ALLIANCE LEAGUE:
Below are the team capsules for the Alliance League. Rounds of Emails were sent to the athletics departments and coaching staffs of every girls soccer program in the state where coaches emails were available in March. To submit information for missing schools, submit additional information, or to make corrections, please email Web and Content Editor Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com or text to (248) 884-1051.
Teams – Byron Center Zion Christian, Grand Rapids Wellspring Prep, Grand Rapids West Michigan Aviation Academy, Kentwood Grand River Prep, Muskegon Catholic Central, Wyoming Lee, Wyoming Potter’s House Christian, Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian
No Teams – Fruitport Calvary Christian
SCHOOL: Byron Center Zion Christian
HEAD COACH: Doug Joerdsma
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 9-6-3, 5-1-1 Alliance League (second)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Def. Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian (1-0); lost to Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (3-1) in the D-4 district semifinals.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS:
OTHER KEY RETURNEES:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS:
SCHOOL: Fruitport Calvary Christian
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: Due to low enrollment and numbers, Calvary Christian will not field a team again in 2023. Calvary was unable to field a team in 2022 as well.
SCHOOL: Grand Rapids Wellspring Prep
HEAD COACH: Damiekco Smith
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 4-14-0, 0-7-0 Alliance League (eighth)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Lost to Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (8-0) in D-4 pre-districts.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS:
OTHER KEY RETURNEES:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS:
SCHOOL: Grand Rapids West Michigan Aviation Academy
HEAD COACH: Andrew Lewis
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 16-7-0, 7-0-0 Alliance League (first)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Def. Wyoming Kelloggsville (8-0); lost to Grand Rapids West Catholic (1-0) in D-3 district semifinals
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS: Emily Krampitz sr. F/M (All-League Second Team); Savannah Norman, sr. F/M (All-League Second Team); Luczi Fleming, sr. OD; Izzy Saffell, sr. M; Rebekah DeBoer, sr. M (All-League First Team, All-District; leading returning goal-scorer with 10 goals and eight assists); Lauren Holcomb, soph. CD (All-League Second Team, All-District); Maren Holcomb, soph. CD (All-District)
OTHER KEY RETURNEES: Kacie Platz, jr. F; Adison Dyksterhouse, jr. M/F; Kat Baker, sr. OB
KEY NEWCOMERS: Lindsay White, fr. OB; Kate Redburn, fr. F/M; Brianna Gutierrez, fr. OB; Lydia Roberts, fr. G; Mallory Johnson, fr. F/M; Sofia Sheldon, sr. M; Khloe Koelling, jr. F
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: The defending Hart Invitational and Alliance League champions should again contend at the league and district level with seven returning starters, 10 total returnees, and a promising group of seven newcomers – five which are freshmen. “Losing two senior captains from last year in Grace (Hewitt) and Jocelyn (Jarchow) has had a huge impact on us early on. They brought experience, leadership and talent. Having Khloe (Koelling), Sofia (Sheldon) and our talented group of freshmen able to play this year though will be a huge infusion of talent on top of the great returning talent we already have back. At our best we will be defensively solid in the middle and able to maintain possession. We have some youth outside at winger and outsideback but I’m confident they will develop and grow,” said coach Andrew Lewis.
SCHOOL: Kentwood Grand River Prep
HEAD COACH: Brent Klug
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 6-3-2, 4-1-2 Alliance League (third)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Lost to Allegan (5-0) in D-3 pre-district
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS:
OTHER KEY RETURNEES:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS:
SCHOOL: Muskegon Catholic Central
HEAD COACH: Dayne Robinson
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 8-9-2, 2-5-1 Lakes 8 Activities Conference (fourth)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Def. Kent City (4-0); lost to Muskegon Western Michigan Christian (1-0) in D-3 district semifinals.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS:
OTHER KEY RETURNEES:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: With the Lakes 8 Activities Conference folding, Muskegon Catholic Central moves over to the Alliance League, which lost Holland Black River Academy to the Southwestern Athletic Conference-Lakeshore Division. MCC played just one game as of April 16, dropping an 8-0 decision to D-2 Fruitport.
SCHOOL: Wyoming Lee
HEAD COACH: Dan Lee
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 10-8-1, 4-3-0 Alliance League (fourth)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Def. Belding (3-0); lost to Grand Rapids Catholic Central (6-0) in D-3 district semifinals.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS: Janelly Sanchez, jr. M (All-State Honorable Mention)
OTHER KEY RETURNEES:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: Wyoming Lee was a middle-of-the-pack finisher in the Alliance League last season and did not advance past the district semifinals. The program is seeking better fortunes in 2023.
SCHOOL: Wyoming Potter’s House Christian
HEAD COACH: Tom Boorsma
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 3-10-2, 1-5-1 Alliance League (sixth)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Lost to Grandville Calvin Christian (9-0) in D-4 pre-districts.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS:
OTHER KEY RETURNEES:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: Unlike its boys soccer counterparts, which has been a ranked team in recent years and won the 2021 D-4 state title, Potter’s House Christian’s girls soccer program has struggled in recent years. The program finished a distant sixth in the Alliance League, only captured three wins and lost in its pre-district contest a year ago.
SCHOOL: Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian
HEAD COACH: Shannon Badgero
2022 OVERALL RECORD / LEAGUE RECORD / LEAGUE FINISH: 2-8-2, 1-5-1 Alliance League (seventh)
2022 STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Lost to Byron Center Zion Christian (1-0) in D-4 pre-districts.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: None
STATE RUNNER-UP SEASONS: None
RETURNING STARTERS:
OTHER KEY RETURNEES:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
OUTLOOK / NOTABLES / COACHES COMMENTS: With only two wins and a seventh-place finish in the Alliance League last season, Tri-Unity hopes to show much improvement in 2023.
