(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
KINGSFORD, Mich. – Short-handed?
No problem.
Kingsford still advanced Tuesday in the Division 3 state tournament despite some starters out of the lineup for various reasons.
The Division 3 fourth-ranked Flivvers moved to 15-1-1 on the season thanks to a 4-0 shutout of neighboring rival Irom Mountain-Norway Unified in a district semifinals clash at Kingsford Commemorative Soccer Field.
Without leading goal-scorer Jaxon Buckley, an All-State Third Team honoree last season, out for an undisclosed reason, and junior goalkeeper Landon Andam out ill as well, it was the next-man-up mentality for Kingsford, which is ranked higher this week than any other time in program history. Last season the Flivvers broke into the Division 3 Top 15 for the first time in school history and made a run to the regional semifinals.
The Flivvers will face formerly-state-ranked and honorable mention Grayling (18-3-0) at 2 p.m. Saturday in Kingsford for the district championship. Kingsford defeated Grayling 5-1 in last year’s district finals.
Senior center back Ben Fornetti also played with the flu, but fought through the discomfort to help anchor the back line. Sophomore backup goalkeeper Jonah Nelson recorded the clean sheet in net for Kingsford, which collected its 10th shutout of the campaign.
Sophomore midfielder Jett Buckley was pushed up top to forward for the game and netted the hattrick. Noah Cameron also scored off a Gavin Moore cornerkick, while Gavin Landon and Gavin Kinsella also played well in the midfield and recorded single assists for the winners.
Kingsford, which along with several other Upper Peninsula schools that are members of the MHSAA, were allowed back into the state tournament last year for the first time since the 2006-07 school year, is making its second straight district championship game appearance. The Flivvers have outscored the opposition 81-12 this season and their only loss was to a Division 1-sized school from Wisconsin, Kimberly High School, where Kingsford dropped a 3-2 contest back on Sept. 20.
The Flivvers have averaged 4.77 goals a game this season, while yielding only 0.71 goals a contest.
This was the third time this season that Kingsford defeated Iron Mountain-Norway Unified, as the Flivvers blanked the Mountaineers 7-0 back on Aug. 28 and again 8-0 on Sept. 16. Both of those previous matches came in the Upper Peninsula Soccer Association league play, where Kingsford finished 8-0-0 to claim the inaugural crown.
GRAYLING 6, HOUGHTON 1: Grayling captured its 18th win in 21 games and advanced to the Division 3 district finals with this 6-1 victory over visiting Houghton, which made a four-hour bus ride south for the match.
Gibsen Barnett led the Vikings with a goal and two assists in the district semi finals matchup. Bela Von Lampe added a goal and an assist, while Brett Peterson, Brody Cobb, Max Huspen and Drake Durham also scored for Grayling (18-3-0), which recently captured the inaugural Northern Shores Conference title. 2 p.m. Saturday for the Division 3 district championship.
Grayling, which opened the 2024 campaign with nine straight shutouts and 10 shutouts in its first 11 games, have outscored the opposition 93-14 this season with 14 clean sheets. The Vikings have allowed one or no goals in 16 of the 21 games this season and Marquette and Saginaw Swan Valley are the only schools more than two goals on Grayling.
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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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