From Athens to Alpena, Storch Makes Impact
September 7, 2018
By Chris Dobrowolski
Special for Second Half
ALPENA — Riding off into the sunset was never part of Tim Storch’s retirement plan.
That’s why, seven years into retirement from teaching, Storch continues to do the same thing at Alpena that he did for 30 illustrious years at Troy Athens — coach high school soccer.
“I think anyone who coaches knows that coaching is an addiction,” said Storch. “You love it, and it’s hard to walk away from.”
Storch’s love for coaching has fueled one of the greatest careers in the history of Michigan boys and girls high school soccer. Storch entered this year with more than 1,000 wins, including a state-best 514 in girls soccer since 1982. He has the third-most wins all-time among boys soccer coaches. At the forefront of all those victories are nine MHSAA Finals championships, with five boys titles (1981, 1983, 1984, 1989 and 1997) and four girls crowns (1989, 1991, 1993 and 2000) to his credit.
Each of those titles came at Athens, where Storch was hired fresh out of college in 1981 and guided the Red Hawks from the inception of both programs.
“I was fortunate to win a lot at Athens,” said Storch. “The players I had really helped me do that. I still hold a soft spot in my heart for Troy Athens.”
Storch also has an affinity for the Alpena area, a place where his parents regularly vacationed while raising their family and Storch knew was his destination once he ended his teaching career in 2011. Still with the urge to coach soccer, Storch was hoping for an opportunity in some capacity when he moved to his house on Grand Lake, minutes north of Alpena. The timing proved to be perfect as the Wildcats were looking for boys and girls varsity head coaches. Storch stepped right in without missing a beat. He later added the role of athletic director four years ago.
In many ways though, coaching in Alpena has been a big contrast from Troy — perhaps the biggest being location. There are no other Division 1 schools within an hour of Alpena in the northeast part of the Lower Peninsula. In Troy there was always top competition throughout the metro Detroit area.
There also is a big difference in the number of athletes who enter high school with a lifetime of soccer experience.
“Unfortunately in Alpena, we’re an island over here in a big area,” said Storch. “So, it’s tough to find competition. When you’re downstate you’ve got Troy and Rochester and Birmingham and Bloomfield and Royal Oak and Shelby Township all within five to 10 miles of each other. Here we’ve got to go quite a ways to find an opponent that is somewhat near our size.”
Storch still has managed to make an impact in Alpena. His players find the credentials he’s brought to their community motivating, and they’re thankful for how he’s been able to cultivate their skills.
“It’s super fun playing for him because he makes practices fun, but he always makes practices hard and challenging so we can get better,” said senior Mollie Girard, who has played on the girls varsity for the past three years. “He expects a lot of us. He’s a good leader as a coach. He also looks at some of us to be leaders for our other teammates. He knows a lot about the game.”
Aidan Day, a senior on this year’s boys squad, said he has the utmost respect for his head coach for helping Day reach a high level of play on the pitch. Day set Alpena’s record with six goals in a game last season.
“He’s meant everything to my soccer career,” said Day. “I wouldn’t be the player I am today if it wasn’t for him.”
Day was an underclassman on possibly Storch’s best team since he arrived in Alpena. That 2016 squad won 15 games and competed well against the top teams in the Big North Conference. Traverse City West, the team that ended up ousting the Wildcats in the District, reached the Regional Finals.
Storch sees potential in this year’s boys squad too, which reeled off five straight wins after two early losses to kick off the year.
“We’ve been very diversified in our attack,” said Storch. “We probably have four or five guys who I think can step up and score goals. I think we have multiple weapons, which makes us tough to defend and not so one-dimensional.”
Day, along with Grant Botha, Deven Saranen and Noah Carstens are the offensive threats that make the Wildcats go.
“I think it has the potential to be (one of my best teams in Alpena),” said Storch. “But as I said to the paper here locally, ultimately we’ll be judged by what we do with the league and the postseason play.”
Day talks excitedly about achieving postseason success. It’s not come easily for the Wildcats. Alpena’s boys team has not won a District title since 1997.
“That’s my dream,” said Day. “I’ve always wanted to (win a District title). Hopefully this is the year. I’ve got one more year left. It’s doable for sure this year. That would be phenomenal.”
Storch said creating a winning team remains important to him, but he has found over the years that the relationships he’s established have become the most satisfying aspect of coaching.
“This summer I had the goalie from my first team. He’s in his 50s, and he’s a minister in Atlanta, Georgia,” said Storch. “He and his wife and son came up and stayed with me. When you’ve got connections that go back 37 years and the kids who played for you then are not kids anymore (it’s special). Unfortunately, I just had to speak at one of my former players’ funerals. I’ve had seven former players pass. and that’s difficult. It’s nice to know you had an important influence on their lives where they still want you to be part of it, even the families when one of their loved ones pass. They keep you included.”
Storch said there is no timetable for how long he would like to coach. He enjoys impacting the student-athletes in Alpena, and he still loves teaching the game – that’s for sure.
“Eventually maybe the battery loses some of its charge, but I think every coach knows when it’s time to get out,” he said. “Certainly, I have the passion to keep doing it. When it is time, I think I’ll know that.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Tim Storch coaches one of his Alpena soccer teams. (Middle) Far right, Storch celebrates Troy Athens’ 2000 girls Division 1 championship. (Top photo courtesy of the Alpena News.)
Preview: Historic Opportunities Abound as Contenders Conclude at DeMartin Stadium
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
June 12, 2025
The MHSAA Girls Soccer Finals have seen 18 champions also finish their seasons undefeated, the most recent in 2021.
Both Saline and Hudsonville Unity Christian have the opportunity this weekend to become the next.
And that’s not all on the all-time historical side of these two days of championships at DeMartin Stadium.
Byron Center, New Boston Huron and both Division 3 contenders – Grand Rapids Catholic Central and Warren Regina – are set to play in their first championship matches, meaning the Division 3 champion is guaranteed to be a first-time Finals winner.
Following is this weekend’s schedule at Michigan State University:
Division 1 - Saturday - 4 p.m. - Stream
Byron Center vs. Saline
Division 2 - Friday - 4 p.m. - Stream
Hudsonville Unity Christian vs. New Boston Huron
Division 3 - Friday - 1 p.m. - Stream
Grand Rapids Catholic Central vs. Warren Regina
Division 4 - Saturday - 1 p.m. - Stream
Kalamazoo Christian vs. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett
Tickets cost $11 and may be purchased online only at GoFan. One ticket is good for all soccer, softball and baseball games at MSU’s Old College Field that day. All four Finals will be broadcast and available with subscription from MHSAA.tv.
Below is a glance at all eight contenders, with statistics through Regionals:
Division 1
BYRON CENTER
Record/rank: 19-1-3, No. 12
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Green
Coach: John Conlon, fifth season (85-13)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Ella Alexander, soph. F (9 goals, 14 assists); Morgan Malek, sr. M (11 goals, 9 assists), Jordan Kerns, sr. D (7 goals, 2 assists), Nora Schans, fr. GK (0.30 goals-against average, 12 shutouts).
Outlook: Byron Center claimed its third Regional title under Conlon, who previously coached East Kentwood and is one of the winningest coaches in state history for both girls and boys soccer. Only No. 6 Midland, in the Regional Final, has scored against Byron Center during this MHSAA Tournament; the Bulldogs have shut out Northville, No. 3 Rockford, Grand Haven and Hudsonville. The team’s scoring has been impressively balanced with eight players netting between 7-12 goals heading into this week; freshman Bristol Collard (12) is the leading goal-scorer, and sophomore Nora Leavitt (10) is also high on the list. Kerns earned an all-state honorable mention last season.
SALINE
Record/rank: 21-0-2, No. 1
League finish: First in Southeastern Conference Red
Coach: Leigh Rumbold, seventh season (78-21-17)
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2015.
Players to watch: Sienna Snyder, sr. D (30 goals, 9 assists); Sadie Walsh, jr. M (20 goals, 12 assists); MaKena Means, jr. D (16 goals, 5 assists); Kaylee Mitzel, soph. GK (0.23 goals-against average, 18 shutouts).
Outlook: Saline’s run to its second Final has seen plenty of offensive power, with a combined 19 goals, but the defense has been just as impressive with shutouts in all five games including against No. 13 Ann Arbor Skyline and No. 8 Troy Athens. Total, Mitzel and the Hornets have given up only five goals this season. Sophomore Laynie Tousa (12 goals/9 assists) is another top scorer, and four more teammates had found the net at least five times heading into this week. Snyder and Walsh both earned all-state honorable mentions last season. Rumbold formerly played professionally in this country and also in England and New Zealand.
Division 2
HUDSONVILLE UNITY CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 21-0-2, No. 1
League finish: First in O-K Conference Black
Coach: Randy Heethuis, 36th season (663-105-44)
Championship history: 12 MHSAA titles (most recent 2024), four runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Ava Lutke, sr. F (28 goals, 27 assists); Kyla Kobryzcki, soph. F (15 goals, 10 assists); Ava Steen, jr. D (6 goals, 4 assists); Tessa Ponstein, jr. F (14 goals, 10 assists).
Outlook: Unity Christian is playing for a third-straight championship, and this time in Division 2 after winning Division 3 the last two years. The Crusaders have not lost in 30 games, going back more than a calendar year, and they have 19 shutouts this season including seven straight. Junior Payton Barendsen (0.10 goals-against average) and senior Kennidee Crump (0.31) have split time almost evenly in net. Lutke and Steen made the all-state first team in their former division last season, and Kobryzcki made the third.
NEW BOSTON HURON
Record/rank: 21-1-1, No. 4
League finish: First in Huron League
Coach: Matt Lividini, third season (39-9-7)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Brooklyn Burke, jr. GK (0.50 goals-against average, 15 shutouts); Rylie Cassett, sr. F (23 goals, 25 assists); Miley Skamiera, soph. F (28 goals, 15 assists); Avery Turk, jr. F (20 goals, 9 assists).
Outlook: Huron has gone from 5-7-3 during Lividini’s first season leading the program to a combined 34-2-4 over the last two. Huron has allowed only one goals over its last seven matches, a run that’s included a 1-0 win over No. 9 DeWitt in the Semifinal. Senior Gabby Emelian is another key contributor in the midfield, with seven goals and 16 assists. Lividini played on Riverview Gabriel Richard’s 1991 Class C-D runner-up team before going on to play professionally and also compete in the Olympics in bobsled for San Marino.
Division 3
GRAND RAPIDS CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record/rank: 12-8-2, No. 7
League finish: Sixth in O-K White
Coach: Genevieve Sandner, 19th season (209-132-34)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Natalie Beachler, sr. GK (1.53 goals-against average, .753 save %); Maris Klein, sr. M (11 goals, 7 assists); Maurine Schneider, sr. M (11 goals, 9 assists); Emma Mead, sr. F (10 goals, 3 assists).
Outlook: Grand Rapids Catholic Central is riding a three-game shutout streak that included a 3-0 Regional Final win over No. 10 Traverse City St. Francis. The Cougars played in the same league as three top-14 teams from Division 2 and emerged from a 1-7-1 run midway through the season and defeated Division 2 No. 7 Forest Hills Central heading into the playoffs. Mead earned all-state honorable mention last season, and Sandner returned this spring after two away from the program she began leading in 2005.
WARREN REGINA
Record/rank: 7-5-6, No. 11
League finish: Fourth in Catholic High School League Central
Coach: Stefano Moraccini, ninth season (record N/A).
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Jenna Moeller, sr. D/M/F; Ava Janusch, jr. M/F; Anna Booms, fr. D/M; Kate Booms, jr. D/M. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: Regina advanced to its first Semifinal since 2019 and now will play in its first championship game. The Saddlelites haven’t given up more than one goal in any of five playoff matches, and they’ve defeated No. 2 Detroit Country Day, No. 8 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and No. 14 Ann Arbor Greenhills along the way. Moeller earned an all-state honorable mention last season.
Division 4
GROSSE POINTE WOODS UNIVERSITY LIGGETT
Record/rank: 14-3-4, No. 5
League finish: Tied for fourth in CHSL AA
Coach: David Dwaihy, 17th season (188-103-14)
Championship history: Division 4 champion 2016 and 2005.
Players to watch: Aline Rahaim, soph. GK (1.00 goals-against average, 8 shutouts); Aubrey Hermann, soph. M (7 goals, 7 assists); Jasmine Diaz-Don, jr. M (4 goals, 8 assists); Kerith Short, sr. M (13 goals, 11 assists).
Outlook: Liggett won its second Regional title in three seasons this spring and jumped from finishing 8-8 overall a year ago, navigating an impressive playoffs that’s included wins over No. 2 Royal Oak Shrine Catholic, No. 9 Plymouth Christian Academy, No. 10 Clarkston Everest Collegiate and No. 12 Madison Heights Bishop Foley. Three of the team’s eight shutouts have come during the postseason. Six seniors anchor the lineup, with Short a returning all-state third-team selection from a year ago.
KALAMAZOO CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 17-4-2, No. 4
League finish: First in Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley
Coach: Jay Allen, 11th season (184-43-15)
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2023), five runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Maysen Steensma, sr. D; Izzy Suloff, jr. M; Jordyn Bonnema, sr. M; Emily Gorton, jr. F. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: Kalamazoo Christian will play in its fourth-straight Division 4 championship game, having finished runner-up both in 2022 and last year in a shootout defeat to Jackson Lumen Christi to go with its 2023 title clincher. The Comets have defeated top-ranked Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, No. 7 Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central and No. 14 Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep during this run, and also avenged last year’s Lumen Christi loss in an April rematch. Steensma and Bonnema made the all-state first team last season.
PHOTO Kalamazoo Christian’s Emily Gorton controls possession during last season’s Division 4 championship match.