PORTAGE, MI – Tim Halloran has coached many talented football teams at Portage Central over the years, but he never had the SMAC to himself.
until now.
Portage Central's women's soccer team put on a dazzling offensive performance, dropping four goals at state-ranked Gull Lake and falling 4-1 in the final game of the SMAC tournament, the Mustangs' longtime head coach said Wednesday. He savored the moment until he won a convincing victory. .
And of course, the full SMAC Championship.
“It was one of our goals to win both (titles),” said Halloran, who has coached the women's team for nearly the past 10 years. “It's very exciting and great for the women's team.” “We were always close and tonight we finally took some chances.”
Portage Central (12-2-1) finished the regular season with an impressive 10-1-0 conference record and will enter the state tournament as the No. 5 team in Division I. Gull Lake (11-3-2, 8-2-1), ranked third in Division 2, had its winning streak stopped at three.
It was the latest showing in what has become a powerful rivalry showdown between two of the state's premier women's soccer programs. The last seven games between both teams have been decided by one goal or less, including a 2-1 win over Gull Lake earlier this season.
But Central told a different story Wednesday.
But Gull Lake fired the first jab and scored an incredible free kick goal off Madeline Smith's right foot. Just three minutes into the game, the junior made a big shot that completely changed the momentum for the Blue Devils, sending a boot over an outstretched arm over 20 yards into the top left corner.
“They scored a great goal, but how do you react?” Halloran said. “Are we going to bow our heads and say, 'We threw everything at them'?
“Well, this group would never do that. They just kept pushing and kept playing our game.”
Sure enough, Central's resilience and energy leveled them out. It all started with the efforts of Madison Cutler. The junior snuck in behind Gull Lake's backline, swiped a slow pass, kicked a jet and danced around Blue Devil goaltender Isabella Kerr, giving her a great goal and momentum nine minutes into the first half. Gave.
“I wanted my team to score, but I saw the opposing defender slowly passing the ball back to me,” Cutler said. “We really wanted to get a point before the first half because we knew we could take advantage of our chances in the second half, especially in a tied game.”
Cutler was right.
The Mustangs found another level of intensity, scoring three unanswered goals in the second half and quickly putting pressure on the Blue Devils' final line. Junior Emma Sanborn started the scoring, stealing the ball inside Gull Lake's box and firing a goal-winning shot into the right side netting for a 2-1 lead just two minutes into the second half.
“Our energy was there the whole game, we were aggressive and worked hard,” Sanborn said. “It's a rivalry and we just won the SMAC, so we wanted a tournament title as well.”
From there, the momentum was on the home team's side, with Gull Lake catching up, but it was a worrying situation for a team that has been battling through considerable adversity of late.
“We're dealing with injuries right now, so we couldn't withstand their high pressure,” Gull Lake head coach Jeff Corstange said. “As soon as that second goal came in, all the momentum changed. We played 10 freshmen and sophomores tonight, so we're young and the girls learned a lot tonight. We knew there was going to be a fight, but this should add fuel to the fire in preparing the area.”
Central delivered a knockout punch with a series of great offensive fireworks. After Gull Lake's free kick was pushed over the goal, Central fought back and found Maddie Crowley in space on the right.
The junior cut inside and fired a rocket with his right foot that crashed into the left side netting for a commanding 3-1 lead at the 18th minute mark.
“We really just wanted to get it to them,” Cutler said. “We have a lot of talent on this team, we have a deep bench, and I think everyone will give it their all and give it their all no matter what.”
Central took control and found space by spreading the ball wide, and just two minutes later, Caitlin Lamb was able to score on a free run.
And the new student let out an exclamation.
Lamb fired a shot into traffic and it landed brilliantly in the right corner, cheering the Mustangs and sealing the decisive victory.
Along with the SMAC title, it belongs to them wholeheartedly.
“We really wanted this, and it was a really big goal for us,” Cutler said. “To be a double SMAC champion and to share that with no one else. It's just a big moment for our program and it's a great feeling.”
Portage Central will host the district tournament, which begins May 21st. The Mustangs, the No. 1 seed in the bracket, will play the winner of Portage Northern/Matawan in the regional semifinals on May 28 at 7 p.m.
Gull Lake, also No. 1 seed, will play the Wayland/Plainwell winner in the Division 2 regional semifinals on May 28 at 5 p.m. in Wayland.
