BOYS SOCCER PICKS: The Final Four has some intriguing matchups
The boys soccer team has boiled down to the final week with the MHSAA state semifinals up next. And there are some ultimate matchups on the docket for this Wednesday night, where all eight of the Final Four clashes will take place.
Many of the Mr. Soccer and Dream Team candidates are still playing, having aided their respective teams along the Final Four path. There is talent galore that all have a goal in mind — playing on the season’s final day and competing for a state championship.
Only eight schools will have that chance.
The MHSAA will announce late Wednesday night which two state finals will be played Nov. 7 at Novi High School and what two state finals games will be contested at Comstock Park High School.
Below are the picks of the state semifinals clashes:
DIVISION 1
TROY ATHENS (14-2-3) VS. TRAVERSE CITY WEST (21-1-2) (6 p.m. at Holt): This is a rematch of last year’s state title game, where Athens prevailed in overtime, 4-1. West, which has won 11 straight Big North Conference championships, has not lost since its season opener in August and has played a complete season not having to cancel games the first two weeks due to the Lower Michigan shutdown. Athens has played a rugged schedule and despite graduating 14 players repeated as the OAA Red Division champions and escaped a brutally-tough regional. There are several future college players in this contest and overtime will likely be needed again. There should be plenty of fireworks as both team can score and have pure finishers.
PICK: Traverse City West 3, Troy Athens 2 (OT)
MATTAWAN (14-1-1) VS. NOVI DETROIT CATHOLIC CENTRAL (11-0-3) (6 p.m. at Novi Meadows Stadium): In the MHSAA MPR computer rankings, CC had the highest point total and Mattawan was third. Both programs have won state titles in the last five years, Mattawan (Division 2, 2016) and Catholic Central (D-1, 2017), while both are absolutely loaded with future college players and highly-touted stars. This is Mattawan’s first year in D-1 after reaching the Final Four in D-2 last year and this is the school’s most talented senior class with many standouts hailing from the Kalamazoo Kingdom club program. CC has a roster full of players from the Michigan Wolves and Michigan Jaguars club programs and is in the Final Four for the third time in six seasons. This could be one for the ages and don’t be surprised to see this be decided by a shootout or at least overtime. Flip a coin.
PICK: Mattawan 3, Novi Detroit Catholic Central 2 (OT, SO)
DIVISION 2
RICHLAND GULL LAKE (14-2-1) VS. EAST GRAND RAPIDS (15-3-0) (7 p.m. at Grand Rapids Christian): Gull Lake reached the semifinals in 2018 only to be upset by Coldwater in the district semifinals (4-3) last season. The Blue Devils have been on a mission to get back ever since and have its most talented team in a long time. East Grand Rapids lost some key players last year to some MLS Academy programs but have reloaded its arsenal since then and are in the Final Four for the first time in nearly two decades. The Pioneers last played in the state finals in 1987 and Gull Lake in 1993. A long drought will end for one of them.
PICK: Richland Gull Lake 3, East Grand Rapids 1
BLOOMFIELD HILLS CRANBROOK (10-1-0) VS. DEWITT (12-4-2) (at Birmingham Detroit Country Day): Cranbrook started its season late and gained back some players who originally planned on playing club only this fall. The Cranes’ only loss came in the CHSL finals. Cranbrook is a program that has consistently been a top-20 program in D-2 for the last two decades, reached the Final Four six times in 12 seasons and finished as the state runner-up in 2014. Yet the Cranes have never won a state title. Neither has DeWitt, which plays some D-1 schools in regular season and has perhaps its best collection of soccer players in years. This is another game that could easily go either way.
PICK: DeWitt, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook 1 (OT)
DIVISION 3
GRAND RAPIDS SOUTH CHRISTIAN (17-0-1) VS. ELK RAPIDS (19-2-4) (6 p.m. at Cedar Springs): These two programs always seem to advance far in the tournament and are a combined 36-2-5 on the year. Both programs also face D-1 and D-2 programs along the way, so they were both very battle tested entering the postseason. Historically, South Christian is 3-3 in state title matches and Elk Rapids 2-3, while both have also had numerous other deep runs. This could be a classic.
PICK: Elk Rapids 2, Grand Rapids South Christian 1
WILLIAMSTON (12-6-0) VS. GROSSE ILE (18-1-1) (6 p.m. at Howell Parker Middle School): Williamston had some struggles at times this season, but righted the ship in the tournament. Grosse Ile was the state runner-up in 2018 and state champs in 2019, although quite a few standouts from those teams have graduated. Grosse Ile still has some serious firepower, albeit younger players, and should be back playing on the season’s final day for a third consecutive time.
PICK: Grosse Ile 3, Williamston 1
DIVISION 4
GRANDVILLE CALVIN CHRISTIAN (18-0-2) VS. LELAND (15-4-2) (6 p.m. at East Kentwood): Here’s another matchup of teams that have faired well in the past decade with multiple deep runs between them. Leland still has several holdover players from its state championship team of 2018, while Calvin Christian has not lost since a 2-1 setback in the regional finals last year to eventual state champion Muskegon Western Michigan Christian. Unbeaten seasons are hard to come by for anyone and Calvin Christian — a combined 38-2-3 over the past two seasons and 18-0-2 this year — has that opportunity.
PICK: Grandville Calvin Christian 2, Leland 1
CLARKSTON EVEREST COLLEGIATE (10-5-2) VS. ADRIAN LENAWEE CHRISTIAN (14-2-1) (7 p.m. at Troy Athens): Everest pioneered some uncharted waters in its decade-old program last year by reaching the state semifinals for the first time. The road ended against Grosse Pointe Woods-University-Liggett, 5-0. The Mountaineers gained its sweet measure of revenge on Liggett last week in the regional finals with a 2-1 upset. Everest is playing perhaps its best soccer in its history right now. Lenawee Christian has not been this deep in the tournament since 1999. The program lost in the regional semifinals last season to University-Liggett (3-1) and in the regional finals two years go to Ann Arbor Greenhills (2-1). Like many other semifinals matchups around the state, overtime might be needed here.
PICK: Clarkston Everest Collegiate 2, Adrian Lenawee Christian 1 (OT)
NOTE: Congrats to Marquette for recently winning its 13th straight Upper Peninsula championship. In the Michigan Association of Christian Schools tournament, Midland Calvary Baptist (D-I) and Saginaw Shields Community Baptist (D-II) were also crowned state champions.
(Dan Stickradt is a 27-year veteran sports writer in Michigan, senior editor and publisher of www.northoaklandsports.com, and a freelance writer for multiple publications. He can be reached by email at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com. Follow on Twitter @LocalSportsFans and on multiple other social media platforms.)
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