BLOOMFIELD HILLS MARIAN 2 - FOREST HILLS NORTHERN 0
MHSAA DIVISION 2 STATE CHAMIONSHIP
HUSKIES REPRESENT WEST MICHIGAN WELL, BUT LOSE IN STATE TITLE GAME
Forest Hills Northern girls soccer team blanked in Division 2 state final
Kelly Hill | The Grand Rapids Press, June 20, 2010 1:53 a.m.
WILLIAMSTON -- Kristiana Griffith wiped a tear from her eye and flashed a wide smile.
Such were the emotions of the Forest Hills Northern girls soccer team Saturday afternoon after they lost 2-0 to Bloomfield Hills Marian in the Division 2 state championship game at Williamston High School.
Griffith, who is the Huskies' goalkeeper, was disappointed she allowed the game's only two goals, but she was thrilled to have had the opportunity to play for the state championship.
In the 20-year history of girls soccer at FHN, no other Huskies team has advanced past the regional round of the state tournament.
"It is tough against such a strong team like Marian," Griffith said. "I faced more shots than I usually do in a game, but our team plays so well together. We worked so hard to get here. We'll take second this year, but first next year."
Despite facing seven shots from the Mustangs in the first half and another eight in the second half, the game remained scoreless for more than 63 minutes.
Marian, which defended its Division 2 title from last season, finally scored with 16:54 left in the second half when Mustangs junior Danielle Mazur found an empty net.
Junior Mackenzie Fleischer sent a long pass downfield that junior Elizabeth Tresnak's speed turned into a breakaway. Griffith came out and stopped Tresnak's attack, but the Mustangs' forward got the ball off to Mazur on her right, who simply poked the ball into the vacated net.
Eight minutes later, Marian senior Stephanie Pilarski made it 2-0 on an assist from freshman Hanna Beck Sawyer.
"We came out really, really strong," Griffith said. "I am proud of the way we came out today. We didn't do it today, but we've got next year."
Joanna Chen, Jace Mitcham, Andrea Byl, Hanna Schlesinger and Madeline Rammal are the only seniors on the Huskies' roster.
"I couldn't be more proud of them," FHN coach Jamie Bogart said. "Marian is very fast and very skilled. They are an outstanding team. They work extremely hard. Getting here and enjoying this experience is something that will take us to the next level. These girls worked so hard to get to the ext level. We had seven freshmen who played today, so we'll be back."
Forest Hills Northern outscored its seven state tournament opponents by a combined score of 26-3. The only goal allowed by the Huskies before the final came against Fruitport in the regional semifinals.
Griffith and the Huskies posted 16 shutouts this season. When Fruitport scored that regional goal at Cedar Springs, it ended a streak of eight consecutive shutouts.
"We have a talented team," Marian coach Barry Brodsky said.
"I told the girls that this is the most talented team Marian has ever had and the only thing they had left to do was win the state championship -- and they did."
Bloomfield Hills Marian girls soccer secures back-to-back Division 2 titles Ryan Remstad / Special to The Detroit News Williamston -- With winning comes pressure and expectations, and Bloomfield Hills Marian certainly answered the call.
Marian secured its second straight Division 2 girls soccer title by defeating Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, 2-0, at Williamston High on Saturday.
"You really don't think about it," Marian coach Barry Brodsky said of his back-to-back championships. "You just think about that season. And with this group of girls there's a big core of them who have never experienced it before. It's pretty special."
Marian also had consecutive titles in 2003-04.
Brodsky said this championship was a little more difficult than the one last year.
"Everybody kind of expected us to get here," he said. "And that wears on you throughout the whole year. It's just hard to know that if you don't win every game it's going to be a disappointment."
As the favorite going into the contest, the first half didn't exactly play into Marian's favor as it outshot Northern, 7-1, but didn't come away with any goals.
The closest call came right before the half with the clock running down, when Sara Sawacki fired a shot over Kristiana Griffith's head. That appeared to be good, but the referees ruled time had expired and nullified the goal. The call drew the ire of many of the Marian players and coaches with Hanna Pateryn drawing a yellow card.
"It's the championship game," Brodsky said. "People are going to be short tempered and things happen and you've got to expect it."
Marian (23-2-1) kept up the pressure in the second and finally broke through when Elizabeth Tresnak fired a shot in the box which Kristiana Griffith stopped, but Danielle Mazur was there to put the rebound in the net.
Griffith had 13 saves for Northern (20-4-1).
"They just wore us down," Northern coach Jamie Bogart said. "They're a very fit team and they're very fast."
Senior forward Stephanie Pilarski gave Marian the 2-0 advantage with 9:48 to play when she took a Hanna Beck Sawyer pass near the top of the box and shot it past a diving Griffith to seal the victory.
"(Hanna Beck) Sawyer gave me an amazing ball and to be honest, I didn't even see it," said Pilarski, who is headed to Eastern Michigan to play next year. "I just shot it and thank God it went in. Great ball from Hanna."
Bogart, who played seven freshmen in the match, said Northern has "great talent going forward" and aspires to be where Marian is today.
"We're working toward where they're at," he said. "And that's what our goal has been going forward for the next five years -- to get to where they're at."
Ryan Remstad is a freelance writer.
From The Detroit News: http://detroitnews.com/article/20100619/SPORTS05/6190394/1049/Bloomfield-Hills-Marian-girls-soccer-secures-back-to-back-Division-2-titles#ixzz0rPPpNKDc
Kelly Hill | The Grand Rapids Press, June 20, 2010 1:53 a.m.
WILLIAMSTON -- Kristiana Griffith wiped a tear from her eye and flashed a wide smile.
Such were the emotions of the Forest Hills Northern girls soccer team Saturday afternoon after they lost 2-0 to Bloomfield Hills Marian in the Division 2 state championship game at Williamston High School.
Griffith, who is the Huskies' goalkeeper, was disappointed she allowed the game's only two goals, but she was thrilled to have had the opportunity to play for the state championship.
In the 20-year history of girls soccer at FHN, no other Huskies team has advanced past the regional round of the state tournament.
"It is tough against such a strong team like Marian," Griffith said. "I faced more shots than I usually do in a game, but our team plays so well together. We worked so hard to get here. We'll take second this year, but first next year."
Despite facing seven shots from the Mustangs in the first half and another eight in the second half, the game remained scoreless for more than 63 minutes.
Marian, which defended its Division 2 title from last season, finally scored with 16:54 left in the second half when Mustangs junior Danielle Mazur found an empty net.
Junior Mackenzie Fleischer sent a long pass downfield that junior Elizabeth Tresnak's speed turned into a breakaway. Griffith came out and stopped Tresnak's attack, but the Mustangs' forward got the ball off to Mazur on her right, who simply poked the ball into the vacated net.
Eight minutes later, Marian senior Stephanie Pilarski made it 2-0 on an assist from freshman Hanna Beck Sawyer.
"We came out really, really strong," Griffith said. "I am proud of the way we came out today. We didn't do it today, but we've got next year."
Joanna Chen, Jace Mitcham, Andrea Byl, Hanna Schlesinger and Madeline Rammal are the only seniors on the Huskies' roster.
"I couldn't be more proud of them," FHN coach Jamie Bogart said. "Marian is very fast and very skilled. They are an outstanding team. They work extremely hard. Getting here and enjoying this experience is something that will take us to the next level. These girls worked so hard to get to the ext level. We had seven freshmen who played today, so we'll be back."
Forest Hills Northern outscored its seven state tournament opponents by a combined score of 26-3. The only goal allowed by the Huskies before the final came against Fruitport in the regional semifinals.
Griffith and the Huskies posted 16 shutouts this season. When Fruitport scored that regional goal at Cedar Springs, it ended a streak of eight consecutive shutouts.
"We have a talented team," Marian coach Barry Brodsky said.
"I told the girls that this is the most talented team Marian has ever had and the only thing they had left to do was win the state championship -- and they did."
Bloomfield Hills Marian girls soccer secures back-to-back Division 2 titles Ryan Remstad / Special to The Detroit News Williamston -- With winning comes pressure and expectations, and Bloomfield Hills Marian certainly answered the call.
Marian secured its second straight Division 2 girls soccer title by defeating Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, 2-0, at Williamston High on Saturday.
"You really don't think about it," Marian coach Barry Brodsky said of his back-to-back championships. "You just think about that season. And with this group of girls there's a big core of them who have never experienced it before. It's pretty special."
Marian also had consecutive titles in 2003-04.
Brodsky said this championship was a little more difficult than the one last year.
"Everybody kind of expected us to get here," he said. "And that wears on you throughout the whole year. It's just hard to know that if you don't win every game it's going to be a disappointment."
As the favorite going into the contest, the first half didn't exactly play into Marian's favor as it outshot Northern, 7-1, but didn't come away with any goals.
The closest call came right before the half with the clock running down, when Sara Sawacki fired a shot over Kristiana Griffith's head. That appeared to be good, but the referees ruled time had expired and nullified the goal. The call drew the ire of many of the Marian players and coaches with Hanna Pateryn drawing a yellow card.
"It's the championship game," Brodsky said. "People are going to be short tempered and things happen and you've got to expect it."
Marian (23-2-1) kept up the pressure in the second and finally broke through when Elizabeth Tresnak fired a shot in the box which Kristiana Griffith stopped, but Danielle Mazur was there to put the rebound in the net.
Griffith had 13 saves for Northern (20-4-1).
"They just wore us down," Northern coach Jamie Bogart said. "They're a very fit team and they're very fast."
Senior forward Stephanie Pilarski gave Marian the 2-0 advantage with 9:48 to play when she took a Hanna Beck Sawyer pass near the top of the box and shot it past a diving Griffith to seal the victory.
"(Hanna Beck) Sawyer gave me an amazing ball and to be honest, I didn't even see it," said Pilarski, who is headed to Eastern Michigan to play next year. "I just shot it and thank God it went in. Great ball from Hanna."
Bogart, who played seven freshmen in the match, said Northern has "great talent going forward" and aspires to be where Marian is today.
"We're working toward where they're at," he said. "And that's what our goal has been going forward for the next five years -- to get to where they're at."
Ryan Remstad is a freelance writer.
From The Detroit News: http://detroitnews.com/article/20100619/SPORTS05/6190394/1049/Bloomfield-Hills-Marian-girls-soccer-secures-back-to-back-Division-2-titles#ixzz0rPPpNKDc