OTTAWA KENT CONFERENCE—GREEN DIVISION:
Below are the team capsules for the Ottawa-Kent Conference-Green Division. Rounds of Emails were sent to the athletics departments and coaching staffs of every girls soccer program in the state where coaches emails were available in March. To submit information for missing schools, submit additional information, or to make corrections, please email Web and Content Editor Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com or text to (248) 884-1051.
Teams – Grand Rapids Union, Holland, Muskegon, Muskegon Mona Shores, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, Wyoming, Zeeland East, Zeeland West
SCHOOL: Grand Rapids Union
HEAD COACH: Juan Zavala
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 12-6-1, 4-5-1 OK Conference Green Division (fifth)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Lost to Jenison (3-1) in a D-1 pre-districts match.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS: Emily Zavala, soph. M (All-League); Lesli Luna, sr. D
OTHER KEY RETURNEES:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: With a blend of experience and youth, Grand Rapids Union hopes to climb into the top half of the OK Conference-Green this season. Grand Rapids Union did capture the Muskegon Oakridge Tournament title last season.
SCHOOL: Holland
HEAD COACH: Greg Ceithaml
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 8-10-1, 3-6-1 OK Conference-Green (sixth)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Lost to Zeeland West (5-0) in a D-2 pre-districts match.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS:
OTHER KEY RETURNEES:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: Holland finished below five-hundred and in sixth in the league last season., There are no players that earned All-League or honorable mention in the Green Division, so this team will rely on some younger players to step up and right the ship. The Dutch started the season with a 1-4-0 record and outscored 15-9.
SCHOOL: Muskegon
HEAD COACH: Steven Thompson
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 0-15-0, 0-10-0 OK Conference-Green (eighth)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Lost to Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (8-0) in a D-2 pre-districts match.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS:
OTHER KEY RETURNEES:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: In a soccer tradition-rich triangle of Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland areas, Muskegon is at a disadvantage of being a city school with very few high-level club players while the opposition in the various divisions of the Ottawa Kent Conference are full of rosters littered with club soccer players. Steven Thompson has the difficult task of coaching a team of athletes up to a respectable level. Any level of improvement is a goal. Muskegon did not win a game last season and the Big Reds started 0-5-0 this season.
SCHOOL: Muskegon Mona Shores
HEAD COACH: Dylan Darga
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 15-5-2, 9-0-1 OK Conference-Green (first)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Def. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (4-1); def. Grand Haven (3-0); lost to Rockford (1-0) in a D-1 district finals.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS: Shay Norden, jr. F (All-League; All-State Third Team); Ave Frye, soph. M/F; LAuren Hylland, sr. M (All-League); Emma Anderson, jr. D; Ella Kinney, soph. M; Jersey VanderWall, jr. G; Addison Fisher, soph. F; Lilly Houle, jr. M; Malory Hogston, jr. D (All-League); Ali Trautner, sr. D; Ali Phillips, sr. D.
OTHER KEY RETURNEES: Mikayla Benedict, jr.; Maya Cooper, sr. D; Olivia Nunnery, sr.; Molly Wolf, sr.
KEY NEWCOMERS: Summer Darrow, jr.; Elizabeth Eckerman, jr.; MaKenna Oneka, jr.; Kathryn Phillips, soph.; Cienna Wanerus, jr.; Annalisa Zambron, jr.
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: Over the past decade, Muskegon Mona Shores has become the most consistent program in the OK Conference-Green. In face the Sailors have gone a combined 19-0-1 in the regular season and conference tournaments in 2021 and 2022. So far this season through April 18, Mona Shores has gone 5-1-0 overall and 3-0-0 in conference play. The Sailors would love nothing more than to escape one of the west side’s tougher D-1 districts after losing to Rockford in a district finals a year ago.
SCHOOL: Muskegon Reeths-Puffer
HEAD COACH: Kody Harrell
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 13-8-0, 6-4-0 OK Conference-Green (fourth)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Def. Muskegon (8-0); lost to Spring Lake (6-1) in a D-2 districts semifinals match.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS: Sophia Hekkema, sr. F (All-State Third Team; owns single-season scoring record); Billie Tryska, sr. F (All-District); Alyssa Herbert, jr. M (All-District, All-League); Grace Goodell, jr. D; Alyvia Ackerberg, sr. D; Ava Klopp, sr. D/G; Brooke Bradley, sr. D/M (All-District, signed with Muskegon Community College)
OTHER KEY RETURNEES: Taeah Rensberger, sr. M/D (signed with Muskegon Community College); Ashlynn Anderson, sr. M; Irelyn Niklasch, jr. M; Reese Tryska, soph. D
KEY NEWCOMERS: Mallorie Messer, fr. D; Kiera Ketner, soph. D; Abby Hill, fr. M/F; Ashley Bradley, fr. F
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: There are 14 returnees and nine starters back in uniform, as the Rockets hope to soar up the standings this year and also contend at the district level. Expect this side to be at least honorable mention or crack the top 15 in the D-2 coaches poll. Non-league wise Reeths-Puffer is also playing several ranked teams from all four divisions to help prepare for the postseason. “We could have an argument pending results, we have nine seniors and 14 returners, so a quality and experienced team. We also play six teams ranked in the top 15 of the state in respective divisions. EGR is 11th in D2, Spring Lake is 4th in D2, Zeeland West is 10th in D2, WMC is 5th in D4, North Muskegon is 3rd in D4, and GRCC is 14th in D3. We have already played two of these games losing 3-2 to EGR to open the season. We missed a PK, and hit the crossbar twice, and hit the post twice, so a very winnable game that saw more scoring chances for us than them. We also already beat North Muskegon 1-0. Outshot them 12-7, just early-season hiccups with our finishing around the goal. We are definitely a top 15 team in D2 if we can continue to get solid contributions,” said coach Kody Harrell.
SCHOOL: Wyoming
HEAD COACH: Anthony Lane
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 2-16-0, 2-8-0 OK Conference-Green (seventh)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Lost to Grand Haven (8-0) in a D-1 pre-districts match.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS: Alexandria Diaz, soph. M (All-League)
OTHER KEY RETURNEES:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: Much like league foe Muskegon, Wyoming is an urban school and only gains a scattering of high-level club kids each season, so wins have been hard to come by in recent years. The program only notched two wins last season and three victories in 2021.
SCHOOL: Zeeland East
HEAD COACH: Joe Gritt
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 9-8-3, 6-4-0 OK Conference-Green (third)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Def. Hamilton (2-0); lost to Zeeland West (3-2) in a D-2 districts semifinals.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS: Cam Roelofs, sr. M; Talia Esposito, sr. D (All-League)
OTHER KEY RETURNEES:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: Zeeland East is coming off a respectable nine-win season and third place finish in the OKC-Green.
SCHOOL: Zeeland West
HEAD COACH: Benjamin Hondorp
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 14-3-2, 8-1-1 OK Conference-Green (second)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Def. Zeeland East (3-2); def. Plainwell (4-2, district finals); def. St. Joseph (2-1); lost to Richland-Gull Lake (2-1) in the D-2 regional finals
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS: Jordyn Klassen, soph. OD/M (All-League; All-State Honorable Mention); Rylee Terpstra, sr. M (signed with Trinity Christian College); Brooklyn Geerling, sr. M (signed with Grand Rapids Community College); Marissa Ybarra, sr. F (All-League Honorable Mention, 13 goals); Isabella Cifuentes, sr. M (signed with Muskegon Community College)
OTHER KEY RETURNEES: Amarra Blattner, sr. M (signed with Madonna University); Samarah Arendsen, sr. G (signed with Lourdes University); Ally Yonker, sr. CB
KEY NEWCOMERS: Abby Habers, sr. D (missed last season with a torn ACL); Rylee Smith, jr. M; Caiti Grant, jr. M/D; Georgia Kuyers, soph., F
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: Zeeland West enjoyed one of their best seasons to date, pulling a couple of minor upsets along the way and reaching the D-2 regional finals. What’s in store next? “The Dux look to continue where they left off last season, and aim to compete for their first conference title in school history. We return 11 players from a roster that won its first district title and bowed out in the regional championship match. We return 4 starters from last year's team and need to replace our top goal scorer and goalkeeper. We are looking forward to another successful season on the pitch,” said coach Ben Hondorp
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