NORTON SHORES – The Mona Shores girls soccer team has gotten used to district final disappointments, and unfortunately that continued on Friday night with a 1-0 loss to Rockford in the Division 1 district championship game on the Sailors’ home field.

The loss was the fourth consecutive district final defeat for the Sailors, and second straight on their home field.

The Sailors lost 5-2 to Grandville in the finals in 2018, 3-2 in overtime to Grand Haven in 2019, and 2-0 to Hudsonville in 2021.

“It stings,” said Mona Shores head coach Dylan Darga about the loss. “It’s a home loss for the second straight year. We couldn’t find the back of the net. It was a classic district championship game where one team makes a mistake and the other capitalizes.”

Mona Shores goalie Ella Buikema goes high for a save. Photo/Andrew Johnson

“I’ve played on this varsity team for four years and having it come to an end so suddenly hurts,” said senior goalkeeper Ella Buikema. “Even though we didn’t get our name put on a district trophy, I think we’ve set a tone and expectation for this final to be the benchmark going forward.”

The Sailors concluded their season with a record of 15-5-2 and a fifth consecutive O-K Green conference championship.

Seven seniors will graduate, leaving a path of success behind them.

“Some of them have played in three district championship games,” said Darga about what the senior class brought to the Sailor program. “Some of them have never lost a conference game. I’m really thankful for them and proud of the accomplishments they’ve had. They set the tone for our program with the younger girls going forward.”

The game was a story of two halves, with Rockford dominating possession in the first half.

Buikema gets ready to make a stop as teammate Lauren Hylland follows the play. Photo/Andrew Johnson 

The Rams took a 1-0 lead just 10:37 into the game when Hadley Denbroeder put home a rebound after the ball bounced off the top of the crossbar.

Rockford finished the first half outshooting the Sailors 5-1, but could do no more damage.

The Sailors controlled most of the second half and had a 2-1 edge in shots, but couldn’t find that one magic shot that might have forced overtime.

“We got after it,” said Darga about the improved second half. “We were too tentative in the first half. We had a gut check at halftime and realized we had to do this, or our season was done.”

While Buikema is sad to see the season end, she admits that more than anything she will miss her younger teammates.

“I got so close with the underclassmen, and now I’m leaving them behind,” she said. “I think that’s what hurts the most. It feels like we barely got to know each other and touch the surface of what they can do. I think that’s one of the things that stings the most.”