The Boys Varsity Soccer team brought the momentum of a semifinal victory over top-ranked Gull Lake into the State Championship match on Saturday against Bloomfield Brother Rice at Comstock Park. The Eagles took the field in front of a huge fan section with hope of capturing the first State Championship since 2001. 

When the whistle blew, the Eagle withstood some initial attacks from Brother Rice before grabbing hold of the game. The Eagles worked their way into a possession advantage while frustrating the Warriors from Brother Rice with tough defense all over the field. 13 minutes into the match, senior Hans Pruis took advantage of a sloppy touch from the Warriors goalkeeper, stealing the ball from his foot and tucking it away for the first goal of the match. About 14 minutes later, senior Grant Hassenrik dribbled the ball directly through the heart of the Warriors defense before slotting it in front of the goal where senior Ben Kuiper hit it first time into the Brother Rice net to double the margin to 2-0. The Eagles continued to press and create opportunities, but were unable to convert again before halftime. 

The Warriors came out into the 2nd half with a higher pressure defense in hopes of closing the gap. The Eagles defense, anchored by goalkeeper Xander Scofield and defenders Eli Leegwater, Grant Bishop and Carter Goodyke dominated a largely airborne attack from Brother Rice, but conceded a goal on a free kick with a little over 20-minutes remaining in the match. The Eagles Defense showed their determination and commitment, thwarting every Brother Rice attempt while the Eagles attack created several goal scoring opportunities on the counter-attack. With minutes remaining in the match, the Eagles control of the match and managed the game to completion. 

When the clock hit 0:00, the Eagles celebrated their amazing run to the Championship by running to the student section to share the joy of the moment and celebrate the accomplishment of a dedicated and committed team.

The Eagles captured their 3rd championship in school history with a 17-7-2 record and a run the forced them to defeat the #9, #8 and #1 ranked teams in the state to reach the championship match. 

Thank you to all the Eagles fans for the support we received this year. Every time we play is a blessing and it's magnified by having the opportunity to share this with family, friends and fans. 

Video Highlights: http://www.hudl.com/v/2GKA7B

Fox 17 Story: https://www.fox17online.com/sports/blitz/grand-rapids-christian-wins-1st-boys-soccer-state-title-in-20-years

MHSAA report: https://secondhalf.mhsaa.com/topics/boys-soccer/grand-rapids-christian-completes-late-season-surge-3rd-finals-title

MLive report: https://www.mlive.com/sports/grand-rapids/2021/11/see-pictures-of-grand-rapids-christians-soccer-victory-over-bloomfield-hills-brother-rice.html