Livonia – “We finally won it!” exclaimed a jubilant Meaghan Topolewski.
The third time in four years in the CHSL girls C-D soccer championship game was the lucky charm for Topolewski and her teammates on the combined Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes and Clarkston Everest Collegiate squad.
Sixty-five seconds into the first overtime, sophomore forward Jessica Parry kicked the ball from 31 yards out.
It sailed over the heads of everyone, including the upraised arms of Riverview Gabriel Richard’s goalie, Katelyn Hilliker. The ball hit the crossbeam, richocheted down and bounced off Hilliker’s gloves into the net behind her. “It shouldn’t have gone in,” said a subdued Hilliker afterwards.
The score gave the Lakers a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over the Pioneers, who had defeated the Lakers by the same score in last year’s C-D title game.
“When it hit the beam, I said ‘Please go in,’” Parry said.
“I’ve often told her to shoot more,” said Coach Rich Ludwig. “She hits a beautiful ball. She struck this one pure.”
Speaking of pure, the weather was a Pure Michigan spring afternoon: brilliant sunshine, temps in the high 70s, gentle breezes.
“It was the warmest day we’ve played in all year,” said Ludwig.
“We had to keep pushing each other,” Topolewski said. “Everybody was complaining ‘I’m tired’ or ‘I’m hot,’ but we kept working hard.”
Gabriel Richard (10-1-6) pretty much controlled both sides of the ball in the first half, yet couldn’t convert on four corner kicks.
“We had our opportunities,” said Pioneers coach, Mike Hatfield, “but we couldn’t finish.”
Freshman forward Christina Hammond gave Richard a 1-zip lead at 29:54 of the second half, capitalizing on a loose ball amidst a scramble into the left corner of the net.
A little more than a minute later, Richard missed a chance to extend the lead. Junior defender Lauren Henderson found her sister, sophomore forward Ashley, with a beautiful pass in stride on a breakaway. Ashley’s kick banged off the left post.
Hilliker found herself in the middle of the Lakers’ tying goal at 24:46. On a free kick about 20 yards away, sophomore forward Ava Doetsch kicked the ball to the goal. It seemed to handcuff Hilliker, slipping through her hands into the net.
After the game, about Parry’s winning goal, Hatfield rationalized: “She took a shot. That’s what happens sometimes.”
The Lakers (12-0-1) turn their attention now to the next challenge, def ending their Class D state championship. They are currently ranked No. 1 in Division 4.
“I don’t look ahead,” said Ludwig. “I play one game at a time. I’m still figuring out some positions, making some adjustments. But we’ll stick with what got us here.”
For Topolewski, Doetsch, Parry, and seniors Farrah Nordman and Kayleigh Meloni, a repeat state title would give them four state championship rings: two in basketball and two in soccer.
“That’s something not too many kids can do,” Topolewski, who is Toledo University-bound, said.
The Lakers start state tournament play May 31 against Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest. The finals will be held June 18.
