junior, who finished his senior season with 15 goals and 12 assists.
"I've always dreamed about playing in the state championship game and scoring a goal, but to actually have it happen, is indescribable. I'll remember it my whole life."
Swanson-Ralph picked up a loose ball about 25 yards in front of the goal, slid past a defender and then skidded a low shot into the right side of the net past Spring Lake keeper Joe Czajka. That tally broke a scoreless tie with 10:19 remaining in the first half.
The goal was critical because, up until that point, the game was progressing according to the plan of upset-minded Spring Lake.
While East Lansing was dominating possession and shots and generally keeping the ball in the Spring Lake end, the Trojans had been unable to break through. The defensive-oriented Lakers, like a boxer that allows his opponent to wear himself out, would have loved to go into halftime with a scoreless tie at cold and windy Pat Patterson Field.
Instead, Swanson-Ralph's goal gave his team the cushion and confidence it needed to open up its high-octane offensive attack, according to 38th-year coach Nick Archer.
East Lansing, which finished 25-2, won its fourth MHSAA boys soccer championship. The Trojans also won titles in 1987, 2002 and 2005, to go with two runner-up finishes.
"I am so proud of these kids," said Archer, whose team outscored its seven postseason opponents by a combined score of 22-1, including a 3-0 victory over No. 2 Linden in the Regional Final. "There is so much pressure these days. I just want them to enjoy this moment."
East Lansing, which finished with an 8-3 edge in shots on goal, came out on fire in the second half - with close-range chances by junior DeJuan Jones and sophomore Ian Carroll being stymied by Czajka, the Lakers' last line of defense.
The consistent EL pressure finally broke through again with 33:55 remaining in the game, when Spring Lake was over-aggressive on a corner kick.
The Trojans countered the Lakers' attack as Jones and Carroll broke into the open and then played a give-and-go game up the length of the artificial field in Kentwood. As they approached the goal, Carroll veered into the corner, drawing a defender, and then gave it back to Jones, who punched it into the back of the net. It was the 28th goal of the season for Jones, the Trojans' leading scorer.
"Ian and I hang out a lot and we know what the other one is thinking," said Jones. "We came out in the second half and tried to turn up the pressure and get another goal. It doesn't matter to us who scores; really, we just want to win."
The Lakers had a couple of scoring opportunities the rest of the way, notably from senior striker Nic Ellingboe and sophomore Keegan George. The East Lansing defensive corps of Grant Brogan, Michie Nimsombun, Torey Redmond, Andy Millar and goalkeeper Blair Moore were up to the challenge on each occasion to preserve the lead. Moore had to make just one save.
Spring Lake, which finished 16-7-3, played in its second MHSAA championship game in the past three years under 13th-year head coach Jeremy Thelen. The Lakers fell to Auburn Hills Avondale, 2-1, in the 2011 Final.
This year's Spring Lake team entered the tournament unranked with an underwhelming 10-6-3 record, but gained momentum when it stunned neighboring rival Fruitport, 2-1, in the District Semifinal. Fruitport had defeated Spring Lake twice in the regular season.
"Right now, it's hard for these kids to end with a loss," said Thelen. "But these kids will realize in time what a great season it was, especially since this tournament run was a bit unexpected."
PHOTOS: (Top) East Lansing goalkeeper Blair Moore steps in front of a shot as Spring Lake's Ryan Zietlow attempts to deflect. (Middle) East Lansing's DeJuan Jones (2) heads the ball during Saturday's game. (Click to see more from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
Hickey Joins Notable Coaching Crew as Adams Completes 2024 Soccer Sweep
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
November 14, 2024
When New Year’s Eve comes this year and the ball drops to welcome in 2025, Rochester Adams boys and girls soccer coach Josh Hickey might be hesitant to celebrate this year coming to an end.
It’s not that he won’t be excited for the new year. It’s just that it might be impossible to top 2024 from a coaching perspective.
In June, Hickey made history when he helped guide the Adams girls to the Division 1 championship with a 2-0 win over Hartland.
He joined the list of soccer coaches in state history who have led both boys and girls programs to Finals championships, a group that includes Barry Brodsky of Bloomfield Hills Marian/Brother Rice, Randy Heethuis of Hudsonville Unity Christian, Brian Guggemos of Okemos, Ken Johnson of Salem, Brian O’Leary of Novi, Tim Storch of Troy Athens and Clark Udell of Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central.
“That’s good company to keep, that’s for sure,” Hickey said in praising those other coaches who have pulled off the feat.
Earlier this month, the Adams boys followed in the footsteps of their classmates from this spring, defeating Byron Center in the Division 1 Final, 2-0, to win the program’s second Division 1 title over the last three years. Adams downed Rockford in the 2022 Final, also by a 2-0 score.
Adams also won girls and boys Division 1 soccer titles during the same calendar year in 1999, but with those teams led by separate coaches.
Hickey said while each team had talent and players all came from great soccer backgrounds and families, the two championship runs were quite different.
“With the girls, I would imagine nobody picked us necessarily to go that far, especially at the beginning of the season,” he said. “Throughout the year, the girls were just super resilient. The expectation wasn’t there.”
It was a far different element once the fall started and the boys took the field, given there was a solid core of returnees and also five MLS Next academy players who decided to experience high school soccer for their senior year, including eventual Mr. Soccer Award winner Alex Rosin.
“With the boys, we had to battle through all those expectations,” Hickey said. “There is something with your mental toughness to see if the kids can even handle that pressure. They handled it better than I thought they would. It was never a concern or issue.
“The girls came in and just wanted a good year and then ended up having the most success they could ever imagine. The boys came in telling me they wanted to win the whole thing from day one.”
On Oct. 30 – when the Adams boys team defeated Saline in their Semifinal (2-1 in penalty kicks) – it just so happened to be the same day the girls team got its championship rings.
“Some of the girls came and showed us during lunch and throughout the day,” Rosin said. “It just gave us extra motivation. We had to win two more, and we successfully did. At the time, we wanted it so bad and we saw them wear the rings at school. It made us want it even more.”
For the record, Rosin said playing high school soccer — even if it was just for one year — was an experience he’ll never forget.
“Hickey played me at every position,” Rosin said. “It was a good experience to learn the game in a different way. Just kind of push myself and test myself every day. Different positions and trying to become the best player I can be.
“One thing I’ll take away is the memories and new bonds I made with my teammates. It was something incredible.”
Despite the boys season being over, Hickey said the transition to girls season will wait a bit. There is still the matter of the postseason banquet to attend to, as well as championship celebrations such as meeting the mayor of Rochester Hills and marching in the downtown Rochester Christmas parade.
But once the celebrations slow down and the holidays come to end, all attention will turn to the girls season and the run for a repeat next spring.
The Adams girls program has never won consecutive Finals titles, but should be well-equipped to give it a go.
“A lot of players come back from the starting group,” Hickey said. “We also had girls waiting in the wings waiting to play. We’re excited for it.”
While it will be difficult for Hickey and Adams soccer to say farewell to 2024, there clearly is a lot to look forward to for 2025 as well.
Keith Dunlap has served in Detroit-area sports media for more than two decades, including as a sportswriter at the Oakland Press from 2001-16 primarily covering high school sports but also college and professional teams. His bylines also have appeared in USA Today, the Washington Post, the Detroit Free Press, the Houston Chronicle and the Boston Globe. He served as the administrator for the Oakland Activities Association’s website from 2017-2020. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Rochester Adams soccer coach Josh Hickey shows the Division 1 championship trophy after his boys team defeated Byron Center on Nov. 2 at Grand Ledge High School. (Middle) Hickey, far left, takes his spot in the team photo after Adams’ girls won the Division 1 title in June at Michigan State’s DeMartin Stadium.