GH, EK share O-K Red title after shootout

Thu, Oct 9, 2008    to del.icio.us

In all honesty, there was very little on the line for Grand Haven in Wednesday's O-K Red Conference soccer tournament championship game.

On the other hand, the visiting East Kentwood Falcons had everything to play for — namely a share of the conference title.

That doesn't mean Grand Haven was about to let Kentwood have its way on the turf at Buccaneer Stadium. The Bucs played like a team with its season riding on the line in a grueling contest against the Falcons, a game that East Kentwood eventually won in a shootout. The game was tied 1-1 at the end of regulation.

East Kentwood needed the win to earn a share of the league championship while Grand Haven, the regular-season league champions, had already clinched a share of the conference crown just by advancing to the title match. But Grand Haven, which handed Kentwood its lone loss a few weeks ago, had plenty of motivation entering Wednesday's contest.

"We wanted to show that we can be better than East Kentwood," said Buccaneer senior midfielder Tanner Schaap, who scored Grand Haven's lone goal in regulation. "We celebrated after Monday's win (over Rockford). We weren't mad after this game because we're conference champions, and we haven't done that in eight years."

Schaap may not have taken the loss to hard, but many of his teammates did. The Bucs, ranked No. 8 in the latest Michigan High School Coaches Association poll, gave the No. 3-ranked Falcons all they could handle. Grand Haven scored first on a great individual effort by Schaap 13 minutes into the game. He received a pass from Matt VanZytveld, juked a defender, then placed a left-footed shot past a charging Kentwood goalie Mike Sweers for a 1-0 lead.

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"Matt crossed it to me, I cut the guy and just shot it," Schaap said.

East Kentwood tied the game 13 minutes later when the Bucs failed to clear a ball out of their penalty box and the Falcons' Tarwo Konbloa was open to hammer a shot inside the far post.

What followed was 85 minutes of outstanding soccer from both sides as the teams went scoreless throughout the remainder of the first half, the entire second half, and two 15-minute overtime sessions.

In the shootout, both teams' first two shooters were successful, with Adam Beswick and Mike Rosso connecting for the Bucs. Goalie Will Morlock nearly saved the first shot he saves, but the ball trickled past him and into the net.

Sweers then came up with a big play in the third round as he stopped Nick Heyboer's attempt.

The Falcons' Konbloa then drilled a shot past Morlock for a 3-2 lead.

VanZytveld and Kentwood's Daniel Nederhoed each scored in the fourth round, then Schaap's shot banged off the post, allowing the Falcons to swarm Sweers in celebration.

"When you have two good teams like this, you hate winning a game in a shootout," said Falcons' coach John Conlon. "Hat's off to Grand Haven. They're probably the best team we've seen this year. This is the toughest league on this side of the state. Every game's a grind, and this was a great example of that."

Grand Haven coach Aaron Dean was happy to see his team accomplish one of its goals for the season in winning the O-K Red, but was obviously disappointed by Wednesday's outcome.

"At the beginning of the year, we set our goals, and one of those goals is to be a champion," Dean said. "We had guaranteed ourselves a conference championship last game.

"Tonight was just a great game. East Kentwood has exceptional players and a great coach. I'm disappointed because you don't want to share with anybody. That's why this was such a competitive game."

Grand Haven used its size and strength advantage across the board to bully the faster, more technical East Kentwood squad. Grand Haven received three yellow cards for its physical play, but that game plan seemed to work as the Falcons weren't able to put together quite as many dangerous scoring chances as they did when the teams first met earlier this fall.

"Our style is a little bit different," Dean said. "They're finesse and we're a little more smashmouth."

Nobody on the Bucs' roster exhibits that smashmouth style better than Kris Talaga, who patrolled the middle of the field winning countless headers and free balls.

Heyboer, Grand Haven's most prolific goal scorer this fall, was largely neutralized by the Falcons' Nederhoed. He was fast enough to stay step-for-step with the speedy Heyboer, and keep the Bucs' outstanding junior from getting free behind the Panthers' defense.

The Bucs had several nice scoring chances throughout the game. Perhaps the best came early in the second overtime as the Bucs had a restart from about 40 yards out. Chris Buitenhuis sent a nice ball into the box, and Rosso streaked in from the wing and fired a header just wide of the net.

Grand Haven will look to add another championship to its resume next week as the Bucs compete in the Division 1 district tournament. Grand Haven hosts Hudsonville in the opening round Monday at 7 p.m. Jenison hosts the district semifinals Wednesday and the finals Friday.

JUNIOR VARSITY: Grand Haven wrapped up its season with a 2-0 win over East Kentwood. Buitenhuis scored both goals for the Bucs, who finish the year at 12-2-2.