Preview: Stories of Glory Soon to be Told
November 2, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Tying together all four MHSAA Boys Soccer Finals to a common theme is impossible this season. But all four games have stories to tell.
In Division 1, Ann Arbor Skyline is ranked and facing an unranked opponent – but that unranked opponent is the most frequent champ of this decade, East Kentwood. In Division 2, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern is top-ranked and expected to win its first boys soccer championship – but takes on another of the most successful programs in state history in Detroit Country Day.
Division 3 pits the top two-ranked teams at the end of the regular season – Grosse Ile and Hudsonville Unity Christian. Division 4 offers Leland a chance to also win its first MHSAA title in boys soccer – but the Comets must face Ann Arbor Greenhills, coming off its first title won just a year ago.
Saturday's Finals kick off at noon and 3 p.m., with Division 3 followed by Division 1 at Novi and Division 4 followed by Division 2 at Comstock Park. All will be broadcast live and viewable with subscription on MHSAA.tv, with audio available on MHSAANetwork.com. See below for glances at all eight finalists, and come back to Second Half later Saturday for coverage of all four championship games.
Division 1
ANN ARBOR SKYLINE
Record/rank: 16-4-2, No. 10
Coach: Chris Morgan, eighth season (119-31-37)
League finish: Second in Southeastern Conference Red.
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2013.
Players to watch: Gabe Kellman, soph. M (8 goals, 5 assists); Bryce Schaner, jr. F (7 goals, 1 assist); Oskar Shiomi-Jensen, jr. F (6 goals, 2 assists); Kyri Wixom, sr. GK (0.54 goals-against average).
Outlook: Skyline quickly found itself as one of the few ranked teams left in the Division 1 tournament, helping that effort by knocking out No. 3 Saline in the District Final – which also avenged two of Skyline’s losses. The Eagles have given up only one goal during the postseason – to Warren DeLaSalle in the Semifinal – and allowed 11 goals total this fall. Wixom is a rock in goal behind a defense of seniors Tobin Brenner, Marco Althoen, Omar Hassan and junior Jamie Palms.
EAST KENTWOOD
Record/rank: 17-3-4, unranked
Coach: John Conlon, 19th season (351-58-45)
League finish: Fourth in Ottawa-Kent Conference Red
Championship history: Five Division 1 titles (most recent 2016).
Players to watch: Giuseppe Calabrese, sr. M (14 goals, 14 assists); Damir Sabanovic, sr. M (7 assists); Uriel Garcia, sr. M (13 goals, 4 assists); Louis Schultz, jr. GK (0.52 goals-against average, 12 shutouts).
Outlook: The Falcons are playing for their sixth championship in 12 seasons and peaking at the best time with five straight shutouts – including one that eliminated No. 7 Midland Dow in a Regional Semifinal. Schultz has saved 91 percent of shots he’s faced, and East Kentwood hasn’t given up more than two goals in a game – and has given up more than one only three times.
Division 2
DETROIT COUNTRY DAY
Record/rank: 19-5-2, unranked
Coach: Steve Bossert, fourth season (58-28-10)
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Championship history: 14 MHSAA titles (most recent 2011), one runner-up finish.
Players to watch: Kevin Tang, sr. M (15 goals, 9 assists); Gabe Akeel, sr. M (15 goals, 10 assists); Elbert Yi, sr. M (5 goals, 8 assists); Jon Dougherty, sr. GK (11 shutouts).
Outlook: After previously playing in Division 3, Country Day is seeking its first Division 2 championship with an experienced group coming off its second straight Regional title. Additionally, Bossert was an assistant for six of the past Finals championships. Dougherty made the Division 3 all-state second team last season, and Yi and sophomore forward Justin Harris (6 goals, 6 assists this fall) earned honorable mentions.
GRAND RAPIDS FOREST HILLS NORTHERN
Record/rank: 23-0-1, No. 1
Coach: Daniel Siminski, fifth season (94-10-12)
League finish: First in O-K White.
Championship history: Division 2 runner-up 2015.
Players to watch: Nate Texer, sr. F (25 goals, 6 assists); Jordan Okito, sr. F (17 goals, 13 assists); Jonathan Kliewer, jr. GK (0.43 goals-against average, 14 shutouts); Aiden O’Connor, jr. D.
Outlook: Forest Hills Northern’s seniors were freshmen when the team fell in a shootout in their first championship match appearance in 2015, and they’ve been aiming for this opportunity. The Huskies have outscored their five postseason opponents by a combined 26-3, avenging their lone non-win this fall (a draw against Grand Rapids Northview) with a 3-1 District Semifinal victory. Okito made the all-state second team and O’Connor the third last season.
Division 3
GROSSE ILE
Record/rank: 27-1, No. 1
Coach: Jon Evans, third season (74-5-2)
League finish: First in Huron League.
Championship history: Division 3 champion 2002.
Players to watch: Brendan Eblin, sr. GK (0.36 goals-against average, 22 shutouts); Christian Drzyzga, sr. M (9 goals, 11 assists); Jacob Sawicki, sr. M (52 goals, 21 assists); Benedek Tanyi, jr M (30 goals, 15 assists).
Outlook: After suffering its lone loss last season to Country Day in a Regional Final, Grosse Ile is playing in its first Final since 2002 and with just an early defeat to Detroit U-D Jesuit. After that loss, the Red Devils went on a run of 21 straight shutouts (including the last over No. 3 Lansing Catholic) before giving up a goal in their Regional Final win – and they came back with another shutout in the Semifinal. Sawicki made the all-state second team last season, and Eblin, Drzyzga and Tanyi all earned honorable mentions. Junior midfielder Max Aston added 13 goals entering the week.
HUDSONVILLE UNITY CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 22-2-1, No. 2
Coach: Randy Heethuis, 25th season (465-79-42)
League finish: First in O-K Green.
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2014), four runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Kadin Shaban, jr. F (29 goals, 20 assists); Evan Nieuwenhuis, jr. D (12 goals, 3 assists); Chase Rozeveld, sr. F (13 goals, 4 assists); Grant Balcer, jr. GK (0.27 goals-against average, 17 shutouts).
Outlook: Unity Christian won its first Regional title since 2014 and after suffering its lone defeat a year ago in a Regional Semifinal to Grand Rapids South Christian – which Unity beat in the District this year. The Crusaders eliminated the No. 5 Sailors, No. 7 Paw Paw and No. 9 Ludington during this run. Shaban made the all-state first team as a sophomore, and senior midfielder Dan Hoeksema is another key cog offensively with eight goals and 10 assists entering the week.
Division 4
ANN ARBOR GREENHILLS
Record/rank: 11-8-3, unranked
Coach: Lucian Popescu, ninth season (149-68-17)
League finish: Third in Detroit Catholic League AA
Championship history: Division 4 champion in 2017, three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Zachary Zimmerman, sr. M (31 goals, 9 assists); Leo Fried, sr. GK (1.35 goals-against average, 6 shutouts); Robert Keller, sr. M (1 goal, 6 assists); Neil Bazaj, sr. M (2 goals, 10 assists).
Outlook: Greenhills entered the postseason unranked and with a sub-.500 record, but has outscored six playoff opponents by a combined 22-2 and eliminated No. 6 Adrian Lenawee Christian and No. 4 Burton Genesee Christian. Zimmerman made the all-state first team last season, and Fried and Bazaj also were among standouts on the championship team.
LELAND
Record/rank: 23-1-3, No. 2
Coach: Joe Burda, ninth season (177-38-10)
League finish: First in Northwest Conference.
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Cobe Lund, sr. F (41 goals, 18 assists); Owen Kareck, jr. D (5 goals, 3 assists); Nick Saffell, sr. F (16 goals, 11 assists); Michael Roberts, jr. M (24 goals, 6 assists).
Outlook: After seven straight league, six District and two Regional titles over the last seven seasons, Leland will play for an MHSAA championship for the first time. The Comets’ only loss came in the second game of the season, against Cadillac, and the only goals they’ve given up in six postseason games were two to No. 3 Kalamazoo Hackett in the Semifinal (not counting two penalty kicks in the shootout portion of a 1-0 win over top-ranked Muskegon Western Michigan Christian in the Regional Final). Lund made the all-state first team last season, and Kareck and Saffell earned honorable mentions.
PHOTO: Ann Arbor Greenhills' Neil Bazaj passes upfield to a teammate during last season's Division 4 championship win.
Preview: Pitch to Provide No Shortage of History-Making Possibilities
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 1, 2024
Byron Center and Plymouth Christian Academy will make school history Saturday just by showing up for their first MHSAA Boys Soccer Final. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep can make some as well with a first championship victory.
Grand Ledge High School also will host the second-most successful program in this sport’s postseason history – Muskegon Western Michigan Christian will play in its 17th Final, tying Detroit Country Day for the most title game appearances.
Saturday’s first Final will be Division 4 at 10 a.m., followed by Division 3 at 12:30 p.m., Division 2 at 3:30 and Division 1 at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $11 and may be purchased online only at GoFan. All four Finals also will be broadcast and available with subscription on the NFHS Network.
Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 4
Below is a glance at all eight contenders, with statistics through Regionals:
Division 1
BYRON CENTER
Record/rank: 19-4-1, unranked
Michigan Power Rating: No. 35
Coach: Chad Bays, second season (36-7-3)
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Green
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Luke Philo, sr. GK; Kaleb Smith, jr. MF; Brendan Walker, sr. D (Statistics not submitted).
Outlook: Byron Center has added its first Finals run to its first Regional championship won last week. Bays also led the Bulldogs to a 17-3-2 record in his first season last fall after previously coaching the junior varsity. The team advanced in part with shootout wins over Grand Haven and No. 4 Oxford and also defeated top-ranked Portage Central during this postseason. Smith is the team’s leading scorer, and only three seniors start – so this could be just the start of a run at the top of Division 1. Philo earned an all-state honorable mention last season.
ROCHESTER ADAMS
Record/rank: 17-2-4, No. 5
Michigan Power Rating: No. 5
Coach: Josh Hickey, 16th season (188-94-62)
League finish: Second in Oakland Activities Association Red
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2022), two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Anthony Page, sr. W (7 goals, 7 assists); Alex Rosin, sr. M (15 goals, 17 assists), Logan Lilla, sr. W (13 goals, 6 assists).
Outlook: Adams is making its second championship match appearance in three seasons and playing for the OAA Red’s third-straight title after Troy Athens won Division 1 a year ago. Any team emerging from that league will be prepared; in addition to Adams, Troy finished the regular season ranked No. 3, Oxford was No. 4, Troy Athens was No. 8 and Berkley No. 12 in Division 1. Adams defeated Troy in overtime, No. 10 Utica Eisenhower and No. 11 Saline in a shootout during this playoff run. Senior Reid Dennis has been a force in goal, giving up 0.4 goals per game with 12 shutouts heading into this week. Page earned an all-state honorable mention last season.
Division 2
GRAND RAPIDS FOREST HILLS NORTHERN
Record/rank: 19-4-3, No. 7
Michigan Power Rating: No. 19
Coach: Juan Torres, fourth season (59-18-7)
League finish: First in O-K White
Championship history: Division 2 champion 2019, two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Drin Mandija, soph. F (12 goals, 6 assists); Almedin Hoxha, jr. M (14 goals, 6 assists); Beau Lincoln, jr. M (7 goals, 14 assists).
Outlook: Forest Hills Northern has done some impressive damage on the way to the season’s final weekend, among others defeating top-ranked Fruitport, No. 12 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 2023 champion Grand Rapids Christian and No. 8 Bay City John Glenn during the playoffs – the first three on the list in shootouts. Junior Lukas Darling has been in goal for all of it, with eight shutouts this season while giving up just 1.2 goals per game. The Forest Hills Central win avenged a 3-0 loss in the regular-season finale. Total, 18 players had scored at least once entering this week.
WARREN DE LA SALLE COLLEGIATE
Record/rank: 19-3-1, No. 2
Michigan Power Rating: No. 4
Coach: Thaier Mukhtar, 36th season (594-143-97)
League finish: Second in Catholic High School League Central
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2005), one runner-up finish.
Players to watch: Andrew Corder, soph. F (16 goals, 6 assists); Daniel Makara, sr. D (9 goals, 8 assists); Joshua Ross, sr. M (13 goals, 8 assists).
Outlook: The Pilots rode a 3-1 win over No. 5 Mason into their first championship match since 2005. Mukhtar is the winningest coach in MHSAA boys soccer history and has directed the program to all five of its Finals titles. He began this season with three all-state first-teamers from last year in Makara, Ross and Corder, while junior midfielder Nikolai Zacharko (6 goals/4 assists) made the third team last season and sophomore keeper Dominic Baldarotta earned an honorable mention. Baldarotta has played the majority in net this season, with a 1.21 goals-against average and eight shutouts heading into this week.
Division 3
ELK RAPIDS
Record/rank: 18-6-1, No. 10
Michigan Power Rating: No. 13
Coach: Nate Plum, 17th season (275-116-34)
League finish: Tied for first in Northern Shores Conference
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 1998), three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Jayden Hresko, jr. F (14 goals, 11 assists); Mason Hilley, soph. M (3 goals, 7 assists); Tyler Standfest, soph. F (16 goals, 9 assists).
Outlook: After reaching the Semifinals for the sixth time under Plum’s leadership, Elk Rapids broke through to get back to championship weekend for the first time since its last title was won in 1998. The Elks have given up just three goals over six postseason games and no more than one in any match going back to Sept. 7; they haven’t lost since Sept. 9. They defeated No. 4 Kingsford, No. 9 Hartford and No. 12 Traverse City St. Francis during this run, and junior Jacob McManus has played most in net with a 0.79 goals-against average and 10 shutouts over the course of the fall. Hresko, Hilley and junior midfielder Carter Denoyer (6 goals, 1 assist) earned all-state honorable mentions last season.
PONTIAC NOTRE DAME PREP
Record/rank: 22-2, No. 1
Michigan Power Rating: No. 1
Coach: Rob Suffredini, 10th season (111-80-35)
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Championship history: Division 3 runner-up 2000.
Players to watch: Benjamin Liparoto, jr. M (8 goals, 4 assists); Will Lanham, sr. F (28 goals, 14 assists); Jack Kilpatrick, jr. M (12 goals, 13 assists).
Outlook: Aside from stumbles against No. 5 Detroit Country Day and Division 1 No. 3 Troy, Notre Dame Prep has put together one of the most dominating runs in the state in any division – and the Fighting Irish avenged the Country Day loss with a shootout win in the District Final. They also downed No. 2 Flint Powers Catholic and No. 13 Williamston during this postseason, the latter in their 12th shutout of the fall. Lanham made the all-state first team last year, and Kilpatrick made the third team. Four others had at least five goals scored entering this week.
Division 4
MUSKEGON WESTERN MICHIGAN CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 14-7-3, No. 8
Michigan Power Rating: No. 10
Coach: Ben Buursma, fifth season (73-32-12)
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Championship history: Nine MHSAA titles (most recent 2023), seven runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Dan Minasian, sr. GK (1.04 goals-against average, 9 shutouts); Tekalegn Vlasma, sr. F (27 goals, 5 assists); Cole DeJonge, sr. M (5 goals, 24 assists).
Outlook: WMC is seeking its third-straight Division 4 title, and earning it would have to make this run one of the program’s most impressive over its highlight-filled history. The Warriors have yet to give up a goal over five postseason games against Ravenna, No. 6 North Muskegon, No. 13 Harbor Springs, No. 2 Leland and No. 5 Grandville Calvin Christian. Minasian, senior defender Ben Visser and DeJonge all made the all-state first team last season, while Vlasma made the second team and was the star of last year’s championship match with two goals in finishing 2023 with 26 total.
PLYMOUTH CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
Record/rank: 15-5-3, unranked
Michigan Power Rating: No. 24
Coach: Ryan Thompson, second season (21-10-9)
League finish: Second in Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Blue
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Caedmon Whipple, sr. M (23 goals, 12 assists); Mac MacDonald, sr. M (3 goals, 1 assist); Grant Ramseyer, soph. F (12 goals, 11 assists).
Outlook: Coming off a solid regular season, PCA has put together a stunning playoffs outscoring its six opponents by a combined 21-5. The two most recent victories came over No. 3 Royal Oak Shrine Catholic and No. 4 Lansing Christian and are part of a 13-0-2 streak going back to Sept. 13. Whipple made the all-state third team last season, and MacDonald earned an honorable mention, and they are two of only four seniors total. Sophomore midfielder Leo Lavigne also had scored 12 goals entering this week.
PHOTOS (Top) Pontiac Notre Dame Prep’s Edziu Lis (9) pursues the ball during a regular-season victory over Birmingham Seaholm. (Middle) Byron Center’s Kaleb Smith (10) pushes the attack during Wednesday’s Semifinal win over Oxford. (Top photo by Adam Sheehan; middle photo by John Johnson.)