Fenton High soccer team’s journey ends at regionals
PHOTO Maddie Slezinski
November 16, 2021
Fenton Varsity Soccer reached the regional finals for the first time since the 2019-2020 season. Unlike the previous season, the Tigers fell just short of reaching the semifinals in the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Division II playoffs. As the team fell at Mason High School against the DeWitt Panthers with a score of 2-1 during regional finals play and with that loss, their season turned to a close.
Regardless of the ending, the Tigers had a near-perfect season. Upon reaching the playoffs, they held a record of 16–1–2. Their only loss was marked by Detroit Catholic Central in a 2–1 game. However, that loss that occurred against Detroit Catholic Central was against a team that were the defending State Champions for MHSAA Division I. In that match, the Tigers outshot the Defending Champs 13–5, showing the Tigers that even though they lost that match they were able to get solid looks at the net. That helped keep it a close game as they only lost by a single goal and playing against tough competition would also help them in the postseason.
Throughout the season though, there were many memorable moments outside of just the two defeats. One of those moments occured when the Tigers took down their crosstown rival Linden in a 4-0 match to take the win. But it wasn’t what happened during the match that Coach Matthew Sullivan remembers the most, it was what happened after.
“I remember the dance party after the Linden game,” Sullivan Said. “It was to some stupid Gwyn Stefani song that soon became our anthem.”
One of the things that was remembered best by Sullivan wasn’t any specific memory. In fact, it was the enjoyable times that Sullivan would cite as what he remembers most. Especially “just laughing a lot” and learning to “cherish every moment together.” Seasons come and go and as the Tigers fell in the regional finals, Sullivan reflected on the team’s final game.
“The ball either bounces your way or it doesn’t,” Sullivan said. “So it’s what you did all year with each other that counts.”
While the ball did not bounce in the Tigers favor this time, the team bonded and eventually became like “brothers” with all the time spent together.
“It was never about winning every game or metros or districts and so on,” senior starter Lucah White said. “It was about spending more time with each other and playing more and more. It got nerve racking sometimes but only because I wanted more minutes with my brothers.”
The Tiger’s season ended in Mason on October 30th, when the Tigers fell to Dewitt, 2–1. But it wasn’t the loss that the team chose to focus on. Instead, it was the lessons that were learned throughout the season.
“The most important lesson learned throughout the season,” Sullivan said, “was just how important it is to cherish every moment together.”
Even though the season didn’t end as they wanted, the Tigers finished their season with a winning 17–2–2 record and managed to win the Flint Metro League outright.
