This Time, Powers Leaves as Champion
November 4, 2017
By Jeff Chaney
Special for Second Half
COMSTOCK PARK – Mason Smith and the Flint Powers Catholic boys soccer team were not about to have the same ride home this year.
Last year the Chargers dropped a heart-breaking one-goal loss in the Division 3 Final, and Smith remembers how he and his teammates felt after their loss to Grand Rapids Catholic Central – and how long that ride home lasted.
All you had to do was look at how big Smith's smile was after Saturday's championship game against Ludington to know this trip home would feel much shorter.
Smith and his Flint Powers teammates scored three first-half goals Saturday, and then held off a game Ludington team to win the program's third MHSAA title, 4-2 at Comstock Park High School.
"(Last year's loss in the Finals) made this happen," said Smith, a senior midfielder and captain for the Chargers. "Losing last year helped us overcome a lot of things. We just put in our head that we didn't want to lose like last year."
The Chargers came out on fire, and appeared to score an early goal in the first half – but the goal was taken off the scoreboard because of a foul.
That setback didn't slow Flint Powers down, as the Chargers got their first goal that counted at the 26:07 mark from junior midfielder Garret Delamielleure.
Ludington tied the game just more than six minutes later on a penalty kick by junior defenseman Noah Peterson, but Flint Powers scored at the 12:46 and 10:31 marks with goals by Delamielleure and senior midfielder Dominic Ruth. Ruth's goal was a beautiful header.
"I knew we were capable of starting out like that," said Flint Powers coach Tony Rowe, whose team ended its year at 21-2-1. "To get that goal called back, that was like a two-goal momentum. But the boys kept at it, and I am so proud. We never quit attacking."
It was that attacking that flustered the Orioles.
"I think the pressure got to us in the first half," said Ludington coach Kris Anderson, whose team completed its year at 18-5-2. "Our back line was out of sync. We had some people moving around in spots, and we missed some balls. We weren't organized back there."
But Ludington would not quit, and cut the Flint Powers lead to one goal with just over 17 minutes to play on a goal by senior midfielder Lucien Chasse.
However, 24 seconds later, Powers senior defenseman Connor Boerman capped the scoring for the game on a penalty kick after a Ludington foul, and sent the Chargers home happy.
"Ludington gave us a heck of a game," Rowe said. "Props to their coach and their team. I know what it feels like to lose in a state championship game, and they have nothing to be ashamed of, the way they played. They had an incredible season."
The two goals the Orioles scored Saturday were the only goals Flint Powers gave up the whole tournament.
"The first half we put ourselves in a hole," Anderson said. "But we talked at half, we said this game wasn't over, we have been in this position before being down two. We got that one, but then the call in the box (and Flint Powers' penalty kick goal) changed everything.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Flint Powers’ Garret Delamielleure works to gain possession during Saturday’s Division 3 Final. (Middle) Ludington’s Caleb Schoon (17) pushes the ball upfield while Chargers chase.
WMC Locks Up D4 with Shootout Shutdown
November 2, 2019
By Perry A. Farrell
Special for Second Half
NOVI – Zero was the hero.
Muskegon Western Michigan Christian goalkeeper Jameson Goorman, who wears No. 0, was the star of the Warriors’ shootout victory Saturday in the MHSAA Division 4 Final against Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett at Novi High School.
Goorman was spectacular when the scoreless game went to penalty kicks.
After allowing a goal to Matthew Summers, he stoned Stewart Smith, Sheikh Manneh, Will Nicholson and Nolan Ondersma to set off a wild celebration by the Warriors.
“I kind of just read them,’’ said Goorman. “If they’re straight on, they’re going to push the ball to the right. I just do my best. I’m just overwhelmed with excitement. I just try to save every single one. That’s my mindset. I was trying to give my team the best shot to win.’’
The winning goal was scored by Isaac VanHoeven, who broke the 1-1 shootout tie after teammates Brevin Byrne and Charlie Alfree were stopped trying to follow up on Brandon Fles’ goal on the team’s first attempt.
“This is unreal,’’ said VanHoeven. “I’m not going to lie; I put it to God. I have no clue where the ball was going. I thought right, I looked left. I thought I was going to go right. I ended up going a bit more central than I expected. We take those.
“Jameson is an unbelievable player. When you talk about top goal keepers, his name has to be up there. He’s just unreal.’’
Goorman also came up big last week under similar circumstances, in a Regional Final shootout win over top-ranked Grandville Calvin Christian.
“Was Jamo big or what? He is amazing,’’ said Warriors coach David Hulings. “I’ll tell you a story. People wanted me to talk to him about being intimidating in the box, and I said: ‘You know what? You don’t talk to Jamo. He just knows what he’s doing.’
“He just has a sense about him. We’re not here without those kinds of saves. Brandon (Fles) shut those forwards down and Jake Betten in the middle, but he (Goorman) made great saves at the end of the second half. That’s not me; that’s his DNA and his parents.’’
Long before these student-athletes were born, University Liggett and Western Michigan Christian were battling for state soccer supremacy in Division 4 and formerly Class D.
The two schools renewed the rivalry Saturday afternoon at Novi.
The Warriors (19-2-3) were seeking their seventh Finals title and first since 2010. Liggett owns four Finals titles and was seeking its first since 1996.
The two schools last played each other in a Final in 1999, with the Knights prevailing 4-2. In 1982, the Knights beat the Warriors 2-1 for their first soccer championship.
The Warriors had allowed just one goal in tournament play while scoring 27. Liggett scored 19 goals in tournament play, while allowing three.
Speedy forwards Sheikh Manneh and Stewart Smith made an immediate impact against the Warriors’ defense, racing past defenders to put pressure on. Manneh was hurt during the second half of overtime and had to leave the game.
Western Michigan had a golden opportunity to score early, but Michael Masumpa’s shot hit the post and bounded away with just under 13 minutes left in the first half.
Action started picking up during the last eight minutes of regulation as both sides upped the energy offensively. Late in the second half, Masumpa made a dash to the net, but was blocked by a Liggett defender, potentially saving the game.
Doug Wood also had a shot on goal that would’ve been a game-winner had it not hit the post. Masumpa had a chance to win the game late in overtime, but got his feet tangled and missed the shot.
Liggett junior keeper Sam Sword, like Goorman for WMC, had nine saves not counting his stops during the shootout.
“They get to lift the trophy, but I couldn’t be more proud of how we represented ourselves,’’ said Liggett coach David Dwaihy. “It’s a really good thing to feel and deal with and move on from.''
Click for the full scoring summary.
PHOTOS: (Top) Western Michigan Christian hoists it first Finals championship trophy Saturday since 2010. (Middle) Liggett’s Nolan Ondersma (8) works to out-maneuver WMC’s Brevin Byrne.