Dan Stickradt
Special to Sports Scene
EAST LANSING — Over the years, there has been a handful of programs that have dominated the state tournament. Calvin Christian has joined those elite teams with its efforts in recent years.
The top-ranked Squires became just the second girls’ soccer program to win four straight MHSAA championships when they beat Lansing Christian, 2-1, in the Division 4 girls’ soccer final June 13 at Michigan State University’s DeMartin Stadium.
The record holder is Unity Christian’s six straight championships from 2005-2010. Calvin Christian’s four straight (2012-15) is second, while Gull Lake’s three straight (2013-25) and Bishop Foley Catholic’s three straight (1993-95) are next in line.
Calvin Christian becomes the ninth program to win four overall titles. Bishop Foley’s 12 state titles is the all-time record, while Unity Christian (nine), Marian (five), Detroit Country Day (five), Novi (five), Livonia Stevenson (five), Kalamazoo Christian (four), Gull Lake (four), Troy Athens (four), Kalamazoo Christian (four), and now Calvin Christian (four) are members of the elite club.
“It’s an amazing accomplishment and a credit to the seniors every year for leading us,” said Calvin Christian coach Tim DeHaar, who has chalked up an impressive 256-64-20 record spanning 15 seasons. “We didn’t really talk about it [winning four in a row], but I know it was in the backs of their minds. Our seven seniors did a fabulous job leading us all season, keeping us focused and helping us prepare for each game.”
Four seniors on Calvin Christian’s roster — Allison Keizer, Hilary Curry, Emily VanVliet, and Morgan Buursma played on all four championship teams, never suffering a loss on the last day of the season.
“I could never have imagined this,” smiled Curry, a senior midfielder. “You dream of playing in one state championship game and maybe winning one. But four? This is incredible.”
Behind one of the state’s top offenses — Calvin Christian entered the contest outscoring the opposition 137-11 in 24 games — the Squires didn’t waste any time lighting up the scoreboard.
Calvin Christian scored in just the third minute, when Curry collected a through ball from fellow midfielder VanVliet, beat a defender at the top of the box, and chipped in a shot in from 10 yards out with 37:56 still to play in the first half.
After being tripped up on the near touch line, VanVliet’s ensuing long, high serve into the penalty box was flicked on by Curry and into the left corner of the goal with 15:22 remaining. It proved to be the game-winner.
“It is special to score two goals in the finals. But to be honest, it is a team effort. It doesn’t matter who scores” said Curry, who led the Squires with 30 goals, including six total in the semifinal and final. “In the back of our minds, we knew we could do this — as a team.”
DeHaar said he never felt safe until the waning seconds. “The game was played at Lansing Christian’s pace. They are very fast and a lot faster than us,” he said. “They gave us a battle. I knew it was going to be a close game.”
Lansing Christian finished the season with a record of 20-5. This marked the second loss in the state final for the team. The first came in the 2011 Division 4 final, a 2-1 setback, also to Bishop Foley.
Lansing Christian freshman forward Kasey Jamieson, who entered the game with 49 goals, was relatively held in check, although she did ring a shot off the crossbar in the 14th minute and glanced a shot off the outside of the goal post in the 28th minute.
The Pilgrims, who lost in the state semifinal last season to Our Lady of the Lakes, were resilient and hung around the whole 80 minutes.
Lansing Christian senior midfielder Rebecca Hull drilled a penalty kick following a hand ball in the box and beat Keizer to the left post.with 6:10 remaining to trim the deficit to one goal. The Pilgrims could not net the equalizer down the stretch.
Calvin Christian outshot Lansing Christian 19-10, including 7-5 shots directly on goal. Keizer made four saves for the win in goal.
“My biggest worry coming in, to be honest, was that we were going to give up an early goal,” said Lansing Christian coach Joel Vande Kopple. “With the mentality that they are the three-time defending state champions, and if they get an early goal on us our heads could go down and stay there the rest of the game. Thankfully, that didn’t happen. We fought hard [the whole game], and if one of those shots went in, who knows what would have happened. I’m still extremely proud of them with the way that they played and the type of season that they had.”