Keeper Keys Country Day's D2 Triumph
November 3, 2018
By Jeff Chaney
Special for Second Half
COMSTOCK PARK – Jon Dougherty stood tall for 100 minutes of soccer.
And then some.
Under constant pressure Saturday at Comstock Park from undefeated and top-ranked Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, Dougherty, the senior goalkeeper for Detroit Country Day, made save after save throughout regulation and then overtime to keep his team in a scoreless Division 2 title game.
Then in the penalty kick shootout, Dougherty made one more big save and the Huskies missed the net on another shot, giving the Yellowjackets a 4-2 advantage in penalty kicks for a 1-0 victory and the program’s state-record 15th MHSAA Finals championship.
The title Saturday was the program’s first in Division 2. The Yellowjackets moved from Division 3 this fall.
"Credit to Forest Hills Northern, they were a great opponent," Dougherty said. "They were big, fast and physical and really wore us down the whole game. I just did what I had to do to keep the ball out of the net. I just kept telling my defenders where to be in position, and they did a (heck) of a job, too."
During regulation, Dougherty stopped 12 Forest Hills Northern shots. He stopped four more in the two 10-minute overtime periods. Then the one in the penalty kick session to give him a full day’s work and make his coach very proud.
"They (FHN) are a wonderful team," said Detroit Country Day coach Steve Bossert, whose team ended the year with a 20-5-2 record. "And we had a good gameplan, the kids executed it and I think we have the best goalie in the state. He made the difference."
Especially early.
"Some of those flighted balls early, he had to reach over and make great saves in a lot of traffic," Bossert said. "And they have a lot of big bodies. He was the best."
The higher-regarded team coming into Saturday's title game was the Huskies, who had not lost in 24 games this fall.
And Forest Hills Northern played like that all game, controlling tempo and pushing the ball into the Yellowjackets' defensive end time and time again. But the Huskies could not penetrate Detroit Country Day's defense and Dougherty.
"It doesn't really matter if you don't score," said FHN coach Daniel Siminski, whose team ended its year 23-1-1. "This is my fifth state finals, and I have lost three on PKs. And when you are or are not the best team, today they were the best team because they won, shots or no shots."
The Huskies also fell in a shootout in their first championship match appearance, to Mason in 2015.
"Country Day played a great defensive game," Siminski added. "They made it difficult for us to create. And when we had chances, we didn't score. That is how it goes sometimes. This is a tough pill to swallow after the season we had."
Senior midfielder Kevin Tang netted Country Day’s final penalty kick that put the game away.
The championship was Country Day’s first since 2011.
"This was a great high school soccer game," Bossert said. "I think it is a shame that somebody has to lose like that. Obviously, I am very excited that we won. I am not a very big fan of the tiebreak, but it is what it is and we ended up on the better end of it."
PHOTOS: (Top) Country Day keeper Jon Dougherty gathers a shot just over the head of a Forest Hills Northern player Saturday at Comstock Park. (Middle) Yellowjackets senior Kevin Tang celebrates during his team’s Division 2 Final victory.
16 Seniors-Strong Rochester Adams Savors Another Unforgettable Finale
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
November 2, 2024
GRAND LEDGE – Anthony Page will never forget winning an MHSAA Boys Soccer Finals title as a sophomore.
But if there’s a chance for something to be more unforgettable, the Rochester Adams senior experienced it Saturday.
Page and the Highlanders defeated Byron Center 2-0 in the Division 1 championship match, claiming the program’s third title and second in three years.
“The first one, it felt great, but this one just feels a little bit better because it’s my senior year,” said Page, who was a starter on Adams’ previous title winner in 2022. “A lot of friends on the team, just a lot of emotions. It’s amazing.”
Page is one of 16 seniors on the Adams roster, and one of three who was part of the 2022 team, along with goalkeeper Reid Dennis and defender Brendan Duff.
It was already a strong group that got even stronger with the addition of five classmates who play club soccer at the highest level but made the choice to play for their school this fall.
“For me, it’s everything because I’m in the school with them, I’m a teacher at Adams,” Adams coach Josh Hickey said. “I see them in the halls all the time. These guys came and they committed to it, and they’re good teammates and good leaders. It’s not just about them; we had a great crew coming back and they were able to blend right with them. I’m just happy they got this stage. People needed to see those guys play.”
The Highlanders came out flying in the first half, hitting Byron Center with wave after wave of pressure. If not for some outstanding saves from Bulldogs senior goalkeeper Luke Philo, the game may have been out of touch early.
“He played amazing,” Page said. “Shoutout to him. I think it was just long balls over the top (that broke through), just breaking them down, and eventually we could just get past them and it worked out.”
Adams got to Philo just past the midpoint of the first half when senior Alex Rosin threaded a perfect ball through to Page, who held off a defender and went to the far post for the goal.
The Highlanders (18-2-4) struck again with 6:50 to play in the first half, when Salvatore Dinoto worked his way into some space and onto his right foot on the right side of the goal, and went far post beyond a fully stretched Philo. Logan Lilla was credited with the assist.
“Tactically, they sit back a little bit, and they’re looking to counter, so those holes are there for you,” Hickey said. “That’s what we were doing, we were looking for those and we were fortunate to get two goals in the beginning which really helped. They came out in a different shape in the second half, so we took advantage when we could.”
Adams had out-shot the Bulldogs 18-1 in the first half, forcing Philo to make six saves.
“That’s Luke Philo all year,” Byron Center coach Chad Bays said. “He should be getting some looks, and he should be all-state. That kid has kept us in games so many times, during PK, etc. He’s a class-act keeper.”
Byron Center (19-5-1) did come out more aggressive in the second half, was able to have more possession and had five shots to Adams’ two. That did not turn into a lot of pressure, however, and none of those shots forced Dennis into action, giving him a clean sheet without having to make a save.
Still, Bays was happy to see how his team responded.
“These guys have worked so hard this season,” he said. “They’ve put in all the time, all the work. They’re just a special group of kids, and I couldn’t be prouder of them. They left everything out on the field, they played a great second half. I thought they answered the call really well; they never gave up. We gave ourselves a chance, and that’s all you can ask for.”
PHOTOS (Top) Rochester Adams’ Alex Rosin (17) and Byron Center’s Brendan Walker (14) contend for a ball during Saturday’s Division 1 Final. (Middle) The Bulldogs’ Connor Jenks (16) tries to get a ball past Adams keeper Reid Dennis. (Below) The Highlanders celebrate during their eventual championship victory. (Photos by Adam Sheehan/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)