Season Split Elevates Spring Lake, Fruitport, with Possible Rematch Ahead
By
Tom Kendra
Special for MHSAA.com
October 8, 2021
The phrase “good loss” is both an oxymoron and a way for coaches to spin a bad outcome into something positive.
It’s also a comment which both coaches referenced after visiting Spring Lake’s 3-1 boys soccer victory Wednesday over neighboring rival Fruitport, which came into the game undefeated and sporting a lofty No. 3 state ranking in Division 3.
Spring Lake coach Jeremy Thelen said a 4-2 loss to Fruitport earlier this season provided the fuel his team needed to turn its season around.
“It’s more effort and more focus,” said Thelen, explaining how his team, which started this season with just two wins in its first six games, has put together a 10-game unbeaten streak.
“We have the mentality that it is going to be complete work from start to finish. I’m really proud of the guys for bouncing back.”
In that first meeting on Sept. 1, Fruitport came out more aggressive and motivated, tallying two goals in the first five minutes to stun the Lakers, who never recovered as their season record dipped to 2-2-2. Thelen went back to the drawing board and made some tactical changes, but he believes more important than that, his team was humbled by the loss to its rival and determined to not let it happen again.
Spring Lake has been a different team since, winning its next four games by a whopping 15-1 combined margin, including a 3-0 shutout of powerhouse Hudsonville Unity Christian.
Then came a “good tie” against conference foe Grand Rapids West Catholic, in a game where the Lakers allowed the game-tying goal in the final 30 seconds.
That lone blemish over the past five weeks led to a players only meeting and another reset. While the Fruitport loss taught the team the value of a fast start, the West Catholic tie emphasized the importance of finishing.
“It was basically us senior guys that got everyone together and talked about the tradition here at Spring Lake and how we have to work to keep it going,” senior forward Keegan Fritsche explained. “Since then, everything has changed.”
Fritsche led the new-look Lakers attack in Wednesday’s Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue Tournament semifinal game, scoring the first two goals after a scoreless first half. Senior midfielder Kole Pattyn moved up and tallied another goal to make the score 3-0, before Sean Gieske got Fruitport on the board with a breakaway goal with less than five minutes remaining.
The Lakers were the more aggressive team from the start, which showed in the final stats as they held a 10-3 edge in shots and 7-2 edge in corner kicks.
Most of the play occurred in Fruitport’s end, as a great effort by Trojans junior keeper Justin Laus kept the game scoreless for the first 53 minutes. The Lakers’ relentless pressure finally broke through as Fritsche scored twice in a three-minute span, assisted by Conrad Bush and Jack Mulder.
“It felt good to get some revenge on them, since they beat us in the regular season,” said Pattyn, one of the team’s emotional leaders. “I really think the biggest change in our team is just attitude and heart. It’s crazy how much of a difference that makes.”
Spring Lake was able to turn the tables despite being without two of its best players for the conference semifinal game – seniors Porter Saunders and Link Dephouse. The rest of the team rose up in their absence, starting with the leaders on the back end, senior keeper Aidan Parker and junior mid-back Jaxson Tober.
Thelen is not sure whether those two injured seniors will be back for Monday’s conference championship game against visiting Unity Christian. His primary goal is to have his team at full strength starting with the District Semifinal on Oct. 19 and going forward from there.
Spring Lake, which made it all the way to the Division 2 championship games in 2011 and 2013, improved to 11-2-3 with the victory. The Lakers entered the week ranked No. 11 in the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association Division 3 rankings.
Fruitport (12-1-3), which was ranked No. 3 in that same poll, experienced defeat for the first time this season, which is something coach Dan Hazekamp has been hoping for – he just wishes it could have been at the hands of someone other than the Trojans’ archrival.
“I’ve been saying for a month now that we need to lose a game,” said Hazekamp, who is in his fourth year as the Trojans’ coach. “We needed to get that monkey off our back and then learn from it.”
Whether or not the setback turns into a “good loss” remains to be seen. Hazekamp hopes to see a more aggressive and focused team Monday when Fruitport travels to Holland Christian for the battle for third place in the conference tournament.
No matter what happens, it has been a breakthrough season to remember at Fruitport.
In addition to the win over Spring Lake, the Trojans also notched a huge 1-0 conference win over Unity Christian on Sept. 22. Fruitport also picked up satisfying nonconference wins over local rivals Mona Shores, Whitehall, North Muskegon and Oakridge.
The future looks even brighter as the Trojans are led by an outstanding junior class, notably Laus in goal, defender Noah Fehler, midfielder Bode Anspach and forwards Jackson Rebone and Gieske. Sophomores Eli Aldridge and Brady Brown also have played key roles all season.
Fruitport has a bye in the opening round of Districts, giving it eight days after Monday’s conference consolation game to prepare for the postseason – which could feature a third and final matchup, a rubber game if you will, against Spring Lake.
"We’re young, but we’re never going to use that as an excuse for losing a game,” said Hazekamp, who is assisted by Steve Hazekamp and Drew Maus. “We need to get back to work. If we handle ourselves the right way after this loss, there’s a good chance we might see Spring Lake one more time.”
Tom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Spring Lake’s Kole Pattyn (right) and Fruitport’s Bode Anspach break on the ball during Wednesday’s league tournament matchup. (Middle). Spring Lake’s Keegan Fritsche (16) works to keep the ball from Fruitport’s Noah Fehler. (Photos by Kyle Turk/Grand Haven Tribune.)
Skyline Soars to Championship Height
November 2, 2013
By Greg Chrapek
Special to Second Half
TROY – When looking for the blue print to build a high school soccer program, Ann Arbor Skyline coach Chris Morgan would be the man to see.
In four years, Morgan guided Skyline from a team with no seniors that won eight games to the summit of soccer excellence in the state of Michigan.
Morgan and his Skyline team reached the pinnacle Saturday when the Eagles defeated Bloomfield Hills 1-0 to win the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 championship at Troy Athens High School.
“Every year we took a step in the right direction,” Morgan said, “and this is the coronation.”
To win its first title, Skyline needed a combination of strong defense and a timely goal as the Final was a defensive struggle from start to finish with scoring opportunities few and far between.
Senior Josh Carn-Saferstein is one of the leaders of the Skyine defense and one of seven seniors who were on the school’s first varsity as freshmen and have witnessed the program’s steady rise.
“This is just an amazing feeling,” Carn-Saferstein said. “I was one of the freshmen on the varsity the first year we had a team. We just had juniors, sophomores and freshmen that year. I think it took a little time for our program to find its identity.
“The players change but all of coaches stress the same things, and this year we all made it happen.”
The shutout was the third of the postseason for Skyline, which allowed a total of four goals in its seven tournament games.
The defensive tone was set during the first half as the teams produced just one scoring opportunity apiece.
Skyline opened the second half with a pair of scoring chances. Junior Alec Lasinski, who led the team with 32 goals this season, almost broke the deadlock when he came in on a breakaway – only to be stopped by Bloomfield Hills keeper Griffin Hamel.
Moments later Skyline’s Nick Russo sent a hard shot just over the crossbar.
Bloomfield Hills’ best scoring opportunity came with 22 minutes remaining, but Alex Joneson had his free kick caught by Skyline goalkeeper Cameron Lekas.
The scoring drought finally came to an end with 19:13 remaining. Lasinski and Lawrence Mullen worked a two-man game in front of the Bloomfield Hills goal. A hand ball was called, and Mullen was tabbed by Morgan to take the penalty kick.
Mullen sent a hard shot low on the ground and with just enough juice to make it past the keeper for what proved to be the game-wining goal.
“We have three players who can step up and take the penalty kick, and I am comfortable with all three,” Morgan said. “I picked Lawrence, and I knew he would do fine. He strikes a mean ball. We knew he would go hard and place the ball well.”
Mullen did just that and the result was all Skyline needed to grab the lead.
“I just concentrated on placement,” Mullen said. “It was pretty scary. I hit a hard shot, and I thought the goalie got a hand on it. But it made it in.”
Mullen also had all the confidence of his teammates.
“When Coach had Lawrence take it, I knew he would make it,” Lasinski said. “The penalty was called on me so I knew I couldn’t take the shot. That is what coach said. Lawrence is an amazing player, and I had faith in him. The whole team had faith in him.”
With the lead, the Eagles turned the game over to its defensive unit even more. The Skyline defense did the job, as Bloomfield Hills was unable to get a high-quality shot on goal.
For Bloomfield Hills, in its first season as the school opened this fall (after a merger by Lahser and Andover), the loss ended a strong defensive run of its own during this year’s tournament.
“We gave it everything we had,” Black Hawks coach Dougie Macaulay said. “We never gave them a clear-cut chance.”
Penalty kicks proved to be one of the few ways teams were able to put the ball in the net against Bloomfield Hills this postseason.
“I’m very proud of my team,” Macaulay said. “We gave up only one goal in open play in seven playoff games. Two of the other goals we gave up were on penalty kicks. I’m very, very proud of the boys, and we had a fantastic season.”
The Black Hawks also had to play most of the match without standout defensive player Jahza Klochco-Koo, who left with an injury in the first half and did not return.
With the win, Skyline ended the season 21-1-5. After winning its first District title in boys soccer last year, the Eagles completed the final two steps and clinched the school’s first MHSAA Finals title in any sport.
“This is just amazing,” Lasinski said. “It feels amazing. To have all of our fans here and supporting us, this is very special.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Ann Arbor Skyline players celebrate their first MHSAA championship in any sport. (Click to see more from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.) (Middle) Skyline’s Alec Lasinski (9) battles Bloomfield Hills’ Trevor Drew for the ball Saturday. (Middle photo by Terry McNamara Photography.)