GIRLS SOCCER: Lakes-Everest upends Bishop Foley to reach second state finals in three years
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
PONTIAC — While Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes-Clarkston Everest Collegiate Unified might have one of the state’s longest names for a high school athletics program in the state of Michigan, the Lakers do have one of the shortest time periods for its girls soccer team.
In fact, the two small catholic schools, just 20 minutes apart, have only had a soccer program for five seasons overall, four as a cooperative program as Everest is in its fourth school year with a high school.
On the soccer pitch, Everest-Lakes is one sure-fire successful program in its brief history.
The Lakers advanced to their second state final in three years Wednesday, topping defending state champion Madison Heights Bishop Foley, 3-2, in a Division 4 state semifinal at Pontiac Notre Dame Prep.
The sixth-ranked Lakers (20-0-2) outshot Bishop Foley 19-10 in the contest to set up a 3 p.m. date Saturday at Michigan State University against fourth-ranked Grandville Calvin Christian (24-2-1).
HEADS UP PLAY: Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes' Ava Doetsch heads the ball forward during Wednesday's 3-2 state semifinal victory over Madison Heights Bishop Foley. Photo | Larry McKee, www.lmckeephotography.com
WOLL can put the finishing touches on their second state title and unbeaten season with a win on the season’s final day.
“It’s amazing when you think about it,” said first-year Lakes-Everest coach Katie Hearn, a 2003 graduate of Division 1 state powerhouse Novi. “I wasn’t the head coach last year, but we’re back in the state finals for the second time in three years and we’ve only been around for five (seasons). I think the one thing about this team is that they play for one another, they a team in every sense of the word.”
While Bishop Foley held the Lakers’ top goal scorer this season, Ava Doetsch, in check for most of the game, three different players scored goals for WOLL, including Brianna Topolewski, Rachelle Topolewski and Anna Robb, the second-leading goal scorer this season.
“We have great balance,” said Hearn. “We have a lot of girls who have stepped up this season. In the regional finals, Jessica Parry had two goals and played one of her better games. In the semifinals, we had three different players score. That makes us tough to defend because we have a lot of different players that can score goals for us.”
Bishop Foley (10-10-2) scored first when Lauren Cross converted a long-distance shot midway through the first half. Brianna Topolewski tied it for Lakes in the 25th minute and Rachelle Topolewski staked her team to a 2-1 advantage at the half with a goal six minutes before halftime.
In the second half, Lakes-Everest extended its advantage to two goals in the 54th minute, this time with Robb converting a feed from Brianna Topolewski.
Foley mounted a comeback and scored in the 62nd minute when Megan VanFleteren cashed in from close-range. The Ventures could not find enough firepower to force overtime.
For Lakes-Everest, which has won four straight districts, captured the D-4 state crown in 2010 and reached the regional finals last season before this year’s postseason run, face a team with similar attributes Saturday.
“For what I know, this team has competed in Division 3 (or Class C) for something like 20 years and dropped down to Division 4. They play a lot of bigger schools and a play a tough schedule,” noted Hearn. “We’re glad to be back in the state finals and we’re expecting a great game from Calvin Christian. Everything that I know is they are a lot like us, very balanced. We have our work cut out for us. This will be the first state final for them and we have some players that played for our state championship team two years ago. We hope that experience can pay off for us.”
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