By BUTCH HARMON
“What a long, strange trip it’s been.”
The album by the Grateful Dead best sums up the storybook season that the Powers Catholic boys soccer team put together this season.
At one point during the season, the Chargers had a 4-8 record, and a state championship was one of the last things on the minds of the players and coaches.
Turning the season around was something that the Chargers were determined to do. Not only did they turn the season around, but they also went on a thrilling state-tournament run that ended with a dramatic, sudden-death shootout victory in the Division 3 state final against Grand Rapids South Christian.
“It’s just unbelievable,” Powers coach Tony Rowe said. “It is a storybook. We were 4-8 at one point this season. I told one of my friends that it was like a 30 for 30 feature. We just got on a roll at the right time and kept on rolling.”
While a state title seemed next to impossible at the time the Chargers were sitting at 4-8, the team was not ready to lower its goals or expectations.
“We didn’t think it was impossible to get to state,” Rowe said. “Any time you play, you want to get to the state finals. These guys were just awesome.”
Not only was the regular-season a strange ride for the Chargers, but the state tournament was also filled with twists and turns.
Powers opened up tournament play by winning the district it hosted. The Chargers scored 19 goals in three district wins, while they gave up seven goals. They defeated Lake Fenton 6-2 in the opener, Corunna 7-1 in the semifinal, and Durand 6-4 in a district final barnburner.
Defense took center stage in the regional at Freeland. Powers blanked Hemlock 3-0 in the semifinal and then defeated Williamston 1-0 in the final.
The Chargers moved on to defeat Lutheran High School North 2-1 in the state semifinal to get into the final against South Christian.
The title match was a defensive struggle from start to finish. After a back and forth first half, South Christian began to carry the play in the second half, but the game ended in regulation in a 0-0 tie. The two teams finished an overtime period with no goals being scored, which sent the game into a shootout.
South Christian led 3-2 in the shootout, but Powers tied the match when Christian Mansour scored on the final shot to send the match into a sudden-death shootout. Both teams scored on their first two shots of sudden death. In the third round, Powers’ goalkeeper Stephen Wilbur came up with a save. That set the stage for Powers sophomore Erich Ruth to win the game on the next shot.
“When I stepped up to the ball, I kept my eyes on one post the whole time,” Ruth said. “Then I shot it the other way. I just tried to keep my composure.”
After Ruth’s shot went in the goal, the Chargers erupted onto the field, their storybook finish complete.
“It’s just crazy,” Wilbur said. “It’s a dream come true.”
It’s a dream that the Chargers never gave up on. “We just kept working all season,” said senior captain Charlie Emmert. “We went to practice every day and kept working. I told the guys the state finals are November 2, so keep your parking passes until November first.”