MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews
BY DAN STICKRADT
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST | WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR | DIRECTOR OF NEWS
BUSINESS LINE: (248) 525-2349
CELL PHONE: (248) 884-1051
TW/X: @msn_stickradt @LocalSportsFans @MiSoccerNetwork
CANTON, Mich. – Mike Presley understands completely the history of the Canton boys soccer program.
Where the program -- which first started under the banter Plymouth Canton -- has been in the past, and what direction it needs to head in the near future. He understands the nickname change and expectations for the – Cobras – this year and in the future.
Presley took over for retired coach Mark Zelmanski back in the spring and hopes to help return Canton to the state powerhouse status the program enjoyed for the better part of four decades.
“I have a lot to live up to as a coach. Mark did a great job and won a state title just a few years ago,” offered Presley. “And George Tomasso and Don Smith before also won state titles before that. They all won state titles and did a great job coaching and teaching young men when they were at Canton.”
Canton is coming off a rare rebuilding season that featured a 5-11-3 overall record, including sixth in the loaded Kensington Lakes Activities Association-West Division (KLAA) at 5-7-2. Last year’s five wins is one of the lowest win titles in program history and it ended in a 1-0 pre-district loss to arch-rival Salem.
Canton was 9-6-7 in 2022 before losing in the district semifinals to Northville (1-0). The then-Cobras last captured a district title in 2018.
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“It’s been a few years so we hope to re-establish that (mentality),” said Presley. “We do return a solid core of players and about half of the varsity is back. We do have some nice players coming up (the pipeline). We hope to improve everything from the varsity on down (to the sub-varsity programs).”
Presley spent more than 15 years on the staff as an assistant coach at KLAA-rival Northville, which much like Canton and some of the rother KLAA schools such as Salem, Livonia Stevenson, Brighton, Hartland, Novi, Plymouth and Dearborn have had over the years. The two-division KLAA is normally one of the best conferences for larger schools in all of Michigan.
Case in point. Two KLAA-West rivals Brighton and Northville had exceptional campaigns in 2023, with Northville losing in the Division 1 state semifinals and Brighton in the state finals in double-overtime – both to eventual state champion Troy Athens. Presley hopes the Cobras can return to that status over the next few years.
Canton won its first Class A state championship under Don Smith back in 1994 in a 1-0 victory over Warren DeLaSalle. Canton also won titles in 2011 under George Tomasso in a 1-0 victory over Grand Haven and a title in 2014 in a 1-0 triumph over Rochester Adams. The program has won numerous league and district crowns in its history or at least been ranked or finished high in the conference standings or lost in the district finals.
The Cobras also finished as a state runner-up in Division 1 in 2105 – the last time Canton reached the Final Four – and that run ended with a 2-0 defeat by Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central. Over the last nine seasons, the program has only been able to escape the competitive district rounds once (2018).
Fall sports at the high school level for MHSAA-member schools will commence on Aug. 12 and the new Cobras coaching staff and players are looking to take a leap up the standings at the varsity level and improve numbers with the JV-A and JV-B/freshmen teams as well.
Canton has boasted multiple great teams since launching its program back in 1980 and have been a staple in the Class A/Division 1 state rankings during much of the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s before dipping slightly the past last season. Over the years, Canton has generally been an upper echelon finisher in the old Western Lakes Activities Association (WLAA) and now the KLAA with last year a rare exception.
Presley played at Canton in the late 80s and early 1990s, spending both the 1989 and 1990 campaigns on the varsity when Canton was a powerhouse program. He played varsity ball as a freshman at Plymouth Christian High School in the fall of 1987 but had to sit out his sophomore campaign after transferring over to Canton.
Re-establishing accountability is one of the things that Presley hopes to accomplish this fall as the program continues its rebuild.
“It’s all about accountability and that starts with the seniors,” he said. “The seniors have to set an example and work with the juniors, the juniors on down to the sophomores, and the sophomores down to the freshman. The upperclassmen have to set an example for the underclassmen and work with each other.
“It’s hard to say how we will do this season because we play a challenging schedule,” said Presley. “There’s some really good programs in our area. I coached with Henry (Klimes) at Northville for a long time and there was always an expectation of accountability and work ethic.
“But we will always work hard. The expectations will be there on Day 1 (of tryouts)” added the coach.
MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews
MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews
MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews
(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.)
ALL-STATE SOCCER LINKS 2024 -- GIRLS SOCCER
2024 MIHSSCA DIVISION 4 ALL-STATE GIRLS SOCCER TEAMS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/post/2024-mihssca-division-4-all-state-teams
2024 MIHSSCA DIVISION 3 ALL-STATE GIRLS SOCCER TEAMS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/post/2024-mihssca-division-3-all-state-teams
2024 MIHSSCA DIVISION 2 ALL-STATE GIRLS SOCCER TEAMS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/post/2024-mihssca-division-2-all-state-teams
2024 MIHSSCA DIVISION 1 ALL-STATE GIRLS SOCCER TEAMS:
MIHSSCA DREAM TEAM REVEAL SHOW 2024: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/post/girls-soccer-all-state-dream-team-offensive-defensive-players-of-the-year-are-a-talented-bunch
GIRLS SOCCER: All-State Dream Team, Offensive, Defensive Players of the Year are a talented bunch: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/post/girls-soccer-all-state-dream-team-offensive-defensive-players-of-the-year-are-a-talented-bunch
GAME RESULTS FOR ALL LEVELS
SHELBY TWP., Mich. – The Michigan Soccer Network, Premier Media Group and all affiliates, will continue to compile a random sampling of game results from around the state each day. To send in game and tournament results (game wraps, box scores, statistics, coach’s quotes, photos, video clips) from high school varsity, collegiate, youth club, amateur, pre-pro, semi-pro or professional soccer for teams within Michigan’s borders or with ties to Michigan players, email all pertinent details to Communications Specialist / Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com or dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com, or submit information right on the correct link on the MSN website at www.michigansoccernetwork.com.
MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews
(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.)
MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews
GAME RESULTS FOR ALL LEVELS
SHELBY TWP., Mich. – The Michigan Soccer Network, Premier Media Group and all affiliates, will continue to compile a random sampling of game results from around the state each day. To send in game and tournament results (game wraps, box scores, statistics, coach’s quotes, photos, video clips) from high school varsity, collegiate, youth club, amateur, pre-pro, semi-pro or professional soccer for teams within Michigan’s borders or with ties to Michigan players, email all pertinent details to Communications Specialist / Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com or dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com, or submit information right on the correct link on the MSN website at www.michigansoccernetwork.com.
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