Avondale-Spring Lake finals match to showcase teams that are splitting image of one another on soccer pitch
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
TROY — When Auburn Hills Avondale and Spring Lake take the soccer pitch Saturday at Troy Athens, it will be almost like looking into a mirror.
“I think they are a lot like us,” said Auburn Hills Avondale boys soccer coach Dave Muczynski. “That will make it very interesting.”
This is the first time that Spring Lake, located near Muskegon on the state’s west side, and Avondale, which is based in Auburn Hills but draws students from slivers of four different communities, have ever met in boys soccer. It’s on the biggest stage.
Avondale and second-ranked Spring Lake will play at 3 p.m. at Athens for the Division 2 state championship. It is the first state finals appearance for both teams, so a new state champion will be crowned.
Last year’s state champion, Grand Rapids Northview, did not make it out the district round.
HEADS ABOVE: Auburn Hills Avondale's Nathan Chapman and the Yellowjackets have rolled into the Division 2 state finals for the first time in school history. File Photo | Dan Stickradt
Avondale, playing in a brutally tough district for many years, made its first-ever appearance in the semifinals Wednesday, where they rallied for a 2-1 victory despite outshooting Bloomfield Hills Andover, 24-5. Spring Lake, which lost in the semifinals in both 1990 and 1991, advanced to its first state final as well.
“They play very well together,” said Muczynski. “They do not have a star, but they play well together. They possess awfully well. I saw some game film and they are similar to us in that they have guys all over the field that come through and make a play or score a goal. That makes them dangerous.”
While senior Nathan Chapman leads Avondale with 17 goals and fellow senior Joe Davison has 15 tallies, it has been the Yellowjackets speed all over the field and its balanced scoring that has carried them farther than any other team in school history.
“We’ve had a lot of guys step up in the postseason,” said Muczynski. “Skyler Russ scored the game-winner against Andover, that was his first goal of the season. I thought he had a couple, but I was wrong.
“I think one of our strengths is our speed,” added Muczynski. “I think with our blue-collar work ethic and our speed, teams have a hard time matching up with us.”
Spring Lake is 23-1-0 heading into the game, with their only loss to Division 1 state finalist Grand Haven (3-1), a team also making its first-ever appearance in the state finals. The Lakers have outscored their opponents by a commanding 117-13 edge.
“They have a lot of guys that can score, so it’s not the type of team that you can just mark one player,” noted Muczynski.
Goalkeeper Harry Kriger has been sterling between the pipes for Spring Lake, which lost in the state semifinals in both 1990 and 1991. Junior Adam Klauss has anchored the attack from the midfield position. Senior Kyle Kendal, junior Adam Clauss, junior Austin Garbas, senior Alec Strahl and junior Riley Kammeraad have all been key contributors to a potent attack.
“This should be an interesting matchup, because being from opposite sides of the state, we don’t see each other and there isn’t a long list of (common opponents),” said Muyczynski. “But being a state final, I expect it’s going to be a very good game.”
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Category: Auburn Hills Avondale, Featured Articles, High School, High School (M-Z), Prep Wraps
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