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Harbor Springs exceeds expectations again before regional final exit

The end of the road came within the Division 4 regional championship round once again for the Harbor Springs girls' soccer team, falling to North Muskegon for a second straight year.
The end of the road came within the Division 4 regional championship round once again for the Harbor Springs girls' soccer team, falling to North Muskegon for a second straight year.

BIG RAPIDS — When you make the kind of run like the Harbor Springs girls’ soccer team had a year ago, it’s always tough meeting the heightened expectations heading into the next season.

For the Rams in 2023, some of that weight showed early.

But, then a tough schedule and that experience gained from a year ago began to show.

Harbor Springs senior Hailey Fisher will be a key piece in net the Rams will have to replace next season.
Harbor Springs senior Hailey Fisher will be a key piece in net the Rams will have to replace next season.

Pieces fell into place, senior leadership began to form and the Rams were clicking again at just the right time of year, putting them right back in a Division 4 regional championship game Friday night in Big Rapids.

Matched up with North Muskegon once again – after a 3-2 shootout loss to the Norsemen last season – the scoreboard read differently Friday, though the end result was the same in a 1-0 North Muskegon victory.

For Harbor Springs head coach Aaron Riley, the group of girls in Harbor uniforms Friday night made everyone along the sidelines and throughout the Harbor community proud.

“This team more than met our expectations for the season,” said Riley. “I asked them before the game if they thought they would reach this point in the season – on this big of a stage – and their response was no, they didn’t. They competed with the No. 2 team in the state to the wire again. We’re incredibly proud.”

Once again, the matchup came as the closest D4 regional final of the day, much like the match a year ago, but its North Muskegon moving on to a Division 4 regional final against Kalamazoo Christian in Cedar Springs on Wednesday, June 14.

Harbor Springs senior Katelyn Drayer put in a number of big moments over her years with the Rams' program.
Harbor Springs senior Katelyn Drayer put in a number of big moments over her years with the Rams' program.

The loss for the Rams closes out a an 8-13-3 season, which came with six of those wins over the last nine games entering the day.

It was a schedule heavily weighted with Division 1 and 2 programs early in the season, along with the No. 2 ranked Norsemen.

Through all the ups and downs and to end up once again playing in a regional championship, Riley knows its experience that’ll go a long ways in 2024.

“The younger girls have been getting better with every game,” said Riley. “Getting stronger, faster and more comfortable playing with the older girls and learning from their intensity. There has been a remarkable difference from mid April to now. Moving forward, our younger girls will be amazing leaders and will help catch up the incoming freshmen next year. They're already excited for next year, and so are we.”

Harbor Springs senior defender Josie Baker won't be an easy replacement for the Rams ahead.
Harbor Springs senior defender Josie Baker won't be an easy replacement for the Rams ahead.

The lone goal of the day Friday came with just under 23 minutes to play in the first half when North Muskegon’s Kennedi Koekkoek sent a score in just under the crossbar, which ricocheted and went in.

That’s all it took from there. Harbor had chances – including a few late in the first half – then another close equalizer with around 20 minutes left, which Koekkoek actually deflected away with keeper Emma Lamiman out of positon.

While the Rams were a team full of 10 freshmen or sophomores, they also have eight seniors to replace, many of them four-year starters or key contributors for years under Riley.

“Coach Shallon (Grawey) and I will miss this group of seniors immensely,” he said. “This group was patient with our younger girls and it showed, either by example or conversation, what it means to be a Harbor girls varsity soccer player.

“I feel awful about the loss, but they played so hard for each other and for the Harbor community. North Muskegon’s coaching staff even thought the team was totally different than when we last played them in April.”

After back to back matchups in the regional final, who’s up for a third next season?

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Harbor Springs exceeds expectations again before regional final exit