BY DAN STICKRADT
WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR
Twitter: @MiSoccerNetwork
RICHLAND, Mich. – It appears Richland Gull Lake is back on the rise.
After finishing 12-6-1 and winning a Division 2 district crown last year in 2023, the Blue Devils are playing as good as anybody in the Division 2 field entering postseason play.
But there is a problem. A big problem.
“We have one of the more competitive districts in the state,” admitted head coach Jeff Corstange. “I think we can go far, but I also understand that we’ll play really good teams each game in the districts. We could get knocked out early, too. Plainwell is very good, as Otsego and (Middleville) Thornapple-Kellogg have had strong seasons as well. Otsego is coming on strong as well. Of course, we’re all together in the same district.”
This season, the Blue Devils (11-3-2) are hosting that same brutally-tough district that includes both Gull Lake and Plainwell (15-2-1), which have been ranked in the top 15 in Division 2 all season along with Middleville Thornapple-Kellogg (10-3-1) and Otsego (14-4-1) being a pair of honorable mention schools in the rankings. Thornapple-Kellogg was ranked most of the season while Plainwell reached the Final Four last season and has lost only two games this year, one back in late March to Division 1 top-ranked Hudsonville.
Also lodged in this competitive district is Battle Creek Harper Creek (12-3-0) that has only lost three games, while Hastings (9-7-1) also entered the state tournament above the five-hundred mark. Only Wayland (7-11-1) sits below five-hundred in this deep district – one of the tougher groups in the entire Division 2 bracket.
“A number of teams could win it,” said Corstange. “Remember Plainwell reached the (state) semifinals last season and we did two years ago. And we’re on the same half of the bracket. Whoever wins our district will have some really tough games in the regionals and (state) semifinals. There’s a lot of really good teams out here on the west side (of Michigan).”
Plainwell, which has reached the Final Four in Division 2, Class B or Class B-C-D 11 times in its storied history (13th all-time), made a deep run in 2023 only to see a district shift before this season and landing in the same district as Richland Gull Lake and a heap of other talented sides. Thornapple-Kellogg also won a district last season and returned 20 players this year. Otsego was in the Elite Eight two years ago and was third in a competitive Wolverine Conference behind Plainwell and Vicksburg.
Historically, Gull Lake has usually been a state powerhouse and has appeared in the state finals seven times going back to the early 1990s. The Blue Devils’ three state championship seasons came in succession under Jeff Corstange from 2013-2015. Gull Lake also lost in the state finals in 1991 (Class B-C-D), 1994 (Class B), 1995 (Class B) and 1999 (Division 2) and have several other teams that were state-ranked or contend for league, district and regional titles over the years.
Overall, Gull Lake has advanced to the Final Four 12 times in school history, which is tied for eighth overall with Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central in MHSAA lore.
Get the picture?
Gull Lake finished second to Division 1 top-five-ranked Portage Central in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference (SMAC) regular seasons standings – the Blue Devils handed the Mustangs their only league loss this season back on April 24 (2-1). Gull Lake dropped the rematch to Portage Central 4-1 in the SMAC Tournament finals on May 15, the team’s last game.
So far this season, Gull Lake (11-3-2 overall, 7-1-1 SMAC, 1-1 in SMAC Tournament) has outscored the opposition 40-12 with eight shutouts – and Blue Devils have played every bit of a challenging schedule in 2024. That’s exactly where Corstange wanted it.
“We always want to play as tough as schedule as possible,” he added.
Corstange eventually stepped down for a few years in 2018 and rejoined the girls soccer program at the school earlier this school year. He has coached Gull Lake’s boys soccer team the last three fall seasons and even guided the Blue Devils to the 2022 Division 2 state title.
Much like Gull Lake’s girls soccer program, the Blue Devils’ boys soccer program has numerous trips to the Final Four dating back to the 1980s, including four state semifinals appearances in the previous decade and that includes two state championships.
“We know that in order to go far you have to play good teams and there were several good teams in our league this year and we’ve played some tough out-of-conference schools, too,” said Corstange. “That will help prepare us for the state tournament.”
Richland Gull Lake will face fellow state power Plainwell in the district semifinals May 28 at 5 p. m. with a berth in the district finals on the line. Otsego and Battle Creek Harper Creek, which have combined for 27 wins this year, face off in the 7 p.m. district semifinals game also at Gull Lake.
This year’s team is young but uber talented and much and have relied on its top players and overall depth to shine this season. Junior midfielder/center back has spent most of this season up in the attack. The talented playmaker known for her skill on set pieces was All-State First Team last year and has already committed to NCAA Division I University of Toledo.
Fellow junior Taygan Corstange (All-State Honorable Mention last year) is a two-sport star and has committed to NCAA Division I Wright State University for volleyball. Sophomore goalkeeper Bella Carr (All-SMAC last year), senior midfielder Maggie Westra and senior back Kendall Wank (All-SMAC Honorable Mention and All-District last season) entered the campaign as returning starters and have all been key players for the Blue Devils this season..”
Junior Madielyn Smith (M) and sophomore Charlye Reiner (M) have been key players on the attack and have played more prominent roles this season. Sophomore forward Ali Bates is one of the leading scorers in her first season on varsity, while sophomores Maya Murphy (M/F) and Kamryn Kruger (M) and freshmen Kenadie Schumann (D), Tessa Cothron (F) and Caroline Clancy (F) have also been key players during their varsity debut campaigns. Several other players have added depth on this deep roster.
Corstange has been on teams that enjoyed the glory of victory or tasted the agony of defeat when it comes to the nature of the one-game elimination state tournament and also understands that you not only have to have skill but remain healthy and have a little bit of luck if your side can make a lengthy run in the state tournament.
“It’s never easy,” reminded Corstange, whose team has only lost to highly-regarded teams in Kalamazoo Loy-Norrix, Portage Central and defending Division 3 state champion Hudsonville Unity Christian. “When we won it those three years in a row (2013-2015) almost everything seemed to go right for us. So far we’ve been very competitive this year and haven’t had a ton of injuries. Everybody has their bumps and bruises at this stage of the (season) and may have a player to two (out of the lineup). That’s soccer. But when you have so many good teams in your district, anything can happen. We’re looking forward to it.”
(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 of teams or players with Michigan ties, contact Communications Specialist/Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com, or call 248-884-1051. 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.)
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