Unity Strikes Again in Division 2 Final
November 3, 2012
By Dean Holzwarth
Special to Second Half
KENTWOOD – Less than two minutes into the second half of Saturday's MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 championship game, Unity Christian senior goalkeeper Nick Woldyk saw Petoskey's Adam Bayer racing toward him on a breakaway.
Woldyk didn't flinch at the challenge, as he rushed out of the box and slapped away the attempt to preserve Unity's one-goal lead at the time.
The pivotal stop proved big for the third-ranked Crusaders, who went on to beat the Northmen 3-0 and win the title at Pat Patterson Athletic Field.
“I saw him coming at me, and pretty much what you have to do is come out and make the goal smaller and make your body big,” Woldyk said. “You hope to get a piece of it, and I did. It was pretty big because they were getting the momentum there.”
Unity led 1-0 when Woldyk came up big, and Petoskey coach Zach Jonker pointed to the play as a turning point.
“That save their keeper made two minutes into the second half was probably the play of the game,” Jonker said.
Junior forward Joe Honderd, who tallied Unity's second goal of the game, said Woldyk's effort was key.
“Nick came out and made a great save that had to be made,” he said. “That really helped us out, and if they would've scored, I think it could've been a different outcome.”
The victory capped off another remarkable season for the state's perennial powerhouse, which finished 25-2.
It wrapped up the Crusaders' third MHSAA crown in the last six years after they also won in 2007 and 2009.
It was their fifth Finals appearance in the past eight years. They finished runner-up in 2005 and 2011 (Division 3).
“As a coach, you want to be peaking come tournament time, and that's exactly what this team did,” Unity coach Randy Heethuis said. “We were playing our best soccer as a team, and we defended very well. We really came along defensively and played a lot better together.”
Unity got on a roll after losing 3-1 to Holland last month.
It ripped off 10 straight wins, including upsets of No. 1 Spring Lake and No. 2 Ada Forest Hills Eastern in Regional play, and outscored opponents 37-5.
“I think that was the toughest region in the state for Division 2, and that was huge,” Heethuis said. “The entire tournament, we gave up one goal over the run of play, and we really came along and played a lot better together defensively.
“It took a lot of work to get through that region, and I'm happy to finish it off with the exclamation point today.”
Petoskey (17-9-2), which lost to Unity in the 2009 Final, 3-0, played well after allowing an early goal in the first half.
The second half was much different, however, as Unity used its size and speed to pepper the goal.
The Crusaders had eight shots on goal in the second half, compared to only two during the first 20 minutes.
“I thought once we absorbed the pressure, we settled in and looked OK,” Jonker said. “We knew (we) could not possess the ball, and maybe we should've played more direct, but it is the most imposing team we've played all season. We had a couple of breakdowns, and they converted.”
Unity senior Jake Love put the final touches on Unity's championship run with a beautiful goal in the right corner from 20 yards out.
“We really stepped it up in the tournament, and I'm proud of my boys,” Love said. “We had much more intensity than during the (regular) season, and going out like this my senior year is wonderful. I wouldn't want to leave any other way than winning a state championship. It's great.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Hudsonville Unity Christian players huddle around their newly-won Division 2 championship trophy. (Middle) Unity Christian's Jake Love (left) works the ball past Petoskey's Eric Hoffman (blue 7).
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.)