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Boys Varsity Soccer captures their 4th State Title with 3-0 win over Mason
5.0 months ago
| Carolyn Groendyk
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 0.00
Varsity Eagles capture their 4th State Title with 3-0 win over Mason
The Boys Varsity Soccer team had a tough road to the state finals, taking on the #4, #3 and #1 ranked teams in Division 2, but came into Saturday’s Championship Match ready to face-off against the Mason Bulldogs.
The Eagles entered the match 17-5-2 while the Bulldogs came in with a 13-2-5 record. The first half of the match saw the Eagles create 7 shots, testing the Mason goalkeeper, while the Bulldogs were held to only 3 attempts by the Eagle defense. The Eagles' best chance occurred when Freshman Liam Jansen shook free and struck a left-footed shot that nearly snuck in the upper corner, but was pushed away by the Mason goalkeeper. The teams went into the half 0-0.
With 40-minutes remaining in the season, the Eagles showed the resolve of champions, bringing more energy to press the Bulldogs in the 2nd half. Just minutes into the half, Senior Jackson Mindling laced a shot from 20-yards out that the Mason goalkeeper couldn’t hold cleanly. Junior John Cassiday pounced on the loose ball, spun away from the goalkeeper and fired the ball into the upper corner of the net go give the Eagles a 1-goal advantage. The Eagles wasted no time in finding a second goal when Mindling blew past two defenders on the right side of the goal and saw Cassiday making a hard run. Mindling slotted the ball across the face of goal where Cassiday emphatically put the ball in the net, doubling the Eagles’ lead. With a 2-goal advantage, the Eagles looked to move the ball quickly and keep things locked down in the back. Senior Goalkeeper Christian Dershem was called upon to cut out a high bouncing ball in the box midway through the half, but the defensive line of Carter Goodyke, Andrew Schepel and Soren White kept most of the Mason attacks at a distance, forcing Mason to take shots from 20-yards out or more. With the clock under 10-minutes, Jansen used his foot skills to beat several Mason defenders before being taken down in the box, earning the Eagles a penalty kick. Cassiday stepped up to convert, giving the Eagles a 3-0 lead and completing his State Finals hat-trick.
The Eagles managed to close out the final 5-minutes of the match for a 3-0 shutout win in the State Finals for the fourth state title in program history. Six players from the 2023 team were part of the 2021 Championship team. Their leadership throughout the season and the postseason run was instrumental.
The Grand Rapids Christian community should be proud of this group of young men, not just for what they have accomplished on the field, but for the amazing ways they represent GRCHS on and off the field with hard work, dedication and good sportsmanship.
Congratulations to the 2023 Michigan Division 2 Boys Soccer State Champion Eagles!!
See video recaps of the State Championship Boys Soccer Match here!
Boys Varsity Soccer Advances to State Final with 2-1 win over top-ranked Holland Christian
5.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 2.00 - 1.00
Boys Varsity Soccer wins Regional Championship 1-0 over Fruitport
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 1.00 - 0.00
Boys Varsity Soccer advances to Regional Final with 2-1 OT win over Cedar Springs
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 2.00 - 1.00
Boys Varsity Soccer wins District Championship 3-1 over FHC
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 1.00
Boys Varsity Soccer advances to District Final with 6-1 win over Ionia
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 6.00 - 1.00
Boys Varsity Soccer advances with 4-0 win over Forest Hills Eastern
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 4.00 - 0.00
Boys Varsity Soccer cap off OK White tournament with 3-1 win over Northview
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 1.00
Boys Varsity Soccer rebounds in 7-0 win over Greenville
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 7.00 - 0.00
Boys Varsity Soccer shot down in overtime by the Red Arrows
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Lose: 1.00 - 2.00
Boys Varsity Soccer concede fall short against Unity Christian 2-3
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Lose: 2.00 - 3.00
Boys Varsity Soccer shoots down Lowell High School 3-0
7.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 0.00
Boys Varsity Soccer tame the Jenison Wildcats 3-0
7.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 0.00
Boys Varsity Soccer flies past Greenville 8-0 on Senior night
7.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 8.00 - 0.00
Boys Varsity Soccer starts quickly in 4-1 win over EGR
7.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 4.00 - 1.00
Boys Varsity Soccer outlast Northview for 3-1 away victory
7.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 1.00
Boys Varsity Soccer come up short against Forest Hills Northern
7.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Lose: 0.00 - 2.00
Boys Varsity Soccer outpace Forest Hills Central 3-0
7.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 0.00
Boys Varsity Soccer powers past Potter's House High School
7.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 7.00 - 0.00
Boys Varsity Soccer draw against E. Lansing
8.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Lose: 1.00 - 1.00
Boys Varsity ride 3 goal second half wave to outlast the Sailors
8.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 1.00
Boys Varsity Soccer walk away with a draw and a loss against Holland & Gull Lake
8.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Lose: -
Boys Varsity Soccer Kicks-off Season with a 3-1 win over Union
8.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 1.00
Boys Varsity Soccer captures their 4th State Title with 3-0 win over Mason
5.0 months ago
| Carolyn Groendyk
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 0.00
Varsity Eagles capture their 4th State Title with 3-0 win over Mason
The Boys Varsity Soccer team had a tough road to the state finals, taking on the #4, #3 and #1 ranked teams in Division 2, but came into Saturday’s Championship Match ready to face-off against the Mason Bulldogs.
The Eagles entered the match 17-5-2 while the Bulldogs came in with a 13-2-5 record. The first half of the match saw the Eagles create 7 shots, testing the Mason goalkeeper, while the Bulldogs were held to only 3 attempts by the Eagle defense. The Eagles' best chance occurred when Freshman Liam Jansen shook free and struck a left-footed shot that nearly snuck in the upper corner, but was pushed away by the Mason goalkeeper. The teams went into the half 0-0.
With 40-minutes remaining in the season, the Eagles showed the resolve of champions, bringing more energy to press the Bulldogs in the 2nd half. Just minutes into the half, Senior Jackson Mindling laced a shot from 20-yards out that the Mason goalkeeper couldn’t hold cleanly. Junior John Cassiday pounced on the loose ball, spun away from the goalkeeper and fired the ball into the upper corner of the net go give the Eagles a 1-goal advantage. The Eagles wasted no time in finding a second goal when Mindling blew past two defenders on the right side of the goal and saw Cassiday making a hard run. Mindling slotted the ball across the face of goal where Cassiday emphatically put the ball in the net, doubling the Eagles’ lead. With a 2-goal advantage, the Eagles looked to move the ball quickly and keep things locked down in the back. Senior Goalkeeper Christian Dershem was called upon to cut out a high bouncing ball in the box midway through the half, but the defensive line of Carter Goodyke, Andrew Schepel and Soren White kept most of the Mason attacks at a distance, forcing Mason to take shots from 20-yards out or more. With the clock under 10-minutes, Jansen used his foot skills to beat several Mason defenders before being taken down in the box, earning the Eagles a penalty kick. Cassiday stepped up to convert, giving the Eagles a 3-0 lead and completing his State Finals hat-trick.
The Eagles managed to close out the final 5-minutes of the match for a 3-0 shutout win in the State Finals for the fourth state title in program history. Six players from the 2023 team were part of the 2021 Championship team. Their leadership throughout the season and the postseason run was instrumental.
The Grand Rapids Christian community should be proud of this group of young men, not just for what they have accomplished on the field, but for the amazing ways they represent GRCHS on and off the field with hard work, dedication and good sportsmanship.
Congratulations to the 2023 Michigan Division 2 Boys Soccer State Champion Eagles!!
See video recaps of the State Championship Boys Soccer Match here!
Boys Varsity Soccer Advances to State Final with 2-1 win over top-ranked Holland Christian
5.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 2.00 - 1.00
The Boys Varsity Soccer Team returned to Forest Hills Central on Wednesday night to face top-ranked Holland Christian in the state semifinal. The match-up promised to be an exciting, hard-fought game and it didn't disappoint.
The Eagles started strong, moving the ball up the field and generating the first shot of the game within the first minute when senior Jackson Mindling sent a left-footed strike rattling off the crossbar. As the half wore on, the teams traded blows with both defenses holding firm against their opponent's attacks. With 7 minutes left in the first half, Holland Christian was able to free up an attacker in the box who slotted a ball into the side netting to take the first-half advantage. The Eagles regrouped and held firm for the rest of the half, going into the break down 0-1.
The Eagles came out firing in the second half, working ot break through the Maroon's defense. Just minutes into the second half, senior Andrew Overvoorde was able to get the ball on the endline and slot a ball across the face of the goal where junior John Cassiday struck it into the Holland Christian net, leveling the score 1-1. With the score level, both teams tried to grab control of the match. About midway through the half, a Holland Christian player was issued a red card for striking an Eagle defender, forcing the Maroons to play a man down for the remainder of the match. With man advantage, the Eagle patiently worked the ball around the field to generate attacking opportunities while the Maroons sought to counterattack. With 10 minutes on the clock, a Maroon attacker was able to get free in the Eagle penalty area and forced a tackle that led to a penalty kick for the Maroons. As the Maroon attacker stepped up to strike the penalty kick, senior goalkeeper, Christian Dershem read the shot well and dove to his right to gather the ball, thwarting the Maroon's opportunity to take the lead. The momentum shift energized the Eagles. With 5-minutes on the clock, sophomore David Pontarelli found Mindling high up the field. Mindling turned on his defender and struck a left-footed shot that beat the Maroon goalkeeper to take a 2-1 lead in the waning moments. The Eagles finished out the match, holding the Maroons at bay to take the win and advance to Saturday's State Championship match.
The Eagles will face Mason in the State Final on Saturday afternoon (3:00 pm kickoff) at Grand Ledge High School.
Boys Varsity Soccer wins Regional Championship 1-0 over Fruitport
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 1.00 - 0.00
The Boys Varsity Soccer team returned to Cedar Springs to take on Fruitport on Thursday evening with a Regional Championship and a spot in the State Semifinals on the line. The Eagles started the game strong, breaking down the high pressure from the Trojans. The composure on the ball from the Eagle's back line and midfield allowed the Eagles to build strong attacks while the Trojans sought to counter-attack with a more direct style against the Eagles. Midway through the first half, the Eagles were able to strike from a corner kick served in by freshman Liam Jansen and volleyed home by senior Andrew Overvoorde. This lone goal held up through the remainder of the half, just as a light rain started to fall.
The Eagles resumed their ball movement in the second half as the skies opened up into a torrential downpour. The possession of the Eagles allowed more control of the ball and attacking opportunities. As the game progressed, the urgency of the Trojans to find an equalizer increased as did the physicality of the game. The Eagles hit the post and forced a good save from the Fruitport goalkeeper, but were unable add to their lead. Meanwhile, the Eagles doubled-down on their defensive commitment and, anchored by the back line of Carter Goodyke, Andrew Schepel and Soren White, were able to close out the game for a 1-0 victory. Senior goalkeepers Christian Dershem and Chase Harmelink shared duties in the net and are credited with the shutout while great play from the center midfielders (Emmett Vance, David Pontarelli, Peter Borst and Liam Jansen) were key to controlling the field on offense and defense.
The Eagles will face off against Holland Christian in the State Semifinals at Forest Hills Central on Wednesday, November 1. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm.
Boys Varsity Soccer advances to Regional Final with 2-1 OT win over Cedar Springs
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 2.00 - 1.00
The Boys Varsity Soccer team traveled to Cedar Springs on Tuesday night to contest a Regional Semi-final. The Cedar Springs Red Hawks had the home field advantage, but the Eagles showed grit and determination to find their way through.
The Eagles came out with the intent of controlling the possession battle while the Red Hawks showed defensive discipline, playing a low pressure style that was difficult to break down. The scoreless first half was punctuated by an Eagle advantage in shots, but nothing to show for it on the scoreboard.
The Eagles increased the energy at the start of the second half and started to find the gaps in the Red Hawk defense. The Red Hawks remained dangerous on the counter attacks and were the first to tally a goal with about 25-minutes remaining in the match when a corner kick was volleyed into the upper corner of the Eagles net. The Eagles showed composure, continuing to follow the game plan even as the Red Hawks retreated their defensive shape in an attempt to preserve the slim lead. As the Eagles turned up the pressure, senior Jackson Mindling was able to create some space past two defenders and fire a shot from 30-yards out that screamed into the upper corner of the Red Hawk's net to level the score with 15-minutes remaining. The Eagles continued to press, creating several more chances (tallying 9 shots in the second half) and the defense held firm against the Red Hawk counter attacks. The Red Hawks created a shot with a minute to go in the second half that looked like it might find the net, but senior goalkeeper, Christian Dershem reacted quickly and dove low to his right to collect the ball and preserve the scoreline.
With the score knotted at one goal a piece, the teams headed for overtime (2x10-minute periods). The first overtime remained scoreless, but the fatigue was becoming evident on the field. Just a minute into the second overtime, senior Grayson Montpetit drove the ball in from the wing and passed it across the top of the box to junior Peter Borst. As the defense collapsed on Borst, he layed the ball back across the top of the box where Mindling struck a shot with his first touch that found the bottom corner of the Red Hawk's net to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead. The Eagles continued to control the ball as much as possible, but the Red Hawk's showed no quit. With five minutes to go, an Eagle Clearance bounced off a Red Hawk attacker and put him in behind the defense, clear to goal. Dershem rushed off his line to close the space and was able to block the Red Hawk's best attempt in overtime to preserve the lead. The defensive line of Soren White, Carter Goodyke and Andrew Schepel held firm, winning tackles and clearing the ball to close out the match.
The hard fought win puts the Eagles in the Regional Final against Fruitport at 6pm on Thursday night at Red Hawks Stadium.
Boys Varsity Soccer wins District Championship 3-1 over FHC
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 1.00
The Boys Varsity Soccer Team faced off against Forest Hills Central with a District title on the line Thursday night at East Grand Rapids' Mehney Field. The wet conditions made and the familiarity between the two sides set this up to be an exciting match.
The Eagles weathered the storm, literally and figuratively, in the opening 15-minutes of the match as the Rangers showed their attacking prowess, forcing the Eagles to play some desperate defense and rely on senior goalkeeper, Christian Dershem to come up with a few big saves. The Eagles slowly worked themselves into the game, finding more possession and build into their attack, generating some good shots that tested the Ranger's goalkeeper throughout the second part of the first half. The Eagles had a goal kick with 30-seconds remaining in the half and the score knotted at 0-0. Dershem played the ball short to senior Carter Goodyke who found a long pass into the attacking half of the field. Senior Jackson Mindling received the ball outside the Rangers penalty area as the PA announcer was counting down the final 10-seconds. Mindling shook off two defenders and fired a left-footed shot just out of the reach of the goalkeeper and inside the post with 1-second left on the clock to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead just before the half.
The Eagles came into the second half with momentum on their side and continued to build on this just six minutes into the half as Mindling was able to outpace two Ranger defenders to a ball that slipped through on the wet turf, beating the goalkeeper with a composed finish to double the Eagle lead. The Rangers fought back, earning a free kick just outside the Eagles Penalty area. The Rangers shot was saved by Dershem, but the rebound was poked into the net by the Rangers to cut the Eagles lead to a single goal.
The Eagles remained composed played through the conditionsss when sophomore David Pontarelli found Mindling at the top of the Rangers box with 16-minutes remainig. Mindling drove the ball past two defenders and struck a shot across his body that found the bottom corner of the Rangers goal up the lead 3-1 and complete his hat-trick on the evening.
The Eagles managed the game well for the remaining mintues, holding the Rangers at bay. The back three of the Eagles were able to win crossed balls and play them to safety until the final whistle.
With the win, the Eagles advance to the Regional Semifinals where they will face host team, Cedar Springs in the early match on Tuesday, October 24.
Boys Varsity Soccer advances to District Final with 6-1 win over Ionia
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 6.00 - 1.00
The Boy's Varsity Soccer team took on Ionia on Tuesday night at Mehney Field in East Grand Rapids in a District Semi-final showdown. The Eagles exerted their ball control and offense, generating 40 shots on goal while conceding only 1 ( penalty kick) to Ionia. The Eagles netted 3 goals in each half en route to the win.
Senior Grayson Montpetit opened the scoring just 9-minutes into the match after cutting through two Ionia defenders in the penalty area. While the pressure stayed on, it took another 16 minutes to net the second goal, this time senior Andrew Overvoorde pounding a shot home after a pass from sophomore Max Visser on a corner kick. The Eagles tallied again within a minute when senior Jackson Mindling fired home a shot from the top of the box to raise the Eagles' advantage to 3-0.
The Eagles resumed their scoring 10-minutes into the second half when Mindling found junior John Cassiday in front of goal. Cassiday was able to pound the ball home on his first touch. 5 minutes later, freshman Liam Jansen struck a free kick around the Ionia defensive wall to raise the advantage to 5-0. At the 64-minute mark, Mindling put away a penalty kick to wrap-up the scoring fo the Eagles. Ionia registered their only shot on goal with 58-seconds remaining, putting away a penalty kick to complete the 6-1 scoreline on the evening.
The Eagles face-off against the Forest Hills Central Rangers on Thursday evening at 6pm for the District Championship. The game will be played at East Grand Rapids' Mehney Field.
Boys Varsity Soccer advances with 4-0 win over Forest Hills Eastern
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 4.00 - 0.00
The Eagles opened up District tournament play on Thursday evening at Eagle Stadium in their final home match of the year. The Eagles hosted the Forest Hills Eastern Hawks for this first-round match.
The Eagles looked primed and ready, coming out of the blocks with high intensity and an attacking mindset. The Eagles generated nine shots in the opening half, testing the Hawk's goalkeeper on multiple occasions, but didn't break the tie until senior Jackson Mindling struck from outside the penalty area with just 5-minutes left in the half. The Eagles took the 1-0 lead into the break.
The Eagles seemed to be breaking through the Hawk's defense with more regularity in the second half. With about 20-minutes remaining, the Eagles had a free kick about 35-yards from the Hawk's goal. A great run by senior Grayson Montpetit allowed a pass behind the Hawk's defensive wall. Montpetit's shot was blocked by the goalkeeper, but sophomore Max Visser gathered the rebound and struck it through traffic to double the Eagle's tally. With momentum on their side, the Eagles continued to press forward. With 10 minutes remaining, sophomore Emmett Vance saw Mindling and played a pass from midfield that Mindling gathered, outpaced the defenders and side-stepped the goalkeepr to tuck away the Eagles' third of the match. The Eagles finished their scoring with just two minutes remaining as freshman Liam Jansen received a pass from Visser, shook off a defender and struck a left-footed blast that the goalkeeper was unable to handle to complete the 4-0 victory.
The Eagles showed that they are hitting their stride, outshooting the Hawks 21-2 en route to the first-round win. The Eagles advance to play Ionia in the District semifinal at 5pm on Tuesday, October 17 at East Grand Rapids' Mehney field.
Boys Varsity Soccer cap off OK White tournament with 3-1 win over Northview
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 1.00
The Varsity Boys soccer team hosted Northview Monday evening to wrap-up the OK White Tournament. The brisk fall temperatures failed to dampen energy on the field.
The Northview Northmen came out strong, pressing the Eagles high up the field. The visitor were able to break the deadlock first, just five minutes into the match when the Northview forward received the ball 10-yards from goal, turned and fired a shot past the Eagle goalkeeper. Northview kept the pressure high for the next few minutes, creating more scoring chances before the Eagles were able to regain some control of the match and break through the Northview pressure. The Eagles responded 9 mintues later to level the score when senior Jackson Mindling won the ball outside the Northview penalty area, beat a defender and struck a shot the found the bottom corner of the Northview net. This goal shifted the momentum as the Eagles started to control the ball the better for the remainder of the half, but the score at the break was even a 1-1.
The second half found the Eagles with better movement off the ball and more potent attacks. in the 53rd minute, Mindling struck for a second time, winning a ball 40 yards from goal and out running the Northview defenders before slotting a shot past the Northview goalkeeper. With 10 minutes remaining, Junior Dimas Perez flicked a ball in front of the goal where MIndling was able to outrace the goalkeeper, knocking the ball past him with his head to increase the lead to 3-1. The Eagles created additional opportunities and continued to hold the Northmen at bay with a solid defensive performance by the Eagles back line (Sornen White, Andrew Schepel, Carter Goodyke and Able denDulk) and a few key saves by Eagles' goalkeeper, Chrisitian Dershem.
The win puts the Eagles record at 11-5-2 entering District play this Thursday. The Eagles are the #2 seed in the District and will host Forest Hills Eastern on Thursday evening in what will be the final home match of the 2023 season.
Boys Varsity Soccer rebounds in 7-0 win over Greenville
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 7.00 - 0.00
The Boys Varsity Soccer team hosted Greenville in a OK White Conference tournament game on a perfect Wednesday night. The conditions were perfect for a late season match-up and the Eagles took advantage of the conditions, rallying to 7-0 victory over the visitors.
The Eagles found opportunities early against Greenville, but could not find their way into the net until midway through the first half when junior John Cassiday was taken down in the box by a Greenville defender, earning a penalty kick that he converted for a 1-0 lead. Late in the half, sophomore Seth Rozema picked-up a rebound just in front of the goal and poked it in to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead at half-time.
The Eagles brought new energy to the field in the 2nd half, putting the pressure on early when junior Peter Borst knocked-in a goal after some great combination play from senior Andrew Overvoorde and Cassiday (assist). Borst struck again when senior Jackson Mindling collected a ball in the corner and beat a defender before slotting a pass in front of goal for Borst to finish. Borst collected his third of the night on a corner kick play that sprung him free at the top of the penalty area on a pass from freshman Liam Jansen to raise the scoreline to 5-0. The Eagles struck twice again in the final minutes when sophomores Emmett Vance slotted a ball through to David Pontarelli who broke free and beat the goalkeeper on a breakaway. As the clock was winding down, Rozema completed the scoring by winning a loose ball and striking from distance, finding the corner against the Greenville goalkeeper.
The Eagles defense held firm all night with senior goalkeepers Christian Dershem and Chase Harmelink combining for the shutout with 3 saves on the night.
The Eagles wrap-up the OK White tournament with a match against Northview on Monday, October 9 at Eagle Stadium (7:30 pm kickoff).
Boys Varsity Soccer shot down in overtime by the Red Arrows
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Lose: 1.00 - 2.00
The Boys Varsity Eagles hosted the Lowell Red Arrows on Monday night at Eagle Stadium in the first round of the OK White conference tournament. The night started strong for the Eagles, with junior John Cassiday scoring off an assist from senior Grayson Montpetit just 20 seconds into the match. The Eagles pressed on throughout the half, but failed to convert their opportunities, taking the slim 1-0 lead into halftime.
The Eagles came out strong in the 2nd half and knocked on the door, controlling the majority of the ball and creating scoring opportnities, but the Lowel defense refused to break. Midway through the second half, a Lowell attacker blasted a shot with an Eagle defender on is hip that found the top corner of the net, leveling the game at 1-1. The Eagles pressed on, hoping to end the match before overtime, but neither team was able to convert.
Overtime is played as two 10-minute periods. The first period saw the Eagles knocking at the door while the Red Arrows looked to counter attack when the opportunity presented itself. Midway through the second overtime, a Red Arrow attacker cracked a dipping shot that just squeezed under the cross bar to give Lowel a 2-1 lead with the clock winding down. The Eagles persisted, working through the Lowell defense and created a series of corner kicks in the final minute. As the PA announcer counted down the final seconds, a ball popped out to an Eagle attacker who struck a side volley that hit off the crossbar and went straight down, just inches from leveling the game and sending it to penalty kicks.
The loss puts the Eagles out of contention for winning the OK White tournament, but puts the Eagles at home to host the second round game on Wednesday night as they seek to rebound from their second close defeat in the last two games. Kick-off on Wednesday will be at 7:30 pm.
Boys Varsity Soccer concede fall short against Unity Christian 2-3
6.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Lose: 2.00 - 3.00
The Eagles Varsity Boys Soccer team hosted Unity Christian in a non-conference match-up on Thursday night at Eagle Stadium. The Eagles jumped out to take the lead in the first half when freshman Liam Jansen stole a pass near midfield and served a pass to senior Jackson Mindling inside the Crusaders penalty area. Mindling took a touch avoid the Unity defender and blasted a shot past the goalkeeper. Eleven minutes later, the Eagles struck again. A long throw-in from senior Carter Goodyke was flicked on to the back post where senior Grayson Montpetit lifted the ball toward the goal. Junior Isaac Williams streaked in and blasted the ball into the Unity net for a 2-0 lead. With just minutes left in the half, Unity was able to cut the lead in half when a clumsy challenge by the Eagles resulted in a Unity penalty kick, bringing the half-time score to 2-1.
The Second half started out with a frenzy with both teams pushing hard to find another goal. The Crusaders were able to convert about 13 minutes into the half when the Crusaders kept the ball alive around the Eagles' goal before a side volley dipped over senior goalkeeper Christian Dershem to level the score. Both team threatened to score in an effort to break the deadlock until Unity finally broke through on a corner kick that the Eagles failed to clear with just 5 minutes remaining. The Eagles threw everything they had at Unity in the final minutes, but were unable to find the net, resulting in a 2-3 loss.
The Eagles begin OK White conference tournament play on Tuesday night, hosting Lowell High School in a rematch just a week after the two teams played in Lowell. Kick-off for the match will be at 7:30 pm.
Boys Varsity Soccer shoots down Lowell High School 3-0
7.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 0.00
The Boys Varsity Soccer team traveled to the Lowell to take on the Red Arrows in the final regular season OK White match. The Eagles entered the match with a four game win streak and hoped to extend that and finish the OK White regular season on a high.
The Eagles took control of the tempo in the game early, moving the ball in possession and finding space behind the Red Arrow defense. The Eagles broke through midway through at the 15-minute mark when senior Jackson Mindling played a pass through the Lowell defense to junior Peter Borst, putting him behind the defense where he beat the goalkeeper, slotting the ball into the far post. The Eagles continued to knock on the door throughout the half, holding the Red Arrows at bay with solid defense and strong control in possession. The Eagles went into the half with a 1-0 lead.
The scoring continued for the Eagles 10-minutes into the 2nd half when the Eagles quickly setup for a corner kick. On the corner Borst floated a cross to the far post where senior Carter Goodyke neatly headed the ball over the Lowell goalkeeper to double the Eagles tally. Just minutes later Mindling found a pass through to Borst again, putting him one against one with the goalkeeper. Borst finished his chance to net his second of the match, giving the Eagles a 3-0 victory on the night. The Eagles out shot the Red Arrows 16-2 on the evening and posted their third straight shutout.
The Eagles return home for a non-conference match against Hudsonville Unity Christian on Thursday night (7:30 pm kick-off) before hosting the first round OK White tournament match next Monday in a rematch against Lowell.
Boys Varsity Soccer tame the Jenison Wildcats 3-0
7.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 0.00
The Boys Varsity Soccer team hosted the Jenison Wildcats on Satuday for a non-conference showdown. The Eagles looked to use the match to build momentum as they enter their final week of the regular season and came out firing.
The Eagles showed great composure and cohesion as a team, connecting passes and controling the pace of the match. The Eagles struck early with a goal just 13-minutes in when junior John Cassiday drew defenders and played a ball across to senior Jackson Mindling who fired his shot past the Wildcats goalkeeper to take an early lead. The Eagles scored again in the 25th minute when Mindling cut past two Jenison defenders and struck a shot into the far side of the net to double the Eagles' lead 2-0 before the half.
The Eagles found the net once more in the second half when junior Peter Borst stripped a Jenison defender of the ball and slotted a pass to a streaking Cassiday who tucked it past the goalkeeper for the third goal of the match. The Eagles defense held firm and goalkeeper Christian Dershem recorded his 4th shutout of the season. The Eagles out shot the Wildcats 18-6 en route to the victory.
The Eagles head back on the road on Tuesday night for a 6:45 match against Lowell before returning home for the final home match of the regular season against Unity Christian on Thursday evening (7:30 pm kick-off).
Boys Varsity Soccer flies past Greenville 8-0 on Senior night
7.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 8.00 - 0.00
The Boy's Varsity Soccer team celebrated its 8 seniors on Thursday night as they hosted the Greenville Hornets. The Eagles played with great energy and composure, unleashing an offensive barrage on the visitors.
The scoring started early as junior Peter Borst played a through ball to senior Jackson Mindling who tallied the first goal of the night just 6-minutes in to the match. Mindling scored again just 5 minutes later when he headed a long throw-in from senior Carter Goodyke into the top corner of the net for a 2-0 lead. At the 15-minute mark, senior Andrew Overvoorde connected on a pass from junior John Cassiday to score his first of the year, upping the advantage to 3-0. Borst tallied for the Eagles at the 25-minute mark on an assist from senior Grayson Montpetit. Just a minute later, Cassiday broke through to add a goal to his assist. At the 31-minute mark, Dimas Perez followed up on a rebound and put it past the goalkeeper to up the Eagles' tally to 6-0 at the half. With all 8 seniors on the field in the 2nd half, Mindling scored his third of the night just 3-minutes into the half to complete his hat-trick. And at the 10-minute mark in the half, Mindling added an assist by playing a pass through the Hornets defensive line to fellow senior Christian Dershem who played a shot to the far corner that bounced off the post, but was able to follow it up to complete the 8-0 scoreline. The shutout was shared by all three Eagles' goalkeepers, Christian Dershem, Chase Harmelink and Will Bufalini.
The Eagles complete a 3-game week by hosting Jenison on Saturday morning for an 11:45 kick-off at Eagle Stadium.
Boys Varsity Soccer starts quickly in 4-1 win over EGR
7.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 4.00 - 1.00
The Boys Varsity Soccer team traveled down the road to East Grand Rapids to face off against the Pioneers in another OK White match-up. This game always brings out the best in both teams.
The Eagles started the game quickly with strong and patient ball control to open up gaps in the Pioneer Defense. Just 7-minutes into the match, senior Jackson Mindling received a through pass from junior John Cassiday and pounded a first-touch shot past the Pioneer goalkeeper to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. 9-minutes later, freshman Liam Jansen stole the ball from a Pioneer defender near the top of the penalty area, took a touch to open up some space and curled a shot just inside the post to double the Eage's lead to 2-0. Just 5-minutes after the second goal, a ball was planed into sophomre David Pontarelli who flicked it on to senior Andrew Overvoorde, Overvoorde beat his defender and played a pass back to Pontarelli who finished the chance from 8 yards out to add to the Eagle's tally for a 3-0 lead at the half.
The second half showed a resilient Pioneer team working to get back into the game, gaining a goal back in the 70th minute when the Eagles failed to clear a corner kick, allowing the Pioneers to put away the rebound for a 3-1 scoreline. The Eagles maintained their composure and created several good scoring changes in the final 10 minutes before a shot on goal with 30-seconds left was not held cleanly by the Pioneer goalkeeper and senior Grayson Montpetit followed up to put the rebound away to make the final score 4-1 for the Eagles.
The win puts the Eagles at 6-3-2 on the season as they prepare to return home on Thursday night for a match against Greenville. This match is the final OK home match of the year and the 8 Eagle seniors will be honored for their contributions to the program. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm.
Boys Varsity Soccer outlast Northview for 3-1 away victory
7.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 1.00
The Boys Varsity soccer team traveled to Northview on Thursday in an OK White showdown. The Eagles were coming off back-to-back losses and hoping to turn the tide against the Wildcats.
The Eagles came out with great composure and intent to control the pace of the match, breaking through just 7-minutes into the game when senior Jackson Mindling took on beat two Wildcat defenders and slotted a shot neatly inside the far post to put the Eagles up 1-0. The Eagles struck again at the 22-minute mark when slotted a pass through the Wildcat defense from Midfield and found junior John Cassiday streaking forward who cleanly finished to double the Eagles tally to 2-0. The Wildcats struck back quickly on the kick-off, finding the Eagles flat in the midfield, slotting a ball through the defense where the Wildcat attacker was able to finish a 1-on-1 opportunity to cut the Eagles' lead in half, 2-1. The Eagles came out firing in the second half, pressuring the Wildcats attackers and winning 50/50 balls in the midfield. The Eagles struck for a third time as Mindiling took on three defenders before slotting a pass across the goal where freshman Liam Jansen was able to stike it past the goalkeeper to incrase the Eagles' lead to 3-1. Although the Wildcats continued their efforts to press forward, the Eagles defense held strong, finishing the match with a well-earned 3-1 victory.
The win puts the Eagles at 5-3-2 on the season (2-2 in the OK White). The Eagles finish their 3-week road swing next Tuesday, taking on East Grand Rapids at Meheny Field in another OK White match-up.
Boys Varsity Soccer come up short against Forest Hills Northern
7.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Lose: 0.00 - 2.00
The Boys Varsity soccer team continued its three week road swing by traveling to the Forest Hill Northern Huskies on Tuesday night. The game promised to be a hard fought match as both teams looked to get a foothold in the OK White Conference race.
The Eagles came out strong and composed, generating several shots from distance in the first 15 minutes while controlling the pace of the match. The Huskies evened responded by putting more pressure on the Eagles as the first half continued with both goalkeepers making saves to keep the score level 0-0 at the break.
The Huskies poured on the pressure as the second half started, putting the Eagles on the back foot, defending hard and struggling to control the tempo of the game. Just as the Eagles were regaining their composure, a long throw-in from the Huskies created havoc in front of the Eagles' goal, allowing FHN to take a 1-0 lead.
The Eagles began to press to find a response, but a well-placed pass through the Eagle's defensive line put a FHN forward on a breakaway behind the defenders where he was able to double the tally. The Eagles battled hard to respond as the Huskies worked to kill off the remaining time on the clock for the victory.
The Eagles look to rebound on Thursday night as they travel to Northview for a 6:45 pm kickoff.
Boys Varsity Soccer outpace Forest Hills Central 3-0
7.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 0.00
The Boys Varsity Soccer Team traveled to Forest Hills Central to open their OK White campaign. This much anticipated match between #1 ranked Rangers hosted the #3 ranked Eagles was broadcast statewide on the Michigan Soccer Network. The Rangers had the better of the first 10-minutes of the match as the visiting Eagles worked their way into the game with both teams trading scoring opportunities. The Breakthrough came 16-minutes into the match when sophomore David Pontarelli was fouled in the box going up for a header, resulting in an Eagle penalty kick. Junior John Cassiday tucked the penalty away to give the Eagles a 1-0 advantage. At the 32-minute mark, senior Jackson Mindling received a throw-in deep in the Rangers end of the field and floated a ball acros the goal. Cassiday was able to streak between two defenders and volley the ball past the Rangers goalkeeper to double the Eagles' advantage to 2-0.
With a 2-0 advantage going into the second half, the Eagles played more conservatively, defending well as a team and taking few risks in the back. The talented Rangers pressed forward looking to cut the Eagles lead, but were thwarted by some outstanding goalkeeping by senior Christian Dershem, turning away several good chances. The tenacious Eagles still created opportunites when their defense created turnovers in the midfield. With seven minutes remaining, Mindling intercepted a Rangers pass into the midfield and drove it forward with Pontarelli streaking on his left. As the Rangers defender stepped up to defend Mindling, he adeptly slotted the ball in front of Pontarelli who tucked the ball into the far side of the goal to cap off the scoring. The Eagles continued to show their ability to counter quickly and, with a minute remaining, Cassiday was fouled just outside the Rangers penalty area, resulting in a free kick. Cassiday was just inches away from tallying his third of the night when his free kick rocketed off the crossbar.
The Eagles defense showed grit and tenacity all night against a skillful and speedy Rangers attack, preserving the shutout, their third of the season. The win moves the Eagles to 4-1-2 on the season and 1-0 in conference play.
The Eagles continue their three-week streak of away games by traveling to Byron Center on Thursday night for a 6:45 kickoff.
The extended highlights of the match from MSN can be found here: https://youtu.be/9XNShl6jkVQ
Boys Varsity Soccer powers past Potter's House High School
7.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 7.00 - 0.00
The Boys Varsity Soccer team went into the holiday weekend with a Thursday afternoon match-up against the Potter's House Pumas at Eagle Stadium. The Eagles brought an overpowering offensive game against the visiting Pumas, generating 44 shots and 7 goals on the match.
The Eagle attack started quickly, generating shots almost immediately in the match, but it took nearly 20 minutes before the Eagles could break through when junior John Cassiday drew the defense and slotted a ball across to senior Jackson Mindling to open the scoring. Just minutes later, Cassiday netted his first of the match finding the ball in a scramble in front of the goal and poked in a rebound to make it 2-0. Freshman Liam Jansen added to the tally just two minutes later as he took on a Puma defender on a corner kick and slotted a near-post shot away. Jansen netted his second of the afternoon just four minutes after his first when he intercepted a pass, shook free of a defeder and rifled a shot to the upper corner, helping the Eagles go into the break with a 4-0 lead.
The offense continued in the 2nd half when Cassiday was sent through on two breakways to complete his hat-trick. Mindling closed out the scoring by driving home a header on a corner kick served by sophomore Micah Rogers.
Highlights of the match can be found here: (click here for video highlights)
The Eagles start their OK White conference schedule on Tuesday with the first six conference games on the road. Tuesday night the Eagles travel to Forest Hills Central to take on the Rangers in a rematch of a hard-fought district semi-final last year. This game will be streamed on the Michigan Soccer Network as the HS Game of the Week (https://youtube.com/live/c_YMOAlHGK8?feature=share).
Boys Varsity Soccer draw against E. Lansing
8.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Lose: 1.00 - 1.00
The Boys Varsity Soccer team hosted a Saturday evening match against visitng E. Lansing. Both teams entered the game with a 2-1-1 record, ready for an entertaining showdown at Eagle Stadium.
The Trojans attacked quickly, earning the first several attempts at goal before the Eagles started to gain control of the ball and build into their attack. The Trojans struck first in the match on a well-crafted free kick found a streaking E. Lansing player open in the goal box to drive a shot home for a 1-0 lead. The Eagles mounted several attacks just before the half that showed promise, but trailed the visitors 1-0 at the half.
The Eagles responded by controlling the tempo of the match in the second half, generating several attacking opportunities in the second half when junior Peter Borst took a corner kick to the endline and drove a cross into the box where a Trojan defender handled it, resulting in an Eagle penalty kick. Junior John Cassiday stepped up to take the penalty and knocked it home confidently to level the score at 1-1 with about 20 minutes remaining. The Eagles poured it on, generating 10 more shots in the final 20 mintues as they sought to find the go ahead goal, but were unable to convert against a scrappy Trojan defense. The game ended in a hard-fought and entertaining 1-1 draw.
The Eagles wrap-up their early non-conference season on Thursday night when they host Potter's House High School at Eagle Stadium with a 5:30 pm kick-off scheduled.
Boys Varsity ride 3 goal second half wave to outlast the Sailors
8.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 1.00
The Boy's Varsity Soccer team traveled down the road to take on South Christian on a very hot and muggy Wednesday night. The heat index forced the cancellation of the JV match, but things cooled of just in time for the varsity teams to kick-off in a match that is always marked by high intensity.
The teams traded punches in the first half with the Sailors using their dangerous restarts (corner kicks and long throw-ins) to create scoring chance while the Eagles used their fast-paced possession game to break through the Sailors back line. Both goalkeepers were called upon to make some spectacular saves in the first half with Christian Dershem acrobatically tipping a South Christian shot over the bar while the South Christian goalkeeper came off his line aggressively to block a John Cassiday breakaway. The score remained 0-0 at the half.
The Eagles were the first to break through early in the 2nd half as junior John Cassiday sprang free down the sideline, drawing the defense wide. Cassiday slotted a ball back toward the center to sophomore Seth Rozema who calmly turned with a man on his back and laid the ball to junior Peter Borst streaking into the box for a one-time finish. Minutes later, the Sailors responded when one of their dangerous long throw-ins caused a scramble just in front of the Eagles goal resulting in a 1-1 scoreline. With 18-mintues left, Borst struck again from distance, floating a ball on net that stymied the Sailors goalkeeper to give the Eagles a 2-1 advantage. The Eagles capped off the scoring as senior Jackson Mindling broke through several South Christian defenders to neatly tuck the ball past the charging South Christian goalkeeper. The Eagles defended well to close out the match and walked away with a well-earned and tough-fought 3-1 win.
The Eagles return home for a special Saturday evening match against division 1 East Lansing on 8/26 at Eagle Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm.
Video highlights from the match
Boys Varsity Soccer walk away with a draw and a loss against Holland & Gull Lake
8.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Lose: -
It's unusual to play a double-header in soccer, but this past Saturday, the Boys Varsity Soccer team traveled to Holland to face off against Holland High School and Richmond Gull Lake in back-to-back matches.
The Eagles faced-off against hosts in the first match. The Fighting Dutch came out strong, but the Eagles' defense held firm, thwarting the Dutch attacks throughout the first half. In the second half, the Eagles started to get the better of the possession and found more potency in their attack, but were held off by the Dutch defense. Senior goalkeeper Christian Dershem and the stout Eagles defense recorded their first defensive shutout of the year, but the Eagles were unable to break through on offense. The match ended in a 0-0 draw
The Eagles had 15-minutes between games before kicking-off against Gull Lake. The Eagle brought their momentum to the second game, showing better ball movement in the first half and creating some good chances as the play went end-to-end. Gull Lake was awarded a penalty kick about with about 10-minutes left in the half. Senior goalkeeper Chase Harmelink saved the shot, but the kicker was able to put the rebound away for the only goal of the match. The Eagles held Gull Lake at bay the remainder of the match, even after playing a man down for the final 20-minutes of the game following the disqualification of an Eagles player. The final result was a 0-1 loss.
The Eagles are traveling to South Christian for a match on Wednesday night (7:15 kickoff).
Boys Varsity Soccer Kicks-off Season with a 3-1 win over Union
8.0 months ago
| Aric Dershem
Eagles Win: 3.00 - 1.00
The Boy's Varsity Soccer team kicked-off the school year and the 2023 season hosting Grand Rapids Union on Wednesday night at Eagle Stadium. The match started out at a frenzied pace as both teams tried to gain control of the game. The Eagles failed to convert a penalty kick at the 25-minute mark that would have given them an early lead. As the Eagles continued to create scoring opportunities, a misplay in the back resulted in a goal line scramble that the Union forward converted goal to take a 1-0 lead over the Eagles at the 28-min mark. The Eagles continued to find gaps in the Union defense and finally broke through in the 32nd minute when junior Peter Borst slotted a pass through to freshman Liam Jansen who touched the ball past a Union defender before slotting the ball into the lower corner of the net to level the score 1-1 before the half.
Just over a minute into the 2nd half, senior Jackson Mindling received a throw-in deep in Union territory and dribbled through four defenders before slotting a composed finish past the Union goalkeeper to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead. The Eagles never looked back, finally breaking through one more time with less than 10-mintes to go when junior John Cassiday converted a penalty kick after being fouled in the box to extend the lead to 3-1.
The Eagles offense generated 31 shots (16 shots on goal) throughout the match against a determined Union team while allowing on only 11 shots (5 shots on goal) from their opponent.
The Eagles travel to Holland on Saturday to take on Holland High School and Gull Lake High School in a 3-way tournament with kick-offs at 10:00 and 11:45 am.