May 305 min read

WEDNESDAY’S PREP GIRLS SOCCER DISTRICTS ROUNDUP Rockford edges Mona Shores in battle of conference champs; Ovid-Elsie earns date with Williamston; Grand Haven, Midland Dow, Saline advance

WEDNESDAY’S PREP GIRLS SOCCER DISTRICTS ROUNDUP: Rockford edges Mona Shores in battle of conference champs; Ovid-Elsie earns date with Williamston; Grand Haven, Midland Dow, Saline advance

JENISON Mich. – Despite its youth, Rockford is still one of two remaining unbeaten teams still alive in the Division1 girls soccer state tournament.

In a battle of conference champions who are ranked in the top 15 in the state, eighth-ranked Rockford scored a goal in each half to post a 2-0 victory over No. 13 ranked Muskegon Mona Shores Wednesday night at Jenison High School in the district semifinals.

Rockford won the overall Ottawa Kent Conference-Red Division after finishing second in the regular season standings and winning the conference tournament to reach 15 total points to Hudsonville’s 14 points. Muskegon Mona Shores captured its seventh straight Ottawa Kent Conference-Green Division, going 6-0-1 in the regular season and winning the postseason tournament with a 3-0-0 record for 16 total points.

The match fit the bill as one of the best district semifinals matches across the state as the two state-ranked sides came in with a combined 27-2-7 record and not conceding very many chances or allowing many goals. Rockford came in conceding only five goals while the Sailors came in

Rockford (12-0-5), which features 12 sophomores and three freshmen, advanced to Friday’s district finals against Grand Haven, 2-0 winners Wednesday over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, also at Jenison.

Paige Shepherd and Rockford’s stingy back line picked up its 13th shutout of the season and join St. Clair Shires Lakeview (17-0-2) as the only unbeaten teams in Division 1. The Rams have outscored their opposition 41-5 this season.

The Rams’ 40th tally of the campaign came in the 2st minute, when sophomore Laney Carlson corralled a loose ball just outside the box, turned and fired a lofting high shot that sailed just under the crossbar.

Rockford struck again five minutes later when sophomore forward Sawyer Lenon, the team’s leading goal scorer this season, volleyed in a cornerkick from junior Ryan Whitford.

OVID-ELSIE 4, LANSING CATHOLIC 0: Ovid-Elsie advanced to the district finals for the fourth straight season and will face longtime nemesis Williamston thanks to this shutout victory in the Division 3 district semifinals Wednesday at home. The Marauders have been littered with injuries to key starters and reserves, but welcomed back Ava Bates for the first time in a month. The senior recorded eight saves on the night to recorded the clean sheet for Ovid-Elsie (13-3-0). Hailee Campbell netted two goals and an assists to pace the Marauders vaunted attack, while Evalyn Cole scored a goal with two assists and Sophia Sweet also scored for the Marauders. Ovid-Elsie will play at 7 p.m. Friday at home against Williamston, who knocked the Mid-Michigan Athletic Conference Marauders out the past two years in the district finals.

WILLIAMSTON 8, PORTLAND 0: The Hornets received little resistance in this Division 3 district semifinals game at Ovid-Elsie and advanced to Friday’s district finals against host Ovid-Elsie.

GRAND HAVEN 2, GRAND RAPIDS FOREST HILLS NORTHERN 0: After a scoreless first half, Grand Haven booted home two goals just five minutes apart and eventually prevailed against the Huskies in this Division 1 district semifinals contest at Jenison. Gillian Sorrelle scored in the 61st minute and Mallory Woiteshek added an insurance goal in the 66th minute for the Buccaneers (9-6-4). Hannah Taylor notched her team’s eighth shutout of the season and Mya White drew an assist in the contest. Forest Hills Northern finished 11-6-0.

MIDLAND DOW 3, TRAVERSE CITY CENTRAL 0: Saginaw Valley League champion and 10th-ranked Dow advanced to the district finals again this season courtesy of this shutout at home Tuesday in this Division 1 district semifinals clash. Mallory Brandt scored twice and Allison Stockton added the other goal for the Chargers. Aubree Bills registered two assists and Lauren Leuter drew the other assists as Dow advanced to the district final for the fourth straight season. The Chargers will face Traverse City West, which knocked them out in the district finals two years ago, on Saturday in Midland.

SALINE 8, TEMPERANCE-BEDFORD 0: Saline picked up this lopsided win Wenday in this makeup district semifinals contest originally set for Tuesday but was postponed due to inclement weather. The Hornets unleashed quite a storm on the host Kicking Mules with this 8-0 victory. Saide Walsh scored twice, while Avery Nam, Ellie Warden, Sienna Snyder, Teagan Warden, Bella Barnes and Laynie Tousa also scored for the Hornets (14-1-3), who extended their unbeaten streak to 14 games and are 12-0-2 in that stretch. Saline has now outscored its opposition 93-11 this season with 10 shutouts. Saline will play in the district finals Saturday at Temperance-Bedford against the winner of Thursday’s Ann Arbor Skyline—Ann Arbor Pioneer district semifinals matchup. Skyline is ranked second in Division 1 and won the Southeastern Conference-Red Division, while Saline is ranked fourth and finished second to Skyline in that league, while Pioneer was third and listed as honorable mention in the polls.

MASON 5, COLDWATER 0: Division 2 state-ranked Mason cruised to the Division 2 district semifinals win Wednesday. The 11th-ranked Bulldogs (11-1-5) will play 13th-ranked Marshall in the district finals Friday.

DEARBORN FORDSON 3, DETROIT WESTERN 2: Fordson only led once and that came late in the game. The Tractors were able to squeeze out the come-from-behind victory Wednesday at Wyandotte Roosevelt and advance to the district finals. Rokaya Ajami scored twice, including the game-winner in the 75th minute for Fordson (8-9-1). Dema Mortada scored to tie the game at 1-1 early in the second half. Western, the Detroit Public School League champion, led 1-0 at the half and 2-1 midway through the second half.

(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 or submit information right on the correct link on the MSN website.)