CEDAR SPRINGS – As teams play longer into the postseason, injuries are likely to become nagging and teams are hopeful they’re nothing more than an annoyance.
For the Spring Lake girls soccer team, one injury turned the momentum of a Division 2 regional semifinal game Tuesday, but the Lakers were able to hold on to beat Cadillac 2-1 at Cedar Spring High School.
Spring Lake senior Reese Shelton left the game with 20 minutes left and was unable to return. The injury seemed to change the momentum. Spring Lake led 2-0 when Shelton subbed off, only for Cadillac to score at the 18:41 to cut the lead to 2-1.
Over the final 18 minutes, Spring Lake had a shot hit the post, but Cadillac seemed to otherwise control the game.
[1]“It’s difficult,” Shelton said about having to watch her team fight without her to finish the game. “I want to be out there on the field with my team. It’s not fun at all. But I had my faith in them and knew they’d work hard to pull out the win. Mentally it’s really difficult but I knew it was best to sit out.”
The fact that Shelton even played was incredible, according to Spring Lake head coach Becky May.
“We weren’t even sure she’d be able to go,” she said. “But at this point, it’s win or go home. We put her in with hopes that she could survive. Her right foot is twice the size of her left foot. She did everything she could for us. She went out there and did what she does until she couldn’t stand.”
[2]With the victory, Spring Lake is now 17-2-1 on the season and looking for a second straight regional championship.
The Lakers will next face Forest Hills Central in a Division 2 regional final, which is also a state quarterfinal game, at Cedar Springs High School on Thursday. The game is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
“It’s great,” senior Meah Bajt said about the chance to repeat as regional champions. “It’s our last year to do this. We knew it’d be tough. It’s great to be back again just like last year.”
Bajt’s determination was evident once again on Tuesday when she scored the opening goal off an assist from Clara Sanders at the 26:38 mark of the first half. Bajt took a pass and found the lower right corner of the net.
“It was a great header from Clara,” Bajt said. “I just knew I had to shoot it. We were all right there and I just had to finish it.”
[3]With just three minutes to go before halftime, senior Eryn Bouwhuis lined up a corner kick that eventually found the back of the net. Bajt was announced as the goal scorer, but believes the ball may have crossed the line before she even touched it.
“I wanted to play a good ball in,” Bouwhuis said of the play. “We’ve had a few early in the season that I played into Meah and she got a head on. I guess that’s just what I was trying to look for. I just needed to step up and get a good pass into the middle.”
In the first half, Spring Lake outshot Cadillac 3-2 before outshooting the Vikings 5-1 in the second half to maintain a 8-3 shot advantage for the game.
May said after the game that she’s overjoyed that her five seniors get another opportunity for a regional title.
“It’s amazing. They’ve worked hard for it and I think they’re ready for it. This group of seniors deserves it. It’s the best group of seniors I’ve ever seen on the field together.”