The greatest players perform at the greatest moments.
It's what has propelled teams to greatness and it's what has led the Holland Christian girls soccer team to the state semifinals.
Sarah Gehrings played well in every postseason game and was named the Holland Sentinel girls soccer player of the year.
“Sarah has been a big part of our success this season, not only with her play on the field but also as a captain. We often say, 'big players make big plays in big games,' and Sarah has done that all season and throughout the state tournament. I'm proud of what she's accomplished this year,” Holland Christian coach Elliot Slenk said.
more:Holland Christian's sensational postseason run ended with a state semifinal win against Spring Lake.
more:Holland Christian Soccer's postseason run continues with regional title
Gehrings was named to the Division 2 All-State second team.
Her postseason success began in her first game.
She scored the winning goal in a 1-0 win over Zeeland West in the district semifinals. In the district final against Grand Rapids Christian, Garlings had an assist and a goal in a dominating win.
She scored the winning goal again in the regional semifinals against No. 2 Gull Lake, then assisted on the winning goal in the regional finals against Stevensville Lakeshore.
That level of dominance is something rarely seen in the postseason in this region.
“The playoffs were definitely the most fun I've ever had playing soccer. It was awesome winning as a team and continuing to beat teams ranked higher than us,” Gehrings said. “I think the support I received from Coach Slenk, the other coaches and my teammates helped me become the player I am. Having everyone believe in me and believe in each other helped me a lot.”
Gehrings recorded nine goals and four assists on the season. She was named All-Conference, All-District, All-Region and All-State.
“I think my biggest strengths are being able to see the field and understand how to take care of the ball, and being a leader on and off the field and rallying the team together before the game,” she said. “Mentally, I think the biggest growth I've had is realizing that even though we had tough times during the season, we can push through them and it doesn't define our team, and that no matter what happens early in the season, we can always compete to win every game.”
All of this combined to help the Maroons achieve their best finish in school history.
“This season meant everything to me and it was awesome. Playing with all my best friends and having so much support from friends and family especially during the postseason was awesome,” Gehrings said. “It's a memory I'll never forget and I'm grateful to have it forever.”
Contact Sports Editor Dan D'Addona at Dan.D'Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter). Dandadona or Facebook @Holland Sentinel Sportss.
