Grosse Ile boys soccer gets chance at redemption after D3 semifinal win over Lutheran North - MLive.com

Grosse Ile boys soccer gets chance at redemption after D3 semifinal win over Lutheran North - MLive.com

HOWELL – In a game of minimal opportunities, all you need is one play to go your way.

All Grosse Ile’s boys soccer team needed was one chance and the Red Devils took advantage.

With 27:50 remaining in the second half of a scoreless Division 3 state semifinal game, the Red Devils got their opportunity to take charge and didn’t let it slip away.

After a cross pass from Grosse Ile senior Luc Kawardi barely slipped out of the reach of a Macomb Lutheran North defender, junior Miklos Tanyi gathered the ball off his right thigh and sent a rocket past the Mustangs’ goalie Ryan Tunnecliffe for the game-deciding goal as the Red Devils held on for a 1-0 victory.

It was the moment they were waiting for and it came at the right time to send the Red Devils back to the state finals for the second straight season.

Grosse Ile will face Grand Rapids South Christian in the championship on Saturday. The Sailors defeated Ludington 2-1 in the other semifinal matchup Wednesday.

The game-winning goal was only one of a few scoring chances the Red Devils had, but it proved to be the only one that mattered.

“There weren’t many chances for either side,” said Grosse Ile coach Jonathon Evans. “We each probably had like three or four and we were fortunate to take one and they didn’t, and it’s a game of chances and that’s the way it goes.”

Both teams had a couple scoring opportunities in the first half but couldn’t quite find the magic. Lutheran North had two chances within minutes of each other that barely slid by the left post.

Grosse Ile’s scoring opportunities were halted by Lutheran North’s Tunnecliffe, who made crucial saves throughout the contest.

But the one that did go through kept one team’s dream alive and shut the door on the other’s hopes.

“I was feeling close (to the goal),” Tanyi said of the score. “I had a pretty good feeling I put that in the net. It was an amazing feeling I’ve never felt before.”

Lutheran North coach Brian Horvath was nearly moved to tears after the game when discussing the effort his team displayed Wednesday night. It was the second year in a row they’d gotten to this point and the second time they came up short.

“To God be the glory for just getting here in the first place, especially two years in a row,” Horvath said. “I love these guys; I’d go to war with any of them. Proud of my seniors who have really stepped up as young men this year.

“We felt we were in a position to win one more game. It hurts but it doesn’t hurt so much. You want to win the championship and get there, but we play for the championship, but we also play for the brothers next to us and that’s what hurts the most, not being able to get there with your brothers.”

The Red Devils have been in this position before. They lost 3-1 in overtime last season but will have a chance at redemption and the team’s first state title since 2002.

“It’s going to be tough obviously like we learned from our experiences last year,” Evans said. “No matter who you play it’s going to be a battle, so hopefully with our experience last year and these seniors, who were juniors last year wanting to get back there; now we’re there and now we’re just one win away.

“To be able to play in every game possible in the last two years is important, now we just want to close out with one more win.”

2019-10-31 00:57:00Z
https://www.mlive.com/highschoolsports/2019/10/grosse-ile-boys-soccer-gets-chance-at-redemption-after-d3-semifinal-win-over-lutheran-north.html

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