(Have photos to go with this story? Email pics to Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com and also list the photo credit as well.)
MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews
BY DAN STICKRADT
WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR | DIRECTOR OF NEWS
Michigan Soccer Network | Premier Media Group and affiliates
BUSINESS LINE: (248) 525-2349
CELL PHONE: (248) 884-1051
TW/X: @msn_stickradt @LocalSportsFans @MiSoccerNetwork
CLARE, Mich. – Elk Rapids found a way to rally past a Final Four team from last year on Tuesday night. Now, the Elks will get a shot at redemption against the team that knocked them out in the postseason a year ago.
Tenth-ranked Elk Rapids rallied past No. 11-ranked Alma 2-1 Tuesday night in a regional semifinals clash at Clare High School to earn a date with fourth-ranked Kingsford in the Division 3 regional finals later this week.
The regional finals are set for 6 p.m. Oct. 24 at Gaylord High School.
The Elks (16-6-1) were stunned by Kingsford in last year’s district semifinals, 3-2, in a game that reached a shootout. Kingsford, making its first appearance in the MHSAA state tournament in 2023 since the 2006-07 school year, went on to win its first district title in program history last fall.
Elk Rapids went home a little earlier than expected.
Kingsford also defeated Elk Rapids 2-0 in a non-game played back on Aug. 23 of this year.
The Elks also gained a measure of revenge against Alma in Tuesday’s regional semifinals -- another team that defeated the Elks in recent years.
Alma defeated Elk Rapids 2-0 in a non-league game back on Aug. 30, as the Elks started the year just 2-4-0 entering September. Elk Rapids is a fine 14-2-1 since that loss to Alma nearly two months ago.
The Panthers, who reached the state semifinals last season for the first time, came up a pair of wins shy of that mark of last year. Alma entered the game on a 10-game unbeaten streak (7-0-3) and had not lost since a 3-2 setback to Frankenmuth on Sept. 17. The Panthers outscored the opposition 30-8 in that stretch before coming up the short end of the stick to Elk Rapids this time around.
Alma (16-4-4) struck first in the 34th minute of a goal by junior Brayden Truman. The Panthers, who finished a combined 36-9-4 over the past two seasons, could not hold onto the lead. Truman finished with a single-season school record 41 goals on the campaign.
Elk Rapids’ Alex Barber netted the equalizer in the 36th minute, while Jayden Hresko scored what proved to be the game-winner in the 60th minute for the Elks, who have now outscored the opposition 73-22 this season with 10 shutouts.
Elk Rapids, which is 11-0-1 in its last 12 games following a 1-0 setback to Northern Shores Conference champion Grayling on Sept. 9, has outscored its foes 40-6 with six shutouts in that impressive 12-game unbeaten streak.
Alma outscored the opposition 76-19 with nine shutouts this season but came up agonizingly short of making a return trip to the state semifinals. The Panthers were back-to-back district champions for the first time and won the Tri-Valley Conference-Red Division in 2023 and finished second to undefeated Bay City John Glenn this year.
KINGSFORD 6, MONTAGUE 0: Fourth-ranked Kingsford saw its dream season enter some unchartered waters Tuesday night at Gaylord High School.
The Flivvers, fresh off their second consecutive district title, advanced to the Division 3 regional finals for the first time in school history with a 6-0 shutout of Montague. In doing so, Kingsford becomes just the second Upper Peninsula school to advance this far into the postseason in boys soccer, joining Beaver Island which made the trip to the regional finals back in 2006 in Division 4.
Jaxon Buckley scored three first-half goals and finished the night with four tallies in pacing the Flivvers against first-time district winner Montague. For good measure, the senior forward/midfielder added an assist to go along with his four-goal outburst which gives him 44 goals on the campaign along with 13 assists for 101 points. He is the school’s all-time leading goal scorer.
Sophomore Jett Buckley added two goals and an assist, giving the younger Buckley sibling 21 goals and 16 assists on the year. Gavin Laydon drew two more assists for Kingsford (17-1-1).
The Flivvers picked up their 11th shutout of the season defensively and have used three different goalkeepers in recent weeks following junior Landon Adam being out for nearly three weeks with an injury. Senior Ben Fornetti anchored the back line for Kingsford, which has conceded only 13 goals in 19 games this season while scoring 91 goals.
Kingsford will face Elk Rapids in the regional finals at 6 p.m. Thursday, also at Gaylord High School. The Flivvers blanked Elk Rapids 2-0 back on Aug. 23 in the second game of the season.
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(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the Michigan Soccer Network regarding club soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer involving teams, players or coaches with Michigan ties, contact Communications Specialist/Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com or dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com, or call 248-884-1051 or 248-525-2349. Dan Stickradt is a 31-year veteran of the Michigan Media circles and recently joined the staff full time in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/MSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@michigansoccernetwork.com and jonathan@thepremiermediagrp.com.)
(MSN will compile a random sampling of game results from around the state each day. To send in results from high school varsity, club, amateur, pre-pro, semi-pro or professional soccer, email all pertinent details to Communications Specialist / Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com or submit information right on the correct link on the MSN website at https://www.michigansoccernetwork.com/reportascore. Please submit the competing teams, location and date of game, final score, overall and league records, goals, assists, goalkeepers and saves, standout defenders, players of the match, and any other pertinent details of the game. If there are courtesy action photos available, feel free to submit them at the above-listed emails.)
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(Have photos to go with this story? Email pics to Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com and also list photo credit as well.)
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BOYS SOCCER: MSN SUPER 50 TEAMS POSITIONS 31-40: https://www.michigansoccernetwork.com/post/boys-soccer-msn-super-50-teams-positions-31-40
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