Eagle fans, 

We recently had the special privilege of celebrating the contributions and accomplishments of our seniors on the Grand Rapids Christian Eagles Boys Varsity Soccer Team. 

We asked each of our Seniors parents to share some thoughts about their son.

Will Bufalini 
Parents: Nathan and Jen Bufalini

Willie B.--

What a ride it has been watching you do what you love. At age 2, you told us you wanted to be a goalie. At age 14, you became a Grand Rapids Christian Eagle. Those decisions have had such a wonderful impact on our family. 

Soccer has taken us all over the country - turning your love of soccer into incredible memories for all of us. Soccer led you to Tim Howard, who was successful because of his differences and showed you a path to greatness. Soccer also brought you a sense of belonging and understanding that hard work pays off in all of the best ways.  Your faith and your curiosity about Jesus have grown so much in the past few years, and we love that your soccer family challenges you to be the best version of yourself. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has been the gift of a lifetime to watch you learn and grow, on and off the field. Keep using soccer as a tool for good in the world, and don’t forget to be awesome! 

We’ll close with the words of Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Love, Mom & Dad

Max Michael
Parents: Corey and Tamie Michael

Max,
 

What a fun and crazy adventure it has been watching you play soccer since the day you were old enough to join a team.  Your speed and your grit have always been impressive, but as we look back on your journey both on and off the field, it is your loyalty to your teams that stands out most.  Also, your desire to come back stronger after personal defeat.  You had a rough freshman year that ended early with a broken leg.  Your mom will never forget driving you to the ER, trying to be strong, but wondering if she’d ever watch you play again.  But you rallied back stronger and determined to take on whatever challenge you faced with God at your side. 
 

Your strength, both physical and spiritual, shines through in all that you do.  Your faith in God and your gift of discipleship has always guided you but has also inspired those around you.  We are so proud of the way you’ve used your talents to witness to others.  We’re excited for you as you pursue your next step at a Christian college where you can possibly play Men’s Volleyball and study Christian Ministries and Sport Outreach.
 

Congratulations!

Love, Mom and Dad
 

Boris Lalic
Parents Nenad and Olja and Lalic

Boris,
 

It has been such a joy and blessing to watch you grow up playing the sport you love! We will always remember your very first soccer team, the Orange Crushers, with their unforgettable season of zero games won and no goals scored! From a Parks and Rec team at just 8 years old to the Midwest MLS 

Next team, your passion and dedication has truly been an inspiration to us all. It has been beautiful watching you not only grow as a player, but as a son and brother as well. We hope that the grit, selflessness, and friendships that you have developed on the field will help you in the years to come. We can’t wait to see what God has in store for you. Always remember, stay firm in your faith and put your trust in the Lord.

We love you so much!

Dad, Mom, and Katarina

Peter Borst
Parents: Daniel and Amy Borst

Peter Borst’s illustrious soccer career started at Grand Rapids Parks and Rec. One particular rainy Saturday morning, when Peter was 6 or 7, we forgot Peter’s cleats. He had only his fireman rain boots. Undeterred, Peter still dominated, scoring many goals including one perfect chip over the keeper, sending the ball into the net. 
 

Peter, you’ve been so fun to watch on the field ever since. It has often brought you great joy. But not always. In fact, soccer at times has been a source of stress and anxiety. You worried about not playing well, letting your teammates down, or missing an open goal. At those times, you would ask “Can you pray with me?”
 

If there is one thing we hope you learn from soccer, it is this: when you face challenges, when you worry you are a failure or you might let others down, that you pray to God and know, win or lose, whether the penalty shot goes into the back of the net or high and wide, that the Creator of all things loves you, that you are his, and that your life and all that you do is a song of praise to him. 

We are so proud of you and love you dearly. 
Mom, Dad, Simon, & Natalie

John Cassiday
Angela Honeycutt-Tate & Brent Tate and Chad & Kelly Cassiday

John,
 

Through the years and through all the sports, you have been an absolute joy. As a freshman, the varsity team gave you a nickname, “SWEET John" - and it stuck.  Defenders don’t agree, but the rest of us do!  You are a wonderful son and brother.  You always bring fun and so much laughter to our family.  

It’s been 13 years of soccer at Crew, Midwest, MFA, and Regional ODP – not to mention 2 soccer state championships so far!   We love watching you play soccer.  We are proud of you, especially for how you treat others and the many friendships you have built from your teams, including golf and basketball too.  

Your life verse is Joshua 1:9 which ends with “ . . . the Lord your God is with you wherever you go”.  We are so grateful that you put your faith in Jesus, and we’re excited for your future and what will come next.  We love you and are very proud of you.  

With love, your family

Soren White
Parents: Shawn and Melissa White

Soren,

It has been a joy to watch you fall in love with a game that has meant so much to us. Your journey has not been easy, you always had to battle your way to where you are today. This has led to an amazing work ethic and perseverance that very few people are able to maintain.  These past few years, you have seen tremendous growth in your speed, strength, technical ability, and your vision of the game, helping to create a complete player and leader on and off the field. The state championship and the state cup championship wins both in the same year were definitely memorable, but the relationships you’ve made along the way with so many coaches and teammates will last a lifetime. 

As you continue to fight for your dreams, we have no doubt that you will overcome anything that will stand in your way. We believe that your best still lies ahead of you, and we are excited to see the plans that God has for your future!

Love, Mom, Dad, Linnea, and Camilla
 

Abel denDulk
Parents: Kevin and Peri denDulk

Abel – 

We have loved watching you grow into a young man who is not only a wall on defense, but is also smart and generous, with just the right touch of comedic timing. You are learning to live into Romans 12:  to encourage; to give generously; to lead without manipulation; and to show mercy and justice with a smile on your face. Continue to do well and do good. 

Love, Mom, Dad, the four siblings plus the new one, and Traverse.

Isaac Williams
Parents:  Roman and Joelle Williams

Isaac,

Soccer has been a part of your life since you could walk. And over the years, soccer has played an important role in shaping who you are. While playing, you’ve learned important lessons about hard work and teamwork, about winning and losing, and about the importance of a strong body and a strong mind. Even though this may be your last season of high school soccer, these lessons will pay dividends for years to come. 

It is a delight to cheer for you as you pursue your goals, on and off the pitch. We are proud of who you are and who you are becoming. And we look forward to cheering you on as you pursue a career in civil engineering. 

Your biggest fans: Roman, Joelle, Elizabeth, and Alexander  
 

Eagles, on behalf of the coaching staff, your teammates, and all Eagle fans, thank you, Seniors, for all the contributions you have made to the Eagle Soccer Program and to Grand Rapids Christian High School. You have embodied faithfulness sportsmanship and demonstrated what happens when iron sharpens iron. We are proud of you and so excited for your future. Congratulations, and GO EAGLES!