East Grand Rapids Scores Repeat in OT
June 9, 2018
By Jason Schmitt
Special for Second Half
HOWELL – Defense is the specialty of East Grand Rapids boys lacrosse coach Rick DeBlasio.
But even the veteran coach had to be impressed with the offensive exploits of his high scoring tandem of seniors Eric Solberg and Chris Owens.
Solberg tied an MHSAA championship game record with six goals and Owens netted the game-winner as the Pioneers won their second straight Division 2 title with an 11-10, double-overtime victory over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central on Saturday at Parker Middle School in Howell.
“When he gets his hands free and sweeps, and if you give him a half a step, it’s over,” said DeBlasio, talking of Owens, the team’s leading scorer this season. “For him to get the game-winning goal, it was really special. It’s something the whole team celebrates.”
The game-winner, which came with 2:04 left in the second overtime, may have caught the Rangers by surprise – and some of Owens’ teammates as well.
“We had decided to settle it down, maybe get on offense, but I saw an opening and I just took a shot,” said Owens, taking in the moment just minutes after being swarmed by his teammates on the north end of the field. “It’s crazy, all these people watching. It feels really good to finish it off.”
It seemed like neither team would be able to finish things off. East Grand Rapids looked like it was going to close out the game in regulation, only to see Forest Hills Central tie it up at 10-10 on a goal by junior Luke Majick with 33 seconds remaining.
“To get back to this game, after what happened last year, has really been a driving motivator for us this year,” Rangers coach Andy Shira said. “Obviously our guys didn’t want to lose (the game). Especially against East Grand Rapids, we’re not going to go down without a fight.”
That was evident throughout the game.
Forest Hills Central kicked off the scoring less than five minutes in, with senior Tobey Hendricks scoring off a pass from Majick. But East Grand Rapids would answer, with Solberg scoring a pair of goals to cap off a low-scoring first quarter.
Forest Hills Central and East Grand Rapids then went on a scoring binge, combining to tally seven goals in just less than four minutes, the last three scored by the Pioneers. Solberg had three of them, Owens had the other, giving their team a 6-4 lead at halftime.
Though the Pioneers continued to maintain a lead into the fourth quarter, Forest Hills Central would not go away. On three occasions, the Rangers tied the game up. Junior Tate Hallock scored two of those tying goals, with Majick scoring the other.
Solberg’s six goals tied a championship game record held by three Birmingham Brother Rice players (Morgan Macko, Jason Alessi and Devin Peurach). He’s a converted midfielder, something his coach said has worked in favor of the Pioneers.
“We were hoping his dodging would free him up, but we went through a period where offensively we weren’t getting the kind of production we wanted and I moved him to attack,” DeBlasio said. “Since I moved him to attack, he’s averaged four to six goals a game. He’s a pretty special kid.”
Junior Jack DelVecchio and senior Drew Poortenga also scored goals in the Pioneers’ victory.
Hallock finished with four for Forest Hills Central (18-2), while Majick and senior Patrick English each had two. Seniors Hendricks and Bryce Clay each added one goal for the Rangers, who entered the postseason as the top-ranked team in Division 2.
It was the third straight year the two schools played for the Division 2 title, with the Pioneers winning last year and the Rangers picking up the 2016 title. Central had defeated East Grand Rapids, 14-7, earlier this season.
“They executed a little bit more (today),” Shira said. “Everything they did today, we’ve seen on film. We just didn’t execute as much as them. We had our chances, but they’re an excellent team, very well coached.”
The championship was the fifth for East Grand Rapids (19-4), which also won titles from 2007-09 and again last year.
Click for the full scoring summary.
VIDEO: East Grand Rapids’ Chris Owens scores the game-winner in overtime.
PHOTOS: (Top) East Grand Rapids celebrates its Division 2 championship game win. (Middle) EGR and Forest Hills Central players battle for possession.
EGR Denies Country Day Repeat Attempt, Delivers 1st Finals Title Under Past Standout
By
Drew Ellis
Special for MHSAA.com
June 6, 2025
ANN ARBOR – In 2007, Kyle Osipoff couldn’t have imagined a much better feeling than winning a Division 2 boys lacrosse championship as a senior for East Grand Rapids.
On Friday night, Osipoff may have topped that feeling when he coached the Pioneers to their first championship since 2021, with a 15-10 win over Detroit Country Day at the University of Michigan.
“I won here. I graduated in 2007, so to be part of this (as a coach), is an honor,” Osipoff said of the title, his first as a head coach, and seventh for the program. “To win one with these boys is probably one of the cooler experiences I’ve had in my life. I’m grateful. I’m happy.”
East Grand Rapids (20-3) never trailed in the contest, as it was able to get out to a 4-1 lead in the first quarter thanks to three goals from senior attacker Gavin Buck.
“We knew that we had to come out hot, and that is exactly what we did,” Buck said. “The team was in it from the very get-go, and we just wanted this thing.”
East Grand Rapids was able to control play most of the first half, thanks largely to its success with faceoffs. Junior Kaden Goossens won all 11 faceoffs in the opening half.
“The biggest difference for us was the faceoff X,” Osipoff said. “Getting scored on, or scoring goals, knowing you have the opportunity to get the ball back every time is huge. Kayden Goosens did a phenomenal job for us, and he is a major part of why we got that win tonight.”
The possession battle prevented Detroit Country Day (20-4) from finding an offensive groove in the opening half. The Yellowjackets were held to just two goals over the first 24 minutes and trailed 7-2 at the break.
“We just couldn’t get into a rhythm,” Country Day coach Chris Garland said. “They won faceoffs and took the air out of the ball, and we just couldn’t get it back. (EGR) scored some really good goals early, and we got in a hole that we just couldn’t get out of.”
Country Day got more offensive production in the second half, but each time the Yellowjackets seemed to build some steam, East Grand Rapids had an answer.
Senior Bennett Winkel came through with a pair of goals in response to DCD scores in the third quarter, and sparked a three-goal rally to give the Pioneers a 13-5 advantage entering the fourth.
Country Day would string together three straight goals midway through the final quarter, but the Pioneers kept winning faceoffs to prevent the Yellowjackets from making a serious run at the lead. Goosens finished the game winning 26 of the 29 faceoffs held.
“I worked hard all season and I wanted to give my team the best chance to win, and that was by getting them the ball,” Goosens said of his play. “I think I did a pretty good job of it tonight.”
Buck finished with a match-high four goals for EGR, while Winkel added three.
“We are going to miss them. They are two seniors in Gavin Buck and Bennett Winkel that, when we are in a tough spot and need a goal, we can count on those guys,” Osipoff said.
Dylan Buck also scored three goals for the Pioneers, while Oliver Owen scored twice, and Owen Stropkai tallied five assists.
Country Day was led by Keaton Yearego, Luke Fisher, and Rhys Kenney, who each scored twice. Joseph North had one goal and two assists.
The Yellowjackets reached the D2 Final for the fourth-consecutive season, a credit to Garland, who is stepping away from the program after six seasons at the helm. Garland is moving to Baltimore, Md., and leaves Country Day with a 100-26 record, including the 2024 Division 2 championship.
“I think things are in better shape, and I am really proud of what we have accomplished here,” Garland said of his time with the Yellowjackets. “I have to thank the parents, the coaches, and the kids for all they gave. I will really miss the kids and the school, but I know the next coach will do a great job.”
PHOTOS (Top) East Grand Rapids coach Kyle Osipoff presents the championship trophy to his team Friday night at U-M. (Middle) EGR and Country Day players collide while in pursuit of a loose ball.