BY DAN STICKRADT
WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR
Twitter: @MiSoccerNetwork
NOVI, Mich. – On a team loaded with seniors, it was a sophomore that stole the show Tuesday night.
Camryn Bladzik, Milford’s talented 5-foot-2 sophomore center back, often pushes up and takes set pieces in the Mavericks’ attack. She had the green light during Milford’s Division 1 district semifinals clash against Novi and she slammed on the accelerator when she had the chance.
After senior teammate and University of Cincinnati signee Rylee Felton was tripped up just outside the box, Bladzik had her moment in the limelight. Bladzik, who misfired on some earlier cornerkicks and free kicks throughout the game, uncorked a 21-yard bending free kick around the Novi defensive wall, off the hand of a leaping Novi goalkeeper Riley Boujoulian and into the upper 90 of the net on the left side to give Milford a 2-1 advantage with 6:37 to play in the second half.
The Mavericks’ defense – which has a 0.53 team goals-against-average this season and has only conceded nine goals – held firm down the stretch and Milford went on to post a thrilling 2-1 victory over the district host Wildcats at Meadows Soccer Stadium.
Milford only attempted three shots in the entire second half and the only shot on frame was Bladzik’s eventual game winner.
“That’s what playoffs soccer is all about. You get that opportunity and you finish it,” smiled veteran Milford coach tommy Hipple. “Camryn Bladzik – she’s not that greedy, but we have been telling her all season when you have an opportunity like that you shoot it. That was an amazing shot. From my angle that was a great shot. It’s funny on a team of seniors Camryn has that green light on set pieces and this time she buried it. Although at times she just passes the ball or takes free kicks into the box and hopes someone else can get on the end of it.”
Not this time. Bladzik converted her highlight reel set piece that proved to be the game-winner and her sixth goal of the season.
“I just saw the wall and there was an open gap so I’m just going to try to curve it around,” said Bladzik. “I did that and it went through the goalie’s hands, so it was a great goal.
“I knew if we lost it would be the last time playing (with our 10 seniors). I’m just doing it for them and for the team just to advance,” continued Bladzik, one of four sophomores on Milford’s roster. “It’s amazing (to play for a district title) and it’s an honor being a sophomore with all of these seniors. We’re just hoping for a win (Thursday).”
Although Milford had the better of the chances and controlled more of the play in the first half, it was Novi (5-12-3) that took the 1-0 advantage with 18:18 remaining in the first half. Sophomore Izzy Armstrong slotted a ball through traffic and senior Anna Lindsey was off to the races before depositing a breakaway goal past Milford freshman goalkeeper Riley Carlson.
Milford, which improved to an all-time best 14-3-0 on the season, stormed right back and netted the equalizer less than three minutes later. Freshman Ani Linson set up senior Riley Mitchell at the top of the box and Mitchell sent a laser into the back of the net with 15:45 left in the first half.
Milford held a overall 10-9 shots advantage in the game and held a 6-4 edge on cornerkicks, although Novi had a 6-5 differential with shots on frame.
Novi nearly took a 2-1 lead with 20 minutes to go when senior Talle Burns chipped a high shot from 40 yards out towards the Milford goal, but a back-peddling Carlson was able to punch the shot off the crossbar and out of bounds for a cornerkick and the Mavericks were able to escape danger on the play.
“If we get that one to go in it could be a different result,” sighed Novi coach Todd Pfeiffer. “I thought we controlled play in the second half and outshot them (5-3) in the second half. We just couldn’t get one to go in. That’s the way (soccer) is sometimes. We play in such a great conference (KLAA-West Division) and we had so many close games that I thought that prepared us for a team like Milford. Milford is a very good team and we were right with them I thought the whole game. We didn’t make many mistakes. We gave up the late free kick and I thought the only real major mistake we had in the first half is on their goal where we left a player wide open at the top of the box. Other than that, we played good defense on them and neither team had a ton of great chances. They just finished one more than we did.”
Milford will face Lakes Valley Conference rival Walled Lake Northern in the district finals at 6 p.m. Thursday also at the Meadows Soccer Stadium. Milford defeated Northern 1-0 in its third game of the season back on April 9 and ended up winning the regular season LVC championship. Northern won the LVC Tournament title and Milford finished third in the nine-school conference tournament.
The Mavericks, who hold a 66-9 scoring edge this season and are in the midst of their best two-season stretch in program history, have never captured a district trophy. Milford’s league title was their first in 37 years.
“I sat down in November with all (10) of the seniors and asked them if they were all committed to p[laying (high school soccer) this year and not club, and asked them what their goals were as a team,” noted Hipple. “They wanted to win a league and district this year and now we are one win away from a district. We’ve never even won one before and it had been like 37 years since we even won a league. But this group of seniors have been great and have led this team. And we have some very talented underclassmen that have contributed, too, and it’s been a great time coaching all of them. Hopefully we can get it done (Thursday).
“I’m sure it’s going to be a great game with Northern,” continued Hipple. “We see them once or twice a year. We were able to beat them early this season and we did beat them last year, so I know they really want to play us. It’s going to be the two best teams in our league battling for a district championship and I expect it will be a great game.”
(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 of teams or players with Michigan ties, contact Communications Specialist/Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com, or call 248-884-1051. 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.)
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