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.
#TBT: Ferrin Shuts Them Down, and Out
September 21, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
As Lincoln Alcona’s Connor McCoy looks to break MHSAA and national records for career saves in the next week, it’s a good time to “throw back” to the oldest goalkeeping record in the MHSAA record book – 50 career shutouts first attained by Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett’s Dan Ferrin from 1996-99.
As the Detroit Free Press reported in a feature during Ferrin’s freshman season (“Ferrin’s a keeper at Liggett”), it was easy to notice the stellar keeper that season and forecast a special career over the next three. Indeed, Ferrin posted a record book-worthy 13 shutouts that fall in helping Liggett to the last MHSAA Class C championship before the tournament was moved from classes to divisions – he had three saves in the Final, a 2-1 win over Elk Rapids.
Ferrin also made the MHSAA record book with 14 shutouts as a senior in 1999. Liggett went on to win the Division 4 championship that fall with a 4-2 win over Muskegon Western Michigan Christian that included eight Ferrin saves.
He capped his career with 50 shutouts, at the time 20 more than the next entry on that list. The record has since been tied by East Lansing’s Scott Zolkowski (2005-07) and Bridgman’s Jeff Jakeway (2006-09).
Ferrin went on to play at Stony Brook University in New York, finishing his career in 2003. He owns the season shutout (9) and wins (12) records for the Seawolves, attaining both as a freshman in 2000, and ranks in a number of the program’s career categories as well.
PHOTO: Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett keeper Dan Ferrin (middle, in net) stands ready as a teammate works to clear the ball during the 1996 Class C Final.