By Luke Schrock, WKTV Intern
South Christian High School boys soccer team earned a 2-1 victory over Elk Rapids Tuesday, Nov. 4, in a hard-fought MHSAA Division 3 state semifinal match at Cedar Springs high that was decided by a shootout.
The victory over the Elks (19-3-4) sends the Sailors (18-0-1) back to the state championship game for a rematch with Grosse Ile (19-1-1), the reigning state champions, set for noon Saturday at Novi. Last season, South Christian fell to the Red Devils in the finals, 2-1, in shootout.
In the game against Elk Rapids, both sides had chances early with two missed crosses for South Christian and a near headed goal by the Elks eventually leading to a foul in the box. Sailors senior Thom DeVries finally got his team on the board with a goal on a penalty kick in the 11th minute to put give the Sailors the early lead.
The South Christian fans also roared in the 14th minute as the injured senior Jeff Herrema entered the match with his first action since the district tournament final, where he created two penalty kicks but was eventually diagnosed with a separated shoulder.
The Elks had no answer in a back-and-forth affair until Elks senior Preston Ball found a pass wide open over the middle to tie the match in the 58th minute.
The first overtime almost gave Elk Rapids the lead when the stadium went quiet after a foul was called on South Christian in the box, giving Elk Rapid’s Mason Travis a penalty kick. The kick, however, was saved by South Christian keeper Nik Schepers.
Both sides worked, but at the end of overtime the score was tied at 1-1 and the shootout was set.
The shootout was back and forth in goals with the first pairing, Herrema and Elk Rapids Kadin Patterson, but the Elks couldn’t answer Thom DeVries’ make as Schepers saved his first ball and then shutdown Elk Rapids to secure the game. The Sailors won the shootout 3-1, to make the final score 2-1.
Head coach Jason Boersma loved the performance from his keeper, but poked him none-the-less after the game for giving up the regulation-time goal.
“Our keeper, I think he made up for it,” Boersma said WKTV. “He made three PK saves, which is just outlandish, and it’s what Nik does. He did it last year in this semi-final game against Ludington.”
And how did Scheper “do it”?
“I don’t even know how to describe how I guess penalties,” Schepers said, “I knew he was a right footer and he was shooting a lot from his right.”
Going back to the state championship also brings many emotions to Schepers — “I knew we were going to be back, it’s surreal,” he said.
