(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.)
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
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TW/X: @msn_stickradt @LocalSportsFans @MiSoccerNetwork
MASON, Mich. – Although Mason’s current senior class has enjoyed tremendous success out on the soccer pitch from 2021-24 with the Bulldogs, not to mention all of the success the individual players have enjoyed suiting up for various high-level clubs in Michigan, there’s one thing this group hasn’t done since they entered high school.
That’s play in a Capital Area Athletic Conference-Gold Tournament finals.
That will change later this week.
Host Mason, the top-seeded school in the Gold Tournament and the seventh-ranked squad in the MIHSSCA Division 2 state rankings, cruised past fourth-seeded East Lansing 3-1 Tuesday night in the semifinals to advance to Thursday’s 7 p.m. finals, also at Mason.
The Bulldogs are peaking at the right time.
Mason, which won the CAAC-Red Division, district and regional championships last season before eventually falling in the Division 2 state finals to Grand Rapids Christian last November, will face Lansing area rival DeWitt in Thursday’s CAAC-Gold Tournament finals for the second time this season. Mason won the CAAC-Red Division (4-0-1) while DeWitt (15-1-2) captured the CAAC-Blue Division (5-0-1) crowns this year.
DeWitt is the defending CAAC-Golf Tournament champion while Mason lost in the semifinals the last three years of the four-school tourney made up the top teams from the three-division, 21-school CAAC. The CAAC breaks down the entire league into mini tournaments each year based on multiple factors which is annually played during the final week of the regular season.
The Bulldogs (11-3-3) defeated DeWitt (3-0) back on Sept. 12 during the third match of Mason’s current nine-game unbeaten streak. Since dropping a 2-0 non-conference game to Division 3 state powerhouse Flint Powers Catholic (2-0) back on Sept. 7, the Bulldogs are 6-0-3 in their last nine games where they hold a 25-3 scoring edge and six shutouts.
For the season, Mason has outscored its 17 opponents by a 44-9 margin, posted 10 shutouts and have been shutout four times over the course of the season, although two of the team’s shutouts against finished in 0-0 draws. The Bulldogs’ three losses were to Flint Powers Catholic, Warren De La Salle (2-1) and Traverse City West (1-0), and all three of those squads are state title contenders.
Against East Lansing (6-6-3), which is going through some rebuilding pains this season with a younger squad, Mason scored two goals in the final 17 minutes to prevail and earn their date with DeWitt, which defeated third-seeded Okemos (4-3) Tuesday night in a game that reached a shootout.
Senior midfielder Blendi Jahiri, a college prospect and returning All-State First Team performer, finished with a goal and an assist to aid the Bulldogs’ win to advance to the finals for the first time in five years.
Jahiri set up junior midfielder Brock Straub in the 64th minute for the game winner, while junior forward Cam Mauer netted a late insurance tally in the 70th minute to help Mason seal the deal.
Jahiri scored the game’s first goal in the 20th minute, his 10th tally of the campaign, only to see East Lansing’s Edner Andrews tie it up late in the first half.
DEWITT 4, OKEMOS 3 (SO): Ranked third in the state in Division 2, DeWitt had to mount a tremendous late-game comeback to advance to the Capital Area Athletic Conference-Gold Tournament finals with this dramatic victory Tuesday over the visiting Chieftains. DeWitt (15-1-2) picked up goals in the 78th and 79th minutes to force a tie, the second late goal coming with 1:55 remaining, while the Panthers finished 5-for-5 in the shootout to break the stalemate with a 5-4 edge on penalties. Lucas Martinson gave DeWitt, the defending CAAC-Gold Tournament winners and the CAAC-Blue Division champions this year, a 1-0 halftime lead. Abraham Fisher, Nico Rey and Jackson Farnum scored for third-seeded Okemos (4-8-4), as the Chieftains erased the 1-0 halftime deficit to build a 3-1 lead in the second half with 10 minutes to go. High-powered DeWitt, which has outscored the opposition 60-14 this season with nine shutouts, fought back with the two late goals to force the shootout. Jackson Janderwski made one all-important save in the shootout and finished with seven saves in regulation for the Panthers, who will face top-seed and host Mason at 7 p.m. Thursday in the CAAC-Gold Tournament finals. Griffin White made 10 saves in regulation for Okemos, which also lost to DeWitt (2-0) back on Sept. 10 in CAAC-Blue Division play.
OTHER CAAC TOURNAMENT GAMES:
CAAC-SILVER CUP TOURNAMENT
HOLT 2, WILLIAMSTON 1: The Rams pulled out the narrow victory over the Hornets Tuesday in the CAAC-Silver Division Tournament semifinals and advance to face Grand Ledge on Thursday in the Silver Tournament finals. Carrick Christiansen netted the game-winner in the 51st minute for the Rams (8-5-3). The CAAC-Silver finals will be played at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Holt.
GRAND LEDGE 1, HASLETT 0: Jason Rivera scored the goal of a pass from Drew Buckland and the Comets advanced to Wednesday’s CAAC-Silver Cup Tournament finals with this shutout win Tuesday night. Max Berry made six saves for the clean sheet, Grand Ledge’s eighth shutout of the campaign and the Comets’ fifth in their last six games. Grand Ledge improves to 8-4-3 overall, while Haslett, the CAAC-Red Division runner-up, falls to 7-4-6 overall. Haslett was 5-0-3 in its last eight games but couldn’t find the firepower to reach the CAAC-Silver finals.
CAAC-BRONZE CUP
EATON RAPIDS 2, ST. JOHNS 1: Eaton Rapids, the Capital Area Athletic Conference-White Division champions at 6-1-0, advanced to the CAAC-Bronze Cup finals with this narrow win over St. Johns Tuesday. The Greyhounds (8-6-1) have now outscored their opposition 41-31 this season and will host Lansing Sexton in the finals.
LANSING SEXTON 3, LAKE ODESSA LAKEWOOD 1: Sexton, the third-place finisher in the CAAC-White Division, upended CAAC-White runner-up Lakewood to advance to the CAAC-Bronze Tournament finals. Sexton, which is off to one of its best starts in decades at 9-2-1 overall, have outscored the opposition 55-13 this season which is one of the program’s better totals. The J-Dubbs advance to face top-seeded Eaton Rapids in the finals at p.m. Thursday on the road in Eaton Rapids.
CAAC-COPPER CUP TOURNAMENT
FOWLERVILLE 2, LANSING CATHOLIC 1: The Gladiators, who finished fifth in the CAAC-Red Division final standings, advanced to the CAAC-Copper Cup Tournament finals with this one-goal win over Lansing Catholic. Fowlerville improves to 9-10-0 overall, while slips to 5-8-0 overall on the season.
LANSING EVERETT 6, PORTLAND 1: Everett, the sixth-place finisher in a loaded CAAC-Blue Division this season, advanced to the finals of the CAAC-Copper Cup Tournament finals by cruising past Portland Tuesday night. Everest will host Fowlerville on Wednesday night in the Copper Cup finals.
CAAC-CONSOLATION CUP TOURNAMENT
CHARLOTTE 2, IONIA 1: Charlotte advances to the second round of the CAAC-Consolation Cup with this win Tuesday over Ionia. Charlotte will face the winner of Wednesday’s match between Olivet and Lansing Waverly. Charlotte improves to 8-7-0 overall with the win, while Ionia falls to 2-12-1.
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(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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