By DAVID COOK
For the first time in three years, the Powers Catholic girls soccer team did not end the season playing in the Division 3 state title match.
While the Chargers missed out on an appearance in the state finals, they still turned in a solid season. Powers again won district and regional titles and reached the state semifinals in Division 3, where they dropped a 4-1 decision to Notre Dame Preparatory. Notre Dame Prep took control of the match early, with three first-half goals. The Irish upped the lead to 4-0 in the second half, before sophomore Andrea Glubzinski scored the lone goal of the match for the Chargers.
Powers finished the season with a 10-7-1 record.
Notre Dame Prep advanced to the Division 3 title match, where it fell 1-0 to Grand Rapids South Christian.
The Chargers had not expected a deep tournament run this season, as the team graduated a large group of seniors last year.
Powers reached the semifinals by winning the Division 3 regional title at Freeland. In the regional title match against Lake Fenton, the Chargers scored three first-half goals and then withstood a late Lake Fenton really to win 3-2. The Chargers had opened regional action by defeating Garber 5-1.
Powers advanced to the regional after winning the district that it hosted, defeating Birch Run 6-1 in the title game. It had edged Frankenmuth 2-1 in the semifinal.
Freeland and Garber also captured district titles before both teams saw their seasons end in the regional. Freeland dominated the D3 district at Bullock Creek by winning its three district games by a combined score of 18-0, including defeating Alma 6-0 in the district final.
Garber dominated play at the Standish-Sterling district, defeating Clare 4-0 for the district title.
DIVISION 1
After losing in the Division 1 state championship game in both 2010 and 2012 to Okemos, the third time was the charm for the Troy Colts. Facing a Grandville team that was on a storybook tournament run, the Colts overcame an early 1-0 deficit to defeat Grandville 2-1 to win the Division 1 state championship.
When the Division 1 state tournament began, few people expected Troy to reach and finals, and even fewer expected Grandville would make it that far. Both teams were unranked entering the tournament, and Grandville finished in third place in its conference, the rugged Ottawa-Kent Red Division, which features East Kentwood and Rockford.
Troy finished the season with a 15-6-3 record, while Grandville, a team with 14 freshmen and sophomores who saw significant playing time, finished the year with a 14-8-1 mark.
In mid-Michigan, both Midland Dow and Grand Blanc won district titles before falling in the first round of the regional. Midland Dow survived a pair of close calls in winning its district. It defeated Traverse City West 1-0 in the title game and opened district play with a 2-1 victory over rival Midland.
DIVISION 2
Gull Lake supplanted Marian atop Division 2 this season, as the Blue Devils defeated Marian 1-0 in double overtime in the D2 state championship game.
Marian came into the match having won five state titles over the past 11 seasons and three of the last five Division 2 titles.
In mid-Michigan, Fenton made the deepest tournament run in Division 2, reaching the state semifinals before falling to Marian 2-1. Fenton reached the semifinals by winning the East Lansing regional. The Tigers defeated Haslett 2-0 in the regional title match after edging Mt. Pleasant 2-1 in the regional semifinal.
Mason reached the regional final at the Spring Arbor regional. The Bulldogs fell 2-0 to Gull Lake in the regional title match.
DIVISION 4
Calvin Christian repeated as state champion in Division 4, defeating Our Lady of the Lakes 2-1 in a rematch of last year’s state final.
Lansing Christian made the deepest tournament run out of mid-Michigan. The Pilgrims reached the state semifinals, where they dropped a 3-2 decision to Our Lady of the Lakes.