(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
CHESANING, Mich. – It’s no secret that Chesaning has been one of the greatest success stories over the last couple of years.
Never deemed a powerhouse in the past, the Indians have placed themselves on the soccer map as quite a competitive squad under coach Tom Dempsey.
After finishing 4-10-2 back in the 2021 season, including placing second to Byron in the Mid-Michigan Athletic Conference (3-2-1), Chesaning has put up some quality numbers the past three seasons and have now won three straight MMAC championships.
In 2022, the Indians finished a respectable 10-5-3 overall, won their first MMAC title with a 5-1-0 record, splitting games with league runner-up Byron. Chesaning, which outscored the opposition 42-27 with six shutouts and three shutouts against, was upset in its Division 2 pre-district game by Corunna (1-0).
Chesaning came back and has an all-time best campaign in 2023, outscoring the opposition 99-22 with seven shutouts over 20 games. The Indians finished a perfect 10-0-0 in the MMAC and 18-2-0 overall – a program record for wins – before falling in the Division 3 district finals to Capital Area Athletic Conference-Red Division member and D-3 power Williamston, 2-1.
This year with several key pieces back and a ton of experience, Chesaning heads into the final week of the regular season and upcoming Division 3 districts with a fine 15-2-0 overall record and the Indians’ third straight MMAC title was perfect once again with a 10-0-0 mark.
Over the last three MMAC seasons, Chesaning has gone 25-1-0 in conference play. The MMAC picked up Birch Run this year, but sadly, Byron dropped its program due to low numbers after graduating a large class of soccer players. The Indians have had to go out and schedule a pair of non-league teams to fill those gaps.
Offensively, the Indians have put up similar numbers as of last year despite graduating a couple of key players in their attack. Chesaning did graduate four players and had one reserve opted not to come back, but this team is uber-experienced at the varsity level.
There are 17 returning players on a roster of 22 – and nine of those players are fourth-year varsity veterans. Throw in a trio of third-year varsity players and this team has come together from being a four-win team in 2021 in 2023 and 2024 where they took their lumps to a team that has not only won three straight league titles, but only lost one league game in three seasons and only lost four games over two seasons entering the Division 3 state tournament next week.
The Indians did lose to Division 2 state-ranked Bay City John Glenn in the Swartz Creek Invitational finals (3-0) and also dropped a contest to Alma (4-1) and Alma was a Division 3 Final Four team last season and finished second behind Bay City John Glenn in the Tri-Valley Conference-Red Division.
Senior forward Zachary Harlan earned All-MMAC First Team honors last season for the Indians, while three first-team selections graduated. Junior Justin Lange (F) and seniors Luke Barta (D) and John Talbot (G) were second-team all-league honorees last season.
Harlan and Lange have both scored over 20 goals apiece this season and lead the offense. Barta is a 6-foot-3 terror on set pieces and also helps anchor the backline. Talbot, who will also play defense in blowout wins, has been steady between the pipes for a team that currently has allowed 17 goals and has a 1.00 goals-against-average.
Harlan, Barta and Talbot join a senior crew of fourth-year varsity performers along with Truman Danek (M/F), Eliott Keck (CB/M), Evan Deiner (F), Wyatt Persallis (M), Landon Deiner (D) and Jaxon Plowman (D). All nine seniors have started some games the last two seasons.
Danek is an athletic jumping jack with speed, as he is also a quality hurdler, sprinter and long jumper in track and field and qualified for the D-3 state finals last June in 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles and 800-meter relay. Lange qualified in four events, including the 100 meters, 200 meters, 400-meter relay and 800-meter relay and is difficult to contain on the pitch with his speed, athleticism and overall ability to finish chances and create chances for others.
Lange, Aiden Trzil (M/F) and Bradley Agnew (F/G) are juniors who are enjoying their third season on the varsity, while sophomores Oliver Keck (M), Parker Kohagen (D) and Collin Hester (F) also return. Junior Kayden Mahoney (M) is in his second varsity campaign., while freshmen Jayden Rettig (F/M), Jacob Jidas (D), Tantiun DeVuyst (D) and Abel Delgado (M) and sophomore Jackson Niewiadomski (D) are the newcomers.
In a recent game against Ovid-Elsie/Ashley Unified, the Indians prevailed 6-1 to secure their second straight unbeaten league season at 10-0-0. As they have done all season, Harlan and Lange led the way with three goals apiece in that league win. Barta, Danek, Oliver Keck, Kayden Mahoney and Elliot Keck picked up assists. Mr. steady hands John Talbot recorded six saves in seven chances, as Talbot has logged a majority of the minutes in goal the past few years for the Indians.
Chesaning has one more non-league game Oct. x against, before taking the pitch for their D-3 pre-district match against Montrose, the last-place finisher in the MMAC. Barring any monumental upsets, Chesaning should face the Corunna/Laingsburg winner in the district semifinals on Oct. 14 with state-ranked and state powerhouse Flint Powers Catholic a heavy favorite to get through to the district finals on the top half of the bracket.
The district finals are set for 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 18 at Montrose.
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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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