(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
BUSINESS LINE: (248) 525-2349
CELL PHONE: (248) 884-1051
TW/X: @msn_stickradt @LocalSportsFans @MiSoccerNetwork
PLAINWELL, Mich. – Plainwell was faced with a rebuilding year in 2024.
After all, 12 players graduated from a team that tied for second in its league, won a district championship and advanced to the Elite Eight in Division 2 before bowing out against eventual state semifinalist Holland Christian (1-0 in a shootout).
Or some thought the Trojans were rebuilding. Perhaps reloading would be the more appropriate terminology.
Plainwell is 13-3-3 overall entering next week’s district semifinals and recently captured the eight-school Wolverine Conference championship with a 6-0-1 record.
“We did return a nice core of players, but we had a very deep team last season and a lot of seniors on that roster,” recalled second-year Plainwell head coach Ryan Beauregard. “But I feel a lot of schools in Division 2 lost a lot of players, so it was just a matter of some of these kids were playing different roles at the beginning of the season, or kids were up on varsity for the first time. That’s an adjustment. But we felt that we would still be competitive this season.”
That’s an understatement.
In its last 13 games, Plainwell is 10-0-3. The Trojans have not lost since Aug. 24 in the opening round of the Holland Invitational to the host Dutch (2-0), who at one time were ranked No. 1 in Division 2 and have spent the whole season in the top 15 of Division 2. Plainwell has been listed as honorable mention at times this season in the D-2 rankings.
This season, Plainwell has outscored the opposition 43-20 and at times has simply outworked opposing teams. The Trojans are 13-3-3 overall in 19 games, have posted eight shutouts, held opponents to 1.06 goals a game while averaging 2.27 goals a game offensively. Only one opponent has scored more than two goals on Plainwell’s stingy defense, and that was Division 1 honorable mention Kalamazoo Loy-Norrix – a 4-0 loss on Aug. 22 in the fifth game of the 2024 campaign.
The Trojans’ reward for the postseason? Without doubt, placement into not only one of Division 2’s toughest districts but perhaps one of the toughest and deepest districts in all of Michigan with a bevy of talented teams. Defending state champion Grand Rapids Christian and top-five Grand Rapids South Christian are also in the group, while several other teams in the district boast high-level players.
Plainwell opened the tournament with a 2-0 victory over Richland-Gull Lake, the 2022 state champion. The Trojans handed the Blue Devils two of their three losses last season and the second time coming in the district finals. Gull Lake had 14 seniors last season, while Plainwell had 12 seniors a year ago.
The Trojans picked it up in the second half of last season, outscoring the opposition 49-22 with 10 shutouts. The Trojans went 4-1 in the Division 2 state tournament with a 13-5 scoring edge, winning one game and losing another in a shootout fashion.
This year it will take a monumental task of winning a tough district, but as coach Beauregard put it – “Anything is possible. We have our work cut out for us for sure,” he said.
Plainwell’s next opponent on Oct. 14 is defending state champion Grand Rapids Christian, which fell out of the rankings a couple of weeks ago but still has great talent and is a worthy opponent for anybody.
“There’s some really good teams in our district, definitely no easy games,” said Beauregard. “We’ll have to be ready. This is a hard-working group. I’m sure they’ll come ready to play and hopefully we’ll get a bounce or two and win some games. It won’t be easy.”
Seniors John Amaezechi (OB), Nolan Edgell (F/M), Levi Kalavitz (M) and Micah Mena (D/M) entered the season as returning starters or part-time starters last season, while juniors Chibueze Amaezechi (G/M) and Keegen Braybrooks (F) and seniors Jacob Bowpen (G/D), Nathaniel Launt (F), Ryan Overtermus (CB) and Chase Winenger (CB) all had some varsity experience last season on the deep roster. Mena a is the sole fourth-year varsity veteran on the roster.
Junior Andrew Lewis (DM) has some former MLS Next Academy experience and leads the newcomers. Freshman Sullivan Pelc (F), junior Gavin Steele (OB) and sophomore Logan Swartz (CM/F) are part of the talented cast of newcomers this season that have aided the Trojans’ journey to 13 wins and the Wolverine Conference championship.
“We have a few newcomers, including one freshman, that have stepped in and filled some holes and have done really well. Some of these guys we’ll ask them to step up even more next year because we have about eight seniors on this year’s team,” added Beauregard. “This is a talented group and I couldn’t be more pleased of them coming together with some of the veterans and (making a winning formula).”
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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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