BY DAN STICKRADT
Communications Specialist | Web And Content Editor | Director of News |
Social Media Director | Interns and Freelance Coordinator
PH: (248) 884-1051
TW: @LocalSportsFans @MiSoccerNetwork
PREP GIRLS SOCCER ROUNDUP: Canton, Marian, East Grand Rapids all open with impressive wins
BRIGHTON – Last June, Canton conceded a goal with under two minutes left in the second overtime. That goal ended up being lethal.
The Chiefs ended up dropping a 1-0 decision to Saline in a Division 1 regional finals, thus ending their season with an 11-5-5 record and one step away from a coveted Final Four appearance. Canton has not been to the final week of the season since losing in the Division 1 state title match back in 2016 – a 1-0 setback to Rochester Stoney Creek.
The Chiefs opened up their 2024 campaign Wednesday and returned to the win column with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over host Brighton in the season opener for both teams. It was also the KLAA West Division opener for both schools.
Kayla Rankin scored what proved to be the game winner in the 32nd minute, finishing off a feed from Scarlett Nuechterlein.
Rankin’s cornerkick set up a helper to Nuechterlein’s insurance tally in the 68th minute to cap the scoring for Canton (1-0-0, 1-0-0).
Julia Tasker recorded seven saves for the shutout between the pipes.
In its history, Canton has made eight Final Four appearances, reached the state finals seven times and have come away with four state runner-up trophies and three state championships.
Brighton dropped to 0-1-0 overall and in the KLAA-West.
BIRMINGHAM MARIAN 1, WALLED LAKE NORTHERN 0: The Mustangs suffered an upset loss in last year’s Division 2 regional semifinals to Grosse Pointe North, dropping a 3-2 contest in a game which ended in a shootout.
The season ended prematurely for Marian, which watched Grose Pointe North march to an unprecedented run as an unranked school enroute to hoisting a state championship trophy. The Mustangs went home with a 15-2-2 record and shy of their ultimate goal.
Although Thursday’s victory doesn’t make up for last year’s loss, Marian did return to its traditional winning ways against a worthy opponent. The Mustangs knocked off host Walled Lake Northern 1-0 in the season opener for both teams.
Walled Lake Northern is expected to be one of the top teams in the Lakes Valley Conference and contend for a district championship this season.
Freshman midfielder Nia Bordogna, one of the state’s better ninth-grade prospects, scored the lone goal for the defending CHSL Central Division (8-1-1) and CHSL Bishop Tournament champions.
Danielle Mertz, who spearheaded 13 shutouts and a sterling 0.69 team goals-against-average last season, made seven saves in recording the season-opening clean sheet.
EAST GRAND RAPIDS 4, MUSKEGON REETHS-PUFFER 0: Last year’s Division 2 state runner-up picked up where they left off in terms of recording impressive wins. Last year the Trojans outscored their postseason opposition 17-6 with four shutouts during its run to the final day of the season.
Overall, East Grand Rapids finished 18-3-3, 5-2-3 in the Ottawa Kent Conference White Division and in third place. The Trojans collected 10 shutouts and outscored the opposition 74-22 before losing in a shootout to Grosse Pointe North in the Division 2 state title game.
GRAND RAPIDS FOREST HILLS NORTHERN 4, HOLLAND WEST OTTAWA 0: The defending OKC White Division champs opened up the 2024 campaign Thursday with this impressive four-goal win over West Ottawa in an OKC crossover match.
Four different players scored for the Huskies, who finished 12-4-3 last season and lost in the district finals. Northern outscored its opposition last year 70-21 with eight shutouts.
CEDAR SPRINGS 0, LOWELL 0: These two teams settled very little in this OKC crossover contest Wednesday night.
GRAND RAPIDS CHRISTIAN 3, GRAND RAPIDS NORTHPOINTE CHRISTIAN 0: The Eagles finished fourth in a loaded OKC White Division last year and opened up the 20-24 season with this impressive shutout win over Division 4 powerhouse NorthPointe Christian, which comes from the OKC Silver Division.
ALLEN PARK 1, ALLEN PARK CABRINI 1: The battle of Allen Park resulted in this stalemate Thursday evening. Allen Park competes in the Downriver League while Cabrini hails from the CHSL-Intersectional Division.
(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.)
(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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