(Have photos to go with this story? Email pics to Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com and also list the photo credit as well.)
MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews
BY DAN STICKRADT
WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR | DIRECTOR OF NEWS
Michigan Soccer Network | Premier Media Group and affiliates
BUSINESS LINE: (248) 525-2349
CELL PHONE: (248) 884-1051
TW/X: @msn_stickradt @LocalSportsFans @MiSoccerNetwork
TROY, Mich. – One look at the 2024 All-State Dream Team for boys soccer, and the word stacked quickly fits the bill.
Selected by a panel of coaches from the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association, the 11-member postseason squad, plus the Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in each of the state’s four divisions, is truly a special squad.
It is stacked to the brim with talent and resumes that are quite impressive.
Each of these players has built quite a resume not only during the 2024 high school season, but in their entire soccer careers on the high school, club and amateur platforms.
The Dream Team features 10 field players and one goalkeeper that had incredible seasons and all of them have the capability to play at the collegiate level if not more. There is also a combined eight players that earned the Offensive or Defensive Player of the Year and some of those honorees also earned Dream Team status.
Each player was also announced on the MIHSSCA Dream Team Reveal Show as presented by the Premier Media Group and the Michigan Soccer Network on Nov. 6, which aired live on YouTube.
The MIHSSCA will also release the All-State teams later this week, with a first-team, second-team, third-team and honorable mention lists in each division highlighting more than 400 star soccer players.
Below are the player capsules for the best of the best for the 2024 high school boys soccer season in Michigan:
ALL-STATE DREAM TEAM
FIELD PLAYERS:
DREW DIEBOLT, Caledonia sr. D/M/F: The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Diebolt has been one of the top-rated players in Michigan in his age group since he was in middle school. He played with the Midwest United MLS Next Academy from the eighth grade through his sophomore years, and then last school year signed and competed for the Columbus Crew MLS Next Youth Academy as a junior. He opted to come back home to play for his high school as a senior and made an immediate impact. The NCAA Division I University of Michigan commit is a great two-way player who can be effective both anchoring the back line or being a part of the attack. A left back or left center back on the club circuit, Diebolt’s services for Caledonia also included stints at attacking center midfielder and forward. He collected 16 goals and eight assists this year and scored several highlight-reel goals for the Fighting Scots this year. Diebolt, considered a top-200 prospect nationally in the Class of 2025 who was being courted by numerous NCAA Division I programs before his commitment to Michigan, earned All-Ottawa Kent Conference-Green Division, All-District, All-Region and Division 1 All-State First Team to go along with his All-State Dream Team selection. He led Caledonia to a respectable 13-4-0 overall record, including a 3-0 shutout of eventual Division 1 state runner-up Byron Center in late September, along with an 8-2-0 conference record good for the runner-up slot. His team was upset in the D-1 pre-district match. He helped Caledonia outscore the opposition 53-10, average 3.12 goals a game while help boasting one of the state’s top defenses with a 0.59 team goals-against-average and 10 shutouts. Diebolt is believed to be Caledonia’s first Dream Team honoree in boys soccer in program history. He played with the Caledonia Cats youth team through the sixth grade before being scooped up to play in the Midwest United system. After the completion of the prep season in October, Diebolt returned to the Midwest United MLS Next Academy to continue to play at a high level and continue to hone his skills for a future of Big Ten Conference soccer.
“We were excited that Drew chose to come play for us his senior year,” said first-year Caledonia coach Luke Dishnow. “He plays in the back in club and at first we tried him in the midfield and then we pushed him up top at forwards quite bit this season. He really learned how to become a forward. He’s very skilled, athletic, hard to (knock) off the ball and he is very quick on the outside with his crosses, ability to get forward or cut into the middle or make diagonal runs. He scored some amazing goals for us this season. He’s very good, especially on the outside.”
WILL LANHAM, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep sr. F/M: The Michigan Jaguars Elite-64 club product and four-year starter at NDP turned down chances all four years to go play in the MLS Next Academy system. That was the Fighting Irish’s gain. A three-year starter and four-year contributor who was one of the first players off the bench as a freshman, the 5-foot-10, 165-pound Lanham deploys excellent speed, athleticism, the ability to get forward in a hurry and just has a great knack for the goal. He finished his senior season with 29 goals and 15 assists for 73 points, and also scored nine goals in the postseason run where Laham and his teammates captured the school’s first Division 3 state championship in school history. He also notched a pair of hattricks and several game-winning goals and game-winning assists this season and in his career. This year he earned All-District, All-Region and Division 3 All-State First Team status along with being named All-State Dream Team and Division 3 Offensive Player of the Year. Over the past four seasons, Lanham led NDP to a combined 60-17-15 overall record, a 238-73 scoring edge and 42 shutouts. Lanham is a three-time All-State player and two-time All-State First Team performer. This year he helped a senior-heavy NDP side to a 23-2 record, a 84-22 scoring edge, 3.36 goals a game, a 0.88 team goals-against-average, and through a very tough schedule as an independent school. College coaches have taken notice. The communication line includes NCAA Division I schools Cornelll University, Bucknell University, High Point University, Dayton University and St. Louis University. NCAA Division II school Washington College and NCAA Division III schools Hope College, Bates University, Calvin University and Tufts College have also shown interest for the stellar player, who boasts a high soccer IQ and known for being a big-game clutch player. In the tournament this year, he helped his team post six wins, three shutouts, post a 23-6 scoring edge, avenge a regular-season loss to Detroit County Day with a district finals shootout win and average 3.84 goals a game (3.52 goals a game for the entire season). The 6-foot, 170-pound Lanham finished with 57 goals and 43 assists for his stellar prep career.
“He’s very deceptively fast,” noted Notre Dame Prep coach Rob Sufredini about his Mr. Soccer candidate. “Will is very fast, can beat players 1-v-1 or can get the ball over to open teammates. He takes some of our free kicks and is always involved in our attack. I think what makes him so good is that he is a (clutch) player. He scored a lot of game-winning goals or had many game-winning assists, especially this year, and he had a few in the (state) tournament, too. We had a lot of seniors and Will was a big part of our success for four years.”
LOGAN LILLA, Rochester Adams sr. M/F: One of five former MLS Next Academy players on the Rochester Adams roster, Lilla opted to join up this summer with the Highlanders with the goal of winning a state championship and he helped deliver on that promise. Named All-Oakland Activities Association-Red Division, All-District, All-Region and Division 1 All-State First Team to go along with earning a spot on the prestigious All-State Dream Team for the Division 1 state champion Highlanders. Lilla grew up in the Vardar system, actually played with Sporting KC in a MLS Next Youth Academy as an eighth grader before returning to the Vardar MLS Next Academy for his ninth grade, 10th grade and 11th grade years. Lilla finished his sole high school season with 14 goals and seven assists and always drew attention from some of the opposition’s top defensive players. Lilla is considering NCAA Division I schools University of Detroit-Mercy, West Point University, Holy Cross University, Bowling Green State University and a host of others.
“Logan is a great kid who came in very hungry to do well for us,” said coach Josh Hickey. “He’s very quick on the ball or without the ball and he’s at his best when he gets in deep behind the defense. He can score or get the ball to a teammate. He’s very good 1-v-1 and when he gets forward that is when he really shined. He scored some really big goals for us this season and he’s so poised as a player. Watching him play, you can see he has been well-coached. He seems like he knows what to do next.”
DANIEL MAKARA, Warren De La Salle sr. D: At 6-foot-1, 175 pounds and skilled, Makara has garnered some college interest, including NCAA Division I schools University of Detroit-Mercy, Oakland University and others. Playing the center back position, Makara started his high school career playing for the Vardar MLS Next Academy as a ninth-grader before joining the De La Salle varsity as a sophomore. The three-year starter has great size, athleticism and anticipation skills and was a key part of the Pilots’ backfield that grew tremendously over a three-year period. He anchored a backline this season that was stout down the stretch and helped De La Salle capture its first Division 2 state championship and sixth state title in school history. He helped the Pilots finish 20-3-1 this season and lose just one game to a Michigan opponent (D-3 state champion Pontiac Notre Dame Prep). De La Salle outscored its opposition 70-26 this season with 10 shutouts and post a 1.09 team goals-against-average and Makara was often the ignition with his long serves from the back line on restarts and clears from the defensive end. He earned All-District, All-Region and Division 2 All-State First Team accolades as both a junior and senior as well as being named All-State Dream Team and Division 2 Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. Makara aided the Pilots’ flight to two straight district and regional titles, two consecutive Final Four appearances, a state championship, and a grand turnaround where the team went from just 7-14-2 his sophomore year to the 20-3-1 record this season as a senior. He also helped the team record 24 shutouts over three seasons and posted a 40-27-3 record in that span. He is now one of more than a dozen De La Salle players to be named to the All-State Dream Team since the early 1980s.
“Daniel can hit a 60-yard kick on a dime to a man running down the field. He’s so accurate with those (serves) and set pieces from the back,” noted veteran De La Salle coach Thaier Mukhtar. “He is really fast out of the back and so athletic. He plays great defense, anchors our back line, and he also had nine goals and eight assists for us as a center back. He was a big part of us turning it around last year and reaching the state semifinals. And he was a big part of us getting back there to the Final Four this year, (reach) the state finals for the first time in 19 years and win it.”
ALEX MCCALLUM, Northville sr. F: Big, strong, powerful and fast is a deadly combination out on the pitch and ice for this two-sport athlete. McCallum is also a standout hockey player who has Compuware AAA hockey experience and varsity experience as a defenseman in that sport. He played high school hockey as a junior where he had 14 goals and 11 assists and earned All-KLAA honors. But perhaps soccer is his best sport. The three-year varsity veteran is a high-scoring forward who opposing defenders can’t knock off the ball. He warrants attention and welcomes contact because he can overpower defenders with the ball and has a quick release with his shot. He earned All-Kensington Lakes Activities Association Honorable Mention Honors as a sophomore when he finished with four goals and four assists. Playing a difficult schedule, he shined as a junior and senior as one of the Mustangs’ go-to players on offense, finishing with 23 goals and 16 assists as a junior and 19 goals and 13 assists this season. He is a two-time All-KLAA First Team, All-District, All-Area and All-Region player who earned All-State Second Team as a junior and All-State First Team and All-State Dream Team as a senior. McCallum led Northville to a Division 1 Final Four appearance as a junior, helped the Mustangs play in three district championship matches, post a three-year overall record of 48-7-9, a three-year 33-3-6 KLAA-West Division record, and win two straight KLAA-West Division and KLAA Conference Tournament championships. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound striker was part of an offense that outscored the opposition 69-22 this season and post 10 shutouts, while he was a key cog in an engine that outscored the opposition 191-55 over three years and post 32 clean sheets. His team was upset in the district finals in a shootout that featured 10 rounds of PKs. McCallum is one of at least six Northville players to make the Dream Team over the years.
“Alex is so big and strong that he almost wants the contact and plays off of it,” said Northville coach Henry Klimes. “He was so tough out there and the (senior) didn’t sneak up on anybody this year. Every team we played really tired to mark him. We kept him on varsity as a sophomore because we could see how strong he was (with the ball). He’s a hockey player and that (crossover sport) helps. The last couple of years he really teamed up with some other players to form a really good offensive (group). We’ll miss having him up there next year, for sure. Alex was a big part of our program.”
AIDAN ORTH, Traverse City West sr. F/M: The 6-foot-3, 175-pound Orth is a highly-decorated player on the high school, club soccer and Olympic Developmental Program platforms. He is on the Olympic Developmental Program National Team and Midwest Regional team for his age group, is a standout with his TBAYS North Storm club team and has been putting up big-time numbers at Traverse City West since he was a freshman. Orth was pulled up to the varsity early in his freshman season and has been a mainstay in the starting lineup ever since. Before his sophomore season, he was offered to take up residency with the Shattuck St. Mary’s MLS Next Academy but opted to remain in Traverse City. As a senior, Orth played in and started in 21 games and finished with 27 goals and 13 assists and two hattricks. For his career, he notched 75 goals, 43 assists and six hattricks. He was Division 1 All-State Third Team as a sophomore and All-State First Team as both a junior and senior. He is also a three-time All-Big North Conference, All-Area, All-District and All-Region honoree and helped Traverse City West win four straight Big North Conference and Division 1 district titles. Orth entered the season as a Mr. Soccer candidate and became the school’s fourth all-time All-State Dream Team selection, joining Casey Townsend (two-time Mr. Soccer), Dalton Michigan (Mr. Soccer) and Colin Blackport in an elite company. During the last four years, the Titans have posted a combined 69-11-6 record, a 38-1-1 league record, post 42 shutouts while being blanked just five times, and outscored the opposition 357-66 during that span with Orth in the program. On the recruiting side, Orth is in communication with NCAA Division I schools Western Illinois University, Eastern Illinois University, Oakland University and Purdue University-Fort Wayne, NCAA Division II Purdue-Northwest University and NCAA Division III Calvin University while he has received letters from dozens of schools over the last couple of years. He accepted an offer to go play in the United Soccer Coaches East-West High School All-Star Game in December and will go play with the Michigan Rangers Elite-64 club team this winter and spring.
“We called him up to varsity early his freshman year during the 2021 season and he was with us ever since. He had just a great career for us,” noted Traverse City West coach Matt Griesinger. “He got a chance his freshman year to play with another Dream Team player, Colin Blackport, and I think he learned a few things from him. The thing I love about Aidan is more than just the goals, clutch goals and all of the assists, but his ability to adjust in a game. He’s like having a coach on the field. He has a great (soccer IQ) and he see things out there and just makes decisions on the field. He doesn’t necessarily wait until halftime. He makes decisions to change things up and we had great trust in him because he sees things developing and he sees what other teams are doing and knows how to break them down. Not every kid out there has that ability. He’s been a big part of our program and we’ll miss having him next year.”
ANTHONY PIACENTINI, Rochester Adams sr. D: The former Vardar MLS Next Academy backfield star recently committed to NCAA Division I Western Michigan University, a current national powerhouse, after being courted by numerous schools in the country. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound Piacentini was also recruited by the likes of Robert Morris University, West Point University, Syracuse University and Oakland University amongst others. The senior opted over the summer to play one season of high school soccer with his friends and classmates and try to lead the Highlanders to championships. Adams finished second to Troy in the loaded Oakland Activities Association-Red Division (5-1-1) this year and won district, regional and the Division 1 state championship this season with the uber-talented Piacentini anchoring the back line for the Highlanders. He started all 24 games for 18-2-4 Adams this year and rarely came off the field unless it was a blowout or late in a non-league contest. He also helped Adams record 13 shutouts, allow around 0.67 goals a game and outscored the opposition 64-16. On the field, he is considered one of the state’s top center backs in his age group spanning all levels of soccer.
“Anthony is so smooth out there. He never panics and he understands every situation very well,” said coach Josh Hickey. “He’s a very smart player. It doesn’t matter if he has a lot of space or if he is working with (little space), he always seems to make the right decision with the ball and rarely makes a mistake. He also was pushed up occasionally (on restarts) and he finished with three goals and three assists for us. He was so consistent all season long and I don’t know if we have all of this success without him. He’s really going to be one to watch in college. I think everyone will be hearing about him in the future.”
OWEN RESCH, Lansing Christian sr. M/F: If the stats don’t pass the eye test, perhaps his team’s level of play and his recruitment surely has caused soccer fans to bat an eye at his overall resume. Resch is one of the most prolific goal scorers in state history and has helped rewrite the school record books at Lansing Christian. He ranks inside the top 25 in state books as well in terms of scoring goals. Resch, who plays attacking midfielder or forward, finished his senior season with a co-state-leading 57 goals, also a single-season school record despite missing nearly four games with an illness and being well-under 100 percent in the state tournament. That follows a junior year where he led Michigan with 53 goals and 26 assists. He also added 19 assists and recorded five hattricks this season and finished with 133 points for the 2024 campaign as well where his team finished 22-3-0 and outscored the opposition 122-25. Resch also added numerous game-winning goals and game-winning assists not just this season but during his career. He finished his four-year career with 145 goals and 64 assists and more than a dozen hattricks. Resch’s team finished 78-18-0 overall, went 38-1-0 in league play (.975 league win percentage in the Greater Lansing Activities League as a freshman and sophomore and the Central Michigan Activities Conference as a junior and senior) and won four district championships. His Pilgrims also won three league titles, finished as the league runner-up his freshman year, lost in the regional finals twice and the regional semifinals once, and also advanced to the Division 4 state semifinals this season. Resch’s Pilgrims also had a .813 win percentage from 2021-24, posted 41 shutouts, were only shut out six times, and outscored the opposition 456-99 in a four-year span. Resch is a four-time all-conference, all-district, all-region and All-State player, earning All-State First Team three times to go along with All-State Dream Team and Offensive Player of the Year accolades this season. The Michigan Jaguars Elite-64 club prospect turned down offers to go play in the MLS Next Academy system. He recently committed to NCAA Division II Messiah University, a Christian college with a rich soccer history, after having conversations with coaches from NCAA Division I schools Belmont University, Lipscomb University and Liberty University and NCAA Division III Calvin University. He entered the season as a Mr. Soccer candidate despite being from a D-4 school. The 5-foot-10, 155-pound versatile player also suited up this past summer for the Lansing Common FC of the Midwest Premier League, an amateur team made up of mostly current- and post-college soccer players. He has a 3.8 GPA in the classroom.
“Owen had an incredible career for us. The only thing we didn’t do was win a state championship,” said Lansing Christian coach Tommy Ziolkowski. “I think Owen is a little bit misunderstood sometimes out on the field, but he is so passionate about the sport. He has an incredible soccer IQ and he does things a lot of kids can’t do. Overall he’s a great kid and student and he really helped play us on the map the last four years. We’ll miss having him next year.”
ALEX ROSIN, Rochester Adams sr. D/MF: Even before he stepped onto the Adams pitch for a game this August, Rosin was tabbed as being one of the best players in the state and a bona fide Mr. Soccer candidate. He has lived up to his billing with an exceptional level of play and business-like approach to the game. He turned down offers to go play with the Columbus Crew MLS Next Youth Team as a sophomore and junior and this year he was one of a handful of U.S. youth players invited to go to FC Bayern Munich to train and compete for the year. He opted out of that invite to stay in Michigan and live out his dream of leading Adams to a state title. A top-100 recruit nationally in his age group, Rosin played one season of prep soccer, leading Adams to an 18-2-4 record, a district and regional title and the school’s third state title. He had two assists in the Division 1 state title win over Byron Center (2-0) and finished his senior season with 15 goals and 20 assists despite a rugged schedule that included 24 games and more than a dozen games against state-ranked opponents. An outside left marking back by trade, Rosin played all over the field for Adams this season and learned how to be a goal scorer as well. The 6-foot, 165-pound talent has been known to play forward, attacking center midfielder and outside back in a single game based on whatever a particular contest dictates. A commit to NCAA Division I University of Notre Dame, the 2023 national runner-up, over a multitude of offers, Rosin has as great of a resume as anyone in the state. He will graduate at the end of the year and head to Notre Dame, his dream school, in January. On Wednesday night during the Michigan Soccer Network’s annual Dream Team Reveal Show, Rosin became the third Rochester Adams player awarded with the prestigious Mr. Soccer honor, given annually by the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association each year since 1974 to the top player in the state. He follows Ricky Strong (1999) and Simon Omekanda (2002) as the Mr. Soccer winners from Adams.
“What can you say about Alex Rosin? I think he’s a professional high school soccer player, and I mean that by saying he does everything the right way and he has a business-like approach to every practice and every game,” said Adams coach Josh Hickey. “He’s always stretching, and you know how hard it is to get high school boys to stretch. He is always very prepared for everything. He’s a great kid and once a game starts, he just excels all over the field. I think playing one year of high school soccer will help him in college. He’s learned how to play up top with his back to the goal and using his body a different way, and not playing just out of the back and looking forward. He’s had to adapt. I know Notre Dame likes the fact that he can (now) get forward as a left back and get into the attack even more. I k new this kid was special and I’m glad a lot of people that never saw him before got a chance to see him play.”
LEO STRAVATO, Flint Powers Catholic sr. D/M/F: This past summer, Stravato trained with Lansing City FC of the USL-League Two Great Lakes Division and the rising star’s resume is adding new chapters every month as a multi-sport athlete. Stravato began his prep career playing outside marking back, played center back as a sophomore and center back and midfield as a junior. This past season as a senior, Stravato was pushed up into the attack more often and thrived, finishing with 19 goals and 13 assists. A three-time All-Saginaw Valley League, All-District, All-Region and All-State player, Stravato was All-State First Team the last two years as well as being named All-State Dream Team as a senior. In his career, he led Powers Catholic to a 58-30-8 overall record despite playing numerous Division 1 and Division 2 schools and also to a 24-12-7 league record. His Chargers outscored the opposition 82-29 with eight shutouts this season and 280-129 with 31 shutouts and 15 shutouts against during his four-year career. Powers Catholic also won Division 3 four straight district titles with Stravato in the lineup, to the Final Four as both a freshman and junior, the regional semifinals as a sophomore and to the regional finals as a senior in 2024. Stravato, who plays club soccer for Nationals ECNL, is a 6-foot-2, 175-pound speedster with skill and a college body. Recruited by numerous schools of various sizes, Stravato recently gave an oral commitment to play for Spring Arbor University at the NAIA collegiate level. He is also a talented track and field athlete and a state qualifier during the previous three school years. He has been clocked at 1:58.49 in the 800 meters and 51.61 in the 400 meters as a middle-distance runner and has also run 4:36.0 in the 1,600 meters. He could break the school record in the 800 next spring.
“We graduated a lot of our offense from the (2023) team that reached the state semifinals and we pushed him up more as a (attacking) player compared to the past. He did everything that we asked of him and he just had a fantastic season for us,” said Powers Catholic coach Paul Stravato, Leo’s dad. “He started as an outside back his freshman year and then his sophomore year we moved him over to the middle as a center back. Last year he was pushed up into the midfield more as a (central attacking midfielder) and this year he spent a lot of time as a forward because we needed more offensive production. He often played his best against the really good teams. Leo really played well against (Pontiac) Notre Dame Prep even though we lost to them, and he played well against (Detroit) Country Day and they were one of the best D-3 schools. He helped us finish second this year in the Saginaw Valley (League) where we finished second, and we’re the only D-3 school there while all of the other schools are D-1 and D-2. We asked him to do a lot because we lost some experience from last year and he stepped up and was our leader.”
GOALKEEPER
REID DENNIS, Rochester Adams sr. G: After being pulled up to varsity as a sophomore in 2022, the 6-foot-4, 180-pound Dennis did not see any varsity action during the Highlanders’ Division 1 state championship run. Last year he took over the No. 1 goalkeepers role and thrived with 11 shutouts for a team that suffered a multitude of injuries but still won a district trophy. This year he emerged as one for the state’s top keepers. The captain played a bulk of the minutes during the 18-2-4 campaign, posted a 0.42 goals-against-average, posted 13 shutouts (@4 during his career), played 1,830 minutes and posted a save percentage of around .800. More importantly, he made a save in a shootout in a 4-3 state semifinals win over Saline (5-4 on PKs) and routinely made difficult saves look easy. Using his athleticism, frame and long arms, Dennis has the prototypical body to be a college goalkeeper and also carries around q 4.0 GPA in the classroom. Dennis has also shined at the ECNL club levels with Nationals boys Academy and has drawn some interest from college coaches, including NCAA Division I Western Michigan University, University of Detroit-Mercy, Robert Morris University, University of Dayton and even some recent interest from the University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin.
“Reid was great when we needed to be,” admitted Adams coach Josh Hickey. “When he was a sophomore, we brought him up for the tournament and he got a chance to experience. the state championship run, and even though he didn’t see the field he was able to learn a lot and gain that experience. Last year we moved him into the starting lineup and he played great, which is (noteworthy) because we had a lot of injuries last year but we still won a district title. This year he really stepped it up and there were some games where he just made some incredible saves. Even though we had a very good defense, you have to have a great goalkeeper in order to play the type of schedule that we play every year. He was so consistent, really, the last two years. He made some things look easy but they’re not. With all of the future college players in our league and some of the teams we played in the non-league and in the tournament, he was asked to come through with some big saves for us like in that Saline game this year he made a great save in regulation and the one huge save in the Saline game during the shootout. That’s the type of keeper that he is. He steps up when we need him to play great. He’s one of our captains, one of our leaders, and I think with his body-type and athleticism he could be a very good goalkeeper in college one day.”
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
DIVISION 1:
CASH WILLIAMS, Hudsonville sr. D: Williams plays club soccer with the Michigan Rangers Elite-64 side and is a highly-skilled and fast center back. Standing at 5-foot-11 and 155 pounds, Williams has been one of the anchors of the Eagles stout back line the past couple of years and emerged this season as one of the state’s top center backs. Hudsonville won its first Ottawa Kent Conference-Red Division title this season where the Eagles were ranked for most of the campaign in Division 1. Hudsonville literally went from last in the OKC-Red Division during Williams’ freshman year to undefeated league champs at 6-0-4 as a senior. A four-year varsity veteran, Williams was named Division 1 Defensive Player of the Year in 2024, the first time a Hudsonville athlete earned the honor, and also earned All-OKC-Red Division First Team, All-District, All-Region and All-State First Team this season. This season Williams helped the Eagles finish 10-4-6 overall, outscored the opposition 35-16 with a defensive-first mentality, and record 10 shutouts in 20 games. His team posted a 0.80 team goals-against-average and his defensive play was needed as his team scored just the 35 goals and averaged just 1.75 goals a game. He was All-League, All-District, All-Region and All-State Honorable Mention last season. On the recruiting circuit, Williams has heard from a lot of schools but has basically narrowed his choices down to NCAA Division I Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and NCAA Division II Tiffin University.
“He’s basically the top defender that we’ve had at Hudsonville and he and Josh Little were a huge part of our success and helped turn it around during the last four years,” said Hudsonville coach Christopher Deiss. “He helped us win the OKC-Red the first time and we were last in the league when he was a freshman. He set the tone defensively the past couple of seasons where we really became a strong defensive team, and we needed that this season more than ever because we were not an explosive offensive team and relied on our defense a lot. We were really hard to score upon when Cash was on the field. I thought he was one of the top center backs in the state and proved that by being honored with the award.”
DIVISION 2:
DANIEL MAKARA, Warren De La Salle sr. D: At 6-foot-1, 175 pounds and skilled, Makara has garnered some college interest, including NCAA Division I schools University of Detroit-Mercy, Oakland University and others. Playing the center back position, Makara started his high school career playing for the Vardar MLS Next Academy as a ninth-grader before joining the De La Salle varsity as a sophomore. The three-year starter has great size, athleticism and anticipation skills and was a key part of the Pilots’ backfield that grew tremendously over a three-year period. He anchored a backline this season that was stout down the stretch and helped De La Salle capture its first Division 2 state championship and sixth state title in school history. He helped the Pilots finish 20-3-1 this season and lose just one game to a Michigan opponent (D-3 state champion Pontiac Notre Dame Prep). De La Salle outscored its opposition 70-26 this season with 10 shutouts and post a 1.09 team goals-against-average and Makara was often the ignition with his long serves from the back line on restarts and clears from the defensive end. He earned All-District, All-Region and Division 2 All-State First Team accolades as both a junior and senior as well as being named All-State Dream Team and Division 2 Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. Makara aided the Pilots’ flight to two straight district and regional titles, two consecutive Final Four appearances, a state championship, and a grand turnaround where the team went from just 7-14-2 his sophomore year to the 20-3-1 record this season as a senior. He also helped the team record 24 shutouts over three seasons and posted a 40-27-3 record in that span. He is now one of more than a dozen De La Salle players to be named to the All-State Dream Team since the early 1980s.
“Daniel can hit a 60-yard kick on a dime to a man running down the field. He’s so accurate with those (serves) and set pieces from the back,” noted veteran De La Salle coach Thaier Mukhtar. “He is really fast out of the back and so athletic. He plays great defense, anchors our back line, and he also had nine goals and eight assists for us as a center back. He was a big part of us turning it around last year and reaching the state semifinals last year. And he was a big part of us getting back there to the Final Four this year, (reach) the state finals for the first time in 19 years and win it.”
DIVISION 3:
HENRY GRAFF, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep sr. D: The 6-foot, 170-pound Graff is one of those cases where he has been solid during his prep and club career but not spoken of by other coaches in the preseason as being a master of his craft. He more than elevated his game to new heights to help NDP reach their full potential as a first-time state champion and advance to the state finals for the first time in 24 years. The three-year starter anchored a back line and helped the Fighting Irish put up some impressive defensive and offensive stats and post a stellar 23-2-0 overall record and a .880 in percentage this season. Graff earned Division 3 Defensive Player of the Year honors as well as All-District, All-Region and All-State First Team accolades after earning All-District a year ago. The Irish played 25 games this year and defensively pitched 12 shutouts, allowed just 22 goals, post a 0.88 team goals-against-average and generally made opponents earn their scoring chances and goals. He finished with four goals and four assists this season as well. In the four seasons that Graff was in the program, Notre Dame Prep posted a 60-17-15 overall record, outscored the opposition 238-73, posted a .653 win percentage, recorded 42 shutouts while being blanked only 17 in that four-year span. Graff also plays club soccer for Nationals Boys Academy ECNL.
“He primarily played center back, and occasion played a little bit of (holding center midfielder) but center back over 90 percent of the time and anchored our back line which was very good this year and really the last few years,” said Notre Dame Prep coach Rob Sufredini. “He worked vey well with our other main defenders back there, Alex Ruschak, Andrew Paulson, Danny Lebanion and Anthony Valetine, and helped form a very good defensive unit. He was very steady in his career with us. Henry was also very good off set pieces where he was pushed up and scored some big goals for us. He was a big part of our success the last few years and as a defensive player, maybe didn’t get the credit he deserves, but being the D-3 Defensive Player of the Year really showcases what type of player he really is and what he meant to our program.”
DIVISION 4:
TREY ROMAN, Leland sr. D: Coming from the rural small town in the Leelanau Peninsula northwest of Traverse City, Leland is a small-school powerhouse in soccer with a fine history, especially in the last decade, and Roman is a key part of that success. The four-year varsity veteran and starter, Roman’s team finished 18-3-1 this season, won a third straight Northwest Conference and Division 4 district title and reached the regional finals. Contributing one goal and four assists offensively, Roman’s back line only surrendered a school record nine goals in 22 games, posted a 0.41 team goals-against-average and recorded 16 shutouts this season, all which were school records. During his stellar career, Roman helped the Comets finish a combined 64-26-4, including 32-6-0 in league play, outscore the opposition 371-127, and post 44 shutouts while being shut out just 13 times. His freshman year saw a young Leland team being outscored 77-57 while this year as a senior helped his team outscore the opposition 113-9 and setting all of those aforementioned school records on the defensive end. His teams won three straight league championships after finishing third as a freshman, win three district titles and reach the district finals all four years, advance to the Final Four as both a sophomore and junior and to the Elite Eight this season. The last three years the Comets were knocked out by Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, the eventual state champs, deep into the postseason while his freshman year Leland was ousted by league rival Buckley, who reached the Final Four that 2021 season. Roman was a four-time All-District and three-time All-Northwest Conference title, as well as being an All-State defender three times. He earned Division 4 All-State First Team twice to go along with being tabbed as Division 4 Defensive Player of the Year this season.
“He was a four-year starter for us, and you look at where we were partway through his freshman year to where we were this season is incredible and that’s a testament to Trey and the other players,” said Leland coach Rob Sirrine. “He is the anchor of our back line and what our team did defensively the past couple of years is remarkable. We only gave up nine goals this season and look at all of the shutouts (44) we had during his career. I’m not sure how many, but I know we had a ton. We played some really good teams in the non-league this season. We beat Grandville Calvin Christian 5-0, kept them from scoring and they reached the state semifinals. We played Kingsford, Western Michigan Christian, (Grosse Pointe Woods University) Liggett. We’ll miss having him back there next season, no doubt. He’s a class act and a really great kid who just loves playing soccer.”
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
DIVISION 1:
AIDAN ORTH, Traverse City West sr. F/CB/M: The 6-foot-3, 175-pound Orth is a highly-decorated player on the high school, club soccer and Olympic Developmental Program platforms. He is on the Olympic Developmental Program National Team and Midwest Regional team for his age group, is a standout with his TBAYS North Storm club team and has been putting up big-time numbers at Traverse City West since he was a freshman. Orth was pulled up to the varsity early in his freshman season and has been a mainstay in the starting lineup ever since. Before his sophomore season, he was offered to take up residency with the Shattuck St. Mary’s MLS Next Academy but opted to remain in Traverse City. As a senior, Orth played in and started in 21 games and finished with 27 goals and 13 assists and two hattricks. For his career, he notched 75 goals, 43 assists and six hattricks. He was Division 1 All-State Third Team as a sophomore and All-State First Team as both a junior and senior. He is also a three-time All-Big North Conference, All-Area, All-District and All-Region honoree and helped Traverse City West win four straight Big North Conference and Division 1 district titles. Orth entered the season as a Mr. Soccer candidate and became the school’s fourth all-time All-State Dream Team selection, joining Casey Townsend (two-time Mr. Soccer), Dalton Michigan (Mr. Soccer) and Colin Blackport in an elite company. During the last four years, the Titans have posted a combined 69-11-6 record, a 38-1-1 league record, post 42 shutouts while being blanked just five times, and outscored the opposition 357-66 during that span with Orth in the program. On the recruiting side, Orth is in communication with NCAA Division I schools Western Illinois University, Eastern Illinois University, Oakland University and Purdue University-Fort Wayne, NCAA Division II Purdue-Northwest University and NCAA Division III Calvin University while he has received letters from dozens of schools over the last couple of years. He accepted an offer to go play in the United Soccer Coaches East-West High School All-Star Game in December.
“We called him up to varsity early his freshman year during the 2021 season and he was with us ever since. He had just a great career for us,” noted Traverse City West coach Matt Griesinger. “He got a chance his freshman year to play with another Dream Team player, Colin Blackport, and I think he learned a few things from him. The thing I love about Aidan is more than just the goals, clutch goals and all of the assists, but his ability to adjust in a game. He’s like having a coach on the field. He has a great (soccer IQ) and he see things out there and just makes decisions on the field. He doesn’t necessarily wait until halftime. He makes decisions to change things up and we had great trust in him because he sees things developing and he sees what other teams are doing and knows how to break them down. Not every kid out there has that ability. He’s been a big part of our program and we’ll miss having him next year.”
DIVISION 2:
ANDREW CORDER, Warren De La Salle soph. F: De La Salle posted a combined 33-13-1 record the last two years, outscored the opposition 133-68 with 17 shutouts, and won two districts, two regional titles, reached the Final Four twice and emerged as the Division 2 state champion this year and Corder was a huge part of that success story. Part of a loaded sophomore class across the state of Michigan playing high school soccer, Corder could be a future Dream Team and Mr. Soccer candidate in the future, but not before exploding onto the scene the first two years as the Pilots’ leading goal scorer as both a freshman and sophomore. After his team’s slow start to the 2023 campaign, Corder collected 16 goals and eight assists as a ninth-grader and still earned All-District, All-Region and All-State First Team honors as a freshman, a rarity in boys soccer. He back that up with another stellar sophomore campaign as a a marked player on the field. He finished this season with 17 goals and 10 assists for a team that finished 20-3-1 overall and also eight game-winning goals and four game-winning assists this year to showcase his effectiveness for a team that outscored the opposition 70-26 with 10 shutouts. He again earned All-District, All-Region and All-State First Team accolades this year for the Division 2 state champs and the Nationals Boys Academy ECNL club player still has 2.5 more years of high school to go.
“I truly believe he’s one of the top sophomores in the state and expect if he continues to play the way he does now that he should be a future Mr. Soccer candidate,” noted De La Salle coach Thaier Mukhtar. “He stepped in as a freshman, and even though we took a beating early his freshman year he got better and better and we made a run to the state semis. This year he was even better and we made our way back to the Final Four and won it all. Now, he might not be quite at a Brian Maisonneuve level yet, but he’s well onto an incredible career at De La Salle. What he’s done as an underclassmen so far is remarkable and only done a few times in De La Salle history. He’s very talented and to be first-team all-state his first two years speaks volume of what type of (impact) player Andrew really is for us.”
DIVISION 3:
WILL LANHAM, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep sr. F/M: The Michigan Jaguars Elite-64 club product and four-year starter at NDP turned down chances all four years to go play in the MLS Next Academy system. That was the Fighting Irish’s gain. A three-year starter and four-year contributor who was one of the first players off the bench as a freshman, the 5-foot-10, 165-pound Lanham deploys excellent speed, athleticism, the ability to get forward in a hurry and just has a great knack for the goal. He finished his senior season with 29 goals and 15 assists for 73 points, and also scored nine goals in the postseason run where Laham and his teammates captured the school’s first Division 3 state championship in school history. He also notched a pair of hattricks and several game-winning goals and game-winning assists this season and in his career. This year he earned All-District, All-Region and Division 3 All-State First Team status along with being named All-State Dream Team and Division 3 Offensive Player of the Year. Over the past four seasons, Lanham led NDP to a combined 60-17-15 overall record, a 238-73 scoring edge and 42 shutouts. Lanham is a three-time All-State player and two-time All-State First Team performer. This year he helped a senior-heavy NDP side to a 23-2 record, a 84-22 scoring edge, 3.36 goals a game, a 0.88 team goals-against-average, and through a very tough schedule as an independent school. College coaches have taken notice. The communication line includes NCAA Division I schools Cornelll University, Bucknell University, High Point University, Dayton University and St. Louis University. NCAA Division II school Washington College and NCAA Division III schools Hope College, Bates University, Calvin University and Tufts College have also shown interest for the stellar player, who boasts a high soccer IQ and for being a big-game clutch player. In the tournament this year, he helped his team post six wins, three shutouts, post a 23-6 scoring edge, avenge a regular-season loss to Detroit County Day with a district finals shootout win and average 3.84 goals a game (3.52 goals a game for the entire season). The 6-foot, 170-pound Lanham finished with 57 goals and 43 assists for his stellar career.
“He’s very deceptively fast,” noted Notre Dame Prep coach Rob Sufredini about his Mr. Soccer candidate. “Will is very fast, can beat players 1-v-1 or can get the ball over to open teammates. He takes some of our free kicks and is always involved in our attack. I think what makes him so good is that he is a (clutch) player. He scored a lot of game-winning goals or had many game-winning assists, especially this year and he had a few in the (state) tournament, too.”
DIVISION 4:
OWEN RESCH, Lansing Christian sr. M/F: If the stats don’t pass the eye test, perhaps his team’s level of play and his recruitment surely has caused soccer fans to bat an eye at his overall resume. Resch is one of the most prolific goal scorers in state history and has helped rewrite the school record books at Lansing Christian. He ranks inside the top 25 in state books as well in terms of scoring goals. Resch, who plays attacking midfielder or forward, finished his senior season with a co-state-leading 57 goals, also a single-season school record despite missing nearly four games with an illness and being well-under 100 percent in the state tournament. That follows a junior year where he led Michigan with 53 goals and 26 assists. He also added 19 assists and recorded five hattricks this season and finished with 133 points for the 2024 campaign as well where his team finished 22-3-0 and outscored the opposition 122-25. Resch also added numerous game-winning goals and game-winning assists not just this season but during his career. He finished his four-year career with 145 goals and 64 assists and more than a dozen hattricks. Resch’s team finished 78-18-0 overall, went 38-1-0 in league play (.975 league win percentage in the Greater Lansing Activities League as a freshman and sophomore and the Central Michigan Activities Conference as a junior and senior) and won four district championships. His Pilgrims also won three league titles, finished as the league runner-up his freshman year, lost in the regional finals twice and the regional semifinals once, and also advanced to the Division 4 state semifinals this season. Resch’s Pilgrims also had a .813 win percentage from 2021-24, posted 41 shutouts, were only shut out six times, and outscored the opposition 456-99 in a four-year span. Resch is a four-time all-conference, all-district, all-region and All-State player, earning All-State First Team three times to go along with All-State Dream Team and Offensive Player of the Year accolades this season. The Michigan Jaguars Elite-64 club prospect turned down offers to go play in the MLS Next Academy system. He recently committed to NCAA Division II Messiah University, a Christian college with a rich soccer history, after having conversations with coaches from NCAA Division I schools Belmont University, Lipscomb University and Liberty University and NCAA Division III Calvin University. He entered the season as a Mr. Soccer candidate despite being from a D-4 school. The 5-foot-10, 155-pound versatile player also suited up this past summer for the Lansing Common FC of the Midwest Premier League, an amateur team made up of mostly current- and post-college soccer players. He has a 3.8 GPA in the classroom.
“Owen had an incredible career for us. The only thing we didn’t do was win a state championship,” said Lansing Christian coach Tommy Ziolkowski. “I think Owen is a little bit misunderstood sometimes out on the field, but he is so passionate about the sport. He has an incredible soccer IQ and he does things a lot of kids can’t do. Overall he’s a great kid and student and he really helped play us on the map the last four years. We’ll miss having him next year.”
WATCH THE MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK ON YOUTUBE:
(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the Michigan Soccer Network regarding club soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer involving teams, players or coaches with Michigan ties, contact Communications Specialist/Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com or dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com, or call 248-884-1051 or 248-525-2349. Dan Stickradt is a 31-year veteran of the Michigan Media circles and recently joined the staff full time in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/MSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@michigansoccernetwork.com and jonathan@thepremiermediagrp.com.)
— All Rights Reserved, Premier Media Group / Michigan Soccer Network / National Soccer Network
MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/misoccernetwork
Twitter/X: @MiSoccerNetwork, @msn_stickradt
Instagram: www.instagram.com/misoccernetwork/
(Have photos to go with this story? Email pics to Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com and dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com and also list photo credit as well.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOYS SOCCER: MSN SUPER 50 TEAMS POSITIONS 41-50: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/post/boys-soccer-super-50-teams-positions-41-50
BOYS SOCCER: MSN SUPER 50 TEAMS POSITIONS 31-40: https://www.michigansoccernetwork.com/post/boys-soccer-msn-super-50-teams-positions-31-40
BOYS SOCCER: MSN SUPER 50 TEAMS POSITIONS 21-30: BOYS SOCCER: MSN Super 50 Teams Positions 21-30:
BOYS SOCCER: MSN SUPER 50 TEAMS POSITIONS 11-20:
BOYS SOCCER: MSN SUPER 50 TEAMS POSITIONS 1-10:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE
Interested in internships in broadcasting, communications, journalism, public relations or sales and marketing in the sports world? The Premier Media Group is seeking applications for current college students or students entering their senior or junior years of high school that have a career interest in working in different capacity of a constantly-evolving media world.
Contact both Broadcast Director Jonathan Turner at 248-525-2083 or jonathan@thepremeiermediagrp.com and Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at (248) 525-2349 and dstickradt@thepremeiermediagrp.com.
Comments