BY DAN STICKRADT
WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR
Twitter: @MiSoccerNetwork
REGIONAL FINALS ROUNDUP Brighton wins first regional since 2005; Northville, Rockford amongst the teams that advance
GRAND BLANC – Devlin McGinnis waited for the opportunistic time Thursday to break a stalemate. It came late in the second overtime period.
The Brighton junior notched his team-leading 22nd goal of the season to lift 14th-ranked Brighton to a 1-0 victory over Novi Detroit Catholic Central in a Division 1 regional finals at Grand Blanc High School.
The win give the Bulldogs (18-3-2) their first regional championship since 2005 and vaults them into the state semifinals against ninth-ranked Rockford (17-3-2), which defeated sixth-ranked Portage Central Thursday night.
On the game-winner, a Catholic Central defender attempted to pass the ball back and McGinnis, a junior, went in for the swipe, raced past CC goalkeeper Blake Maroun and laced the shot into an open net with 3:21 remaining in the second overtime period.
Senior Charlie Birchfield made seven saves for Brighton, which moved its unbeaten streak to 13 games with a 12-0-1 run down the stretch. It marked the fourth time in five state tournament games that the Bulldogs recorded a clean sheet in the postseason and it gave Brighton its 13th shutout of the season.
Catholic Central finishes 12-8-0. Maroun made seven saves for the Shamrocks.
MORE DIVISION 1
NORTHVILLE 3, DETROIT U-D JESUIT 1: The unranked Cubs scored first but the tally woke a sleeping giant as Northville captured its second Division 1 regional title in three years with this come-from-behind victory at Dearborn High School. Junior Haithem Al-Zoubi scored bookend goals, including the game-tying tally less than two minutes after Jesuit scored its goal. Senior Alex McCallum also scored what later proved to be the game-winner in the 38th minute, as the Mustangs led 2-1 at the half. Nick Settle and Zane Khraizat also recorded assists for Northville (19-2-1), which won the KLAA West Division, district and regional over the last couple of weeks. Cam Simpson scored for U-D Jesuit, which finishes the year 10-9-2.
ROCKFORD 3, PORTAGE CENTRAL 1: The Rams ousted Portage Central in the regional finals for the second straight season with this victory Thursday in a Division 1 regional finals at Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern. Brian Goushaw scored in the 10th and 60th minutes for Rockford with the second goal serving as the game winner. Aidan Flanders added an insurance tally in the 68th minute for the Rams, who had never advanced past the regional semifinals until last year as they captured their first regional title. Rockford (17-3-2) has now won back-to-back regional titles and advanced to the state semifinals where it will face Brighton (18-3-2). Michael Kaczmarski scored in the 66th minute for the Mustangs (17-2-2).
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DIVISION 2
HOLLAND CHRISTIAN 1, PLAINWELL 0 (2OT, SO): After 100 minutes of scoreless open play, top-ranked Holland Christian prevailed in a penalty kick shootout to win its second straight regional title. The Maroons (18-1-2) held a 4-2 edge in the shootout with Lake Vanderploeg, Michael Haig, Adam Bergman and Elliott Cook scoring the PKs. Bergman also stopped two shots in the shootout and notched the shutout. Unranked Plainwell finishes 14-9-1.
GRAND RAPIDS CHRISTIAN 1, FRUITPORT 0 (2OT): Andrew Overwoorde volleyed home a cross from Liam Johnson and the Eagles held off Fruitport in this regional finals battle of two top-15 ranked teams. Grand Rapids Chirstian (16-5-2) will face top-ranked Holland Christian in the state semifinals next Wednesday. Fruitport finished 18-3-3 and saw its 13-game win streak snapped in the process.
MASON 3, DEARBORN DIVINE CHILD 0: Mason finished under five-hundred last season but still won a district title. This year the Bulldogs keeps on winning titles, following up the CAAC White Division and district titles with this shutout win in the Elite Eight. Mason (12-2-5) advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 2014. Divine Child finishes 12-8-1.
DIVISION 3
DETROIT COUNTRY DAY 3, ANN ARBOR GREENHILLS 0: The top-ranked Yellowjackets scored two first-half goals and booted home a third just after halftime to capture its 22nd regional title. Tino Haratsaris volleyed home a Elijah Khaldun cornerkick in the 16th minute that proved to be the game winner. Zach Rodger scored off a Andrew Bretano pass in the 26th minute and Andrew Vartanian scored unassisted in the 44th minute to lift DCD (18-2-2). Greenhills, which bumped up to Division 3 after finishing as the Division 4 state runner-up last season, finishes 9-9-1.
FLINT POWERS CATHOLIC 2, WILLIAMSTON 1: Brady Lendzion converted a penalty kick goal with 7:00 remaining and that proved to be the game-winners in this Division 3 regional finals in Flint. Lendzion booted home both goals and Powers (17-4-4) advanced to the Final Four for the second time in three years. The Chargers will face top-ranked Detroit Country Day next Wednesday.
HUDSONVILLE UNITY CHRISTIAN 3, GRAND RAPIDS SOUTH CHRISTIAN 2 (2OT, SO): Jack Kamminga scored the decisive tally in a shootout, where Unity Christian held a 4-3 edge, and the Crusaders advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 2018. Cody Wattles and Colin Nieuwenhuis scored in regulation for Unity Christian (19-21), which will face Alma in the state semifinals next Wednesday. Nick Logan and Bryce Kilbourne scored for South Christian (16-5-2).
ALMA 2, FREMONT 1: Alma won for the 17th straight time and with it captured the first regional title in boys soccer in school history. Brayden Truman scored his 32nd goal of the season off a rebound following Leo Richter’s shot in the 11th minute while Richter booted home his 31st tally in the 52nd minute for the Panthers, which lost in the regional finals last year. John Vissia scored for Fremont (21-2-1), which reached the regional finals for the first time in school history after finishing just 4-15-1 last season (see related story).
DIVISION 4
LELAND 1, HARBOR SPRINGS 0: The Comets captured their second straight regional crown Thursday at Clare High School to advance to the state semifinals next Wednesday at East Kentwood. Leland will face Muskegon Western Michigan Christian for a rematch in the Final Four matchup. Ignacio Creamer scored the goal for the Comets (18-4-1) and Jimmy Alpi notched the shutout in goal. Harbor Springs finished one of its best seasons to date with a 16-5-3 record.
KALAMAZOO HACKETT CATHOLIC PREP 5, LANSING CHRISTIAN 4 (2OT): Hackett rallied back from a 3-1 halftime deficit with five goals over the final 40 minutes of regulation 20 minutes of overtime to capture its fifth regional title in school history and first since 2018. Junior Liam Henning scored three goals to pace the Irish. Junior Owen Resch netted the hattrick to give him 53 goals on the campaign but was sent to the bench with 4:14 left in regulation forcing the Pilgrims to play a man down for 24 minutes. Resch scored late in regulation to give Lancin Christian a 4-3 lead. Hackett (18-2-1) advances to the Final Four while Lansing Christian (20-6-0) loses in the regional finals for the second straight campaign.
MUSKEGON WESTERN MICIGAN CHRISTIAN 3, GRANDVILLE CALVIN CHRISTIAN 0: The defending D-4 state champs are moving on with this shutout win over the Squires. Takalegn Vlasma scored in the 10th and 73rd minutes and Ben Pollock also scored in the 49th minute to pace the Warriors (19-2-3), who have been ranked either first or second in the top 15 rankings all season. Daniel Minasian recorded five saves for the shutout. WMC will face Leland next Wednesday at East Kentwood in the state semifinals. Calvin Christian finishes 13-7-3.
MADISON HEIGHTS BISHOP FOLEY CATHOLIC 1, GROSSE POINTE WOODS UNIVERSITY-LIGGETT 0 (2OT, SO): Bishop Foley outlasted top-ranked University-Liggett to claim its first regional title since 1997. Foley (17-3-1) had lost to the Knights in the CHSL Cardinal Tournament finals three weeks ago. The Ventures (!7-3-2) advance to the state semifinals to face Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep next Wednesday.
MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS—DIVISION I
CLINTON TOWNSHIP FAITH CHRISTIAN 6, VASSAR JUNITA CHRISTIAN 1: Paul Thompson scored two goals and added two assists to lead the top-ranked Patriots onto the third-round of the MACS Division I state tournament. Jackson Miller and Abe Moore both added two goals and an assist for Faith Christian (16-1-1). Oliver Thompson made four saves for the victory between the pipes. Juniata Christian finishes 6-10-3.
TROY BEHANY CHRISTIAN 3, DAVISON FAITH BAPTIST 2: Bethany Christian improved to 11-2-1 on this season with this second-round win in the MACS Division I state tournament after not winning a game last season. Zechariah Gartelle had a goal and an assist and Kurtis Hine also scored, while Mason Mack made nine stops for Faith Baptist, which finishes 9-8-2.
MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS—DIVISION II
WATERFORD LAKECREST BAPTIST 10, CORUNNA IMMANUEL CHRISTIAN 6: The Defenders opened up the round of 16 with this wild outcome in the MACS Division II state tournament. The two teams combined for 16 goals, one of the highest combined score between two teams in the history of the MACS. Lakecrest (3-5-1) advances to face top-ranked Fostoria Baptist in the second round.
MICHIGAN CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
BRIDGEPORT BAPTIST 1, ROCHESTER HILLS CHRISTIAN 0: Top-ranked Bridgeport Baptist advanced with this first-round win over the Eagles, who had won the previous two Michigan Association of Christian Schools state titles before moving over to the MCSAA. The Bobcats (10-2-1) will face Waterford Oakdale Christian Academy in the second round. Rochester Hills Christian fell to 1-8-1.
SALINE WASHTENAW CHRISTIAN 3, BLOOMFIELD HILLS CHRISTIAN 1: The Wildcats advanced to the second round of the MCSAA state tournament with this narrow win over the Defenders. Washtenaw Christian improved to 10-4-2 on the year. Bloomfield Hills dropped to 3-8-1 this season.
(To report state tournament results, email pertinent details to both stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and jonathan@michigansoccernetwork.com)
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