By Cris Greer, WKTV Managing Editor
It has been a roller-coaster ride of emotions for South Christian incoming senior Sam Bos and his soccer teammates the past few years.
In 2019, the Sailors lost to Grosse Ile 2-1 in a shootout in the Division 3 state championship game and then lost 1-0 in the 2020 finals to Grosse Ile as well.
“One of the worst feelings”
“Watching my brother Reese lose in the state finals and then losing myself was one of the worst feelings,” said Bos, who was a freshman when South Christian lost 2-1 in the finals. “Getting so close to winning a state championship and then losing in a pk shootout 1-0 was heartbreaking.”
And then, “A dream come true”
All that heartbreak quickly faded after the Sailors knocked off Grosse Ile 3-1 last fall in the state final, making it four titles since 2010, and finishing undefeated at 22-0-3 for the season.
“I personally was full of joy to finally win a state championship and couldn’t stop smiling for the next couple of days,” said Bos, who calls cheeseburgers and Oreo ice cream his favorite foods. “It was definitely a top moment of my high school memories so far.
“As a team, to score three goals was huge for us. With a new coaching staff, we had a blank slate and nothing to lose which gave us the courage to finally defeat Gross Ile.”
That new coach, Joel Vande Kopple, said he knew it was a special moment for the guys that lost to Grosse Ile the previous two years.
“Having lost the previous two years the mental expectations could be heavy,” said Vande Kopple, who previously coached at Lansing Christian for 15 years. “They needed to know that this year was a different year and the result would be different. Getting them to believe in themselves and one another was vital.
“Team-wise, my favorite part was that the group bought into the idea that the collective was more important than the individual. We had a lot of talented players who were very deserving of individual awards, but rather than making that their focus, they decided to put the team first.”
Vande Kopple said Bos is a great disruptive force in the middle of the field.
“He plays a holding mid position and really shields our defensive line well by breaking up attacks, winning 50/50 balls, winning air balls and distributing well to start an attack,” Vande Kopple explained. “In addition, he scored some very important goals for us, most notably in our district final win and our first round of regionals, both of which were game winners against very talented teams.”
His interest in soccer all began at a young age.
“I have played it since I was born,” said Bos, who played AYSO growing up and then moved to club soccer around third grade. “Watching my older brother play soccer helped fuel my interest. Since then, I have always wanted to be the best in my family and that grew to me wanting to be the best on the field.
“Growing up with two brothers (Jerad and Reese) made me very competitive and I wanted to always win.”
Bos said Vande Kopple was a great addition to South Christian and brought amazing energy.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better coach,” said Bos, who also plays varsity basketball. “His passion for coaching soccer is outstanding and you can tell he truly loves the game and wants to win.
“I am looking forward to this upcoming season as we are returning a lot of seniors, but will also have a lot of young talent to hopefully help us go back to back.”
The defending Class B State Champions weren’t going to go down easy. In fact, it took an extra stanza to outlast the Wolverines, but Williamston pushed through thanks to a 37 point performance from Riley Lewis.
The first two meeting between these two squads ended with Godwin Heights winning in dominating fashion. The third game was much of the same. The Wolverines were led by 20 points from Lamar Norman. By the end of the game, every single Wolverines scored.
