By BUTCH HARMON
It was one for the thumb for the East Lansing boys soccer team, as the Trojans defeated Cranbrook Kingswood 4-3 in overtime to win the Division 2 state championship. The title was the fifth state title for East Lansing and the second in two years.
Senior DeJuan Jones, a Mr. Soccer candidate and a Michigan State University recruit, scored the game-winning goal in overtime. “I saw space, and I knew if I hit it hard enough to the corner, he wouldn’t be able to stop it,” he said.
Jones came into the game with 22 goals and 13 assists for the season. He had two assists in the final, including a big one that sent the game to overtime. Trailing 3-2, Jones set up senior midfielder Elmedin Celovic with the game-tying goal. “DeJuan has saved us a few times this year,” coach Nick Archer said. “He’s a very special player.”
Celovic scored a pair of goals for East Lansing.
East Lansing took an early 2-0 lead in the game on goals by Celovic and Zach Lane. Cranbrook-Kingswood added a goal in the first half and then went ahead with two goals in the second half before Celovic tied the game.
Jones then scored the game-winner at 2:09 of overtime, giving East Lansing its fifth state title and a feeling that never gets old for Archer, who is the only coach in the history of the program.
“They’re all special,” said Archer. “This is a brand-new group of kids. They’re a little different, personality-wise, but a champion is a champion.”
With the win, East Lansing ended the season with a 24-2 record. It reached the finals by defeating No.-1 ranked Mason in the semifinal. East Lansing also defeated No. 3-ranked Spring Lake in the regional. During the regular season, it defeated Okemos, the No. 1-ranked team in Division 1.