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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
BYRON CENTER, Mich. – It wasn’t that long ago where Luke Philo kind of had to wait for his time. Pay his dues so to speak.
During his freshman soccer season he was the third-string goalkeeper on the roster and had to spend virtually the whole season on the Bulldogs’ junior-varsity gaining valuable minutes. There were two seniors on the varsity roster ahead of him and he was a raw but athletic prospect.
Since then, it’s been a whole new ball game for the now senior at Byron Center High School just south of Grand Rapids.
He has helped the Bulldogs into plenty of new territory during this 2024 season.
Did we say plenty?
The 6-foot-4, 180-pound, agile, strong and athletic Philo has been instrumental in helping Byron Center win its first Ottawa Kent Conference-Green Division league title this season. He helped anchor the Bulldogs to just its second Division 1 district title in recent memory – the other came in Division 2 in 2019 when Philo was in middle school – and that district finals victory came in a 3-2 win over Grand Rapids Northview where his team played down a man for most of the match due to a red card.
He also stepped up to the plate and helped Byron Center win two games last week, including a 2-1 win over Grand Haven in the regional semifinals in a game that reached double overtime and was eventually decided in a shootout. Philo and Co. were back at it again on Oct. 24, as the Bulldogs – who actually fell down to honorable mention in the Division 1 rankings after being listed in the top 15 for most of the season and definitely pulled rank in the biggest game of his career.
Philo, who was near-brilliant in the win over Grand Haven, was perfect against top-ranked and previously-unbeaten Portage Central in the Division 1 regional finals – where the Bulldogs prevailed 1-0 in perhaps the biggest win in program history.
Philo recorded 10 saves in the match to give the Bulldogs their first-ever regional title in program history.
“It’s been an amazing season (so far),” beamed Philo. “This is our first regional (title) in school history. We had to beat some really good teams to get here.”
In an area of state powerhouse programs in the Grand Rapids-Muskegon areas, Byron Center has been competitive for years but has kind of been lost in the shuffle. Many of the schools in the Bulldogs’ area have enjoyed a multitude of deep state tournament runs and district, regional and state championship seasons.
Could this be Byron Center’s turn?
“I hope so,” offered Philo. “We’ve worked so hard a s a team to get better every year. Last year we only had two seniors and it’s no knock, but I think we have better leaders this year than we did in the past couple of years. And I think that’s been a big part of it. We’re all so close.”
Byron Center (18-4-1) only graduated two players, both who were starters last season, and brought back 95 percent of its team for the 2024 campaign. The Bulldogs have navigated a tough schedule that featured several schools that were either ranked in the top 15 or listed as honorable mention in the rankings at points of this season.
And Luke Philo was in the midst of it, providing steady hands for an up-and-coming program that is now on the big stage.
“He’s a great shot-stopper,” offered Chad Bay, Byron Center’s fourth-year head coach. “He’s incredible on penalty kicks. He’s saved several of them the past couple of years. I think he’s saved around 75 percent of the PKs he’s faced.”
Logging nearly 95 percent of the minutes in goal for the Bulldogs, Philo’s team has a 0.79 goals-against-average and his individual G.A.A. is just below that. Philo also has a save percentage of over .750 and has collected 10 shutouts in the 22 games he has started.
Today, Luke Philo has developed into one of Michigan’s top goalkeepers. Last season he earned All-Ottawa Kent Conferenced-White Division, All-District, All-Regional and Division 1 All-State Honorable Mention. In the preseason, he was listed on the Michigan Soccer Network’s top six goalkeepers to watch – all conferences and divisions combined. Several Gradn Rapids area coaches confirmed that Philo was is one of the state’s best, even though he plays for a program with little postseason success until this year.
He is good.
He is tall.
And he definitely is athletic as all get-out.
Philo is also old school – playing three sports at the varsity level while also playing club soccer and travel hockey. He does so in the age of specialization, where athletes are reminded the only way to succeed is to concentrate on one or two sports.
Not Luke Philo. He wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I love all three sports. People always ask me which one is my favorite,” laughed Philo.
Perhaps it’s whatever team Philo is trying to lead to a championship.
Philo earned All-conference honors last spring in lacrosse as a midfielder. He was also all-conference and all-region in hockey and will graduate with varsity letters for the Bulldogs.
He picked up an offer to play hockey at Syracuse and has talked to some colleges about playing soccer at the next level. He even received letters from some NAIA and NCAA Division I, Division II and Division III schools, but has not had any solid offers as of yet.
Perhaps his track record and the fact he has led his team to the Division 1 Final Four may spark more interest. He said that he would prefer to play soccer in college over hockey and isn't really interested in playing lacrosse at the next level.
“I don’t play goalie in hockey or lacrosse, so I would really love to play soccer in college,” offered Philo.
Right now, the uber-talented shot-stopper and big-game goalie is trying to lead Byron Center to the promised land.
Coach Bays has been around the beautiful game for a long time. He was an assistant at East Kentwood during some of the school’s glory days under legendary coach John Conlon. He helped coach multiple great teams and college-bound athletes. But never a goalkeeper like Philo.
“He’s definitely one of the best goalies in the state,” he said of Philo. “I know a lot of coaches probably say that, but if they saw some of the saves he’s made this season I think they would understand why.”
Byron Center will take on fourth-ranked Oxford at 6 p.m. Wednesday at East Lansing High School in the Division 1 state semifinals. Oxford is also making its first-ever appearance in the Final Four after losing in the regional finals three other times in its history.
“It’s been a great season and I don’t want it to end,” said Philo. “We’re going to go out there and leave it all on the field and hopefully we can (advance to the state finals).”
— All Rights Reserved, Premier Media Group / Michigan Soccer Network / National Soccer Network
(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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