Jet's Pizza Team of the Month: Lansing Eastern Boys Soccer
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 23, 2026
The Lansing Eastern boys soccer team made program history this season, earning its first league championship on the pitch.
The Quakers went on to finish the regular season ranked No. 3 in the Division 2 state coaches poll, and they advanced to Thursday's Division 2 District Final at DeWitt before seeing their fall come to an end with a 1-0 loss to the host Panthers.
To commemorate its September accomplishment, Eastern was named the inaugural "Team of the Month" sponsored by Jet's Pizza. The Quakers clinched the Capital Area Activities Conference Red title with a Sept. 22 win over St. Johns, and two weeks later went on to win the CAAC Gold Cup with a 2-1 shootout victory over Okemos, which finished the regular season ranked No. 3 in Division 1.
Eastern finished this fall 17-2-3, only two years removed from ending 2024 at 4-12-1.
(Photo courtesy of the Lansing Eastern boys soccer program.)
Be the Referee: Soccer Advantage
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Director of Brand Management
October 13, 2026
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment – Soccer Advantage - Listen
We’re on the soccer field today, where Team A has possession. A player from Team A is carelessly tackled by a Team B player in the middle of the field. The referee applies advantage because the fouled player quickly gets up and retains possession. However, a Team B defender intercepts the ball and kicks it out of bounds. What’s the call?
- Is it a throw-in for Team A since Team B kicked it out?
- Is it a free kick for Team A at the point of the foul?
- Or is it a free kick for Team A and a caution to Team B for kicking the ball away?
If you said a free kick for Team A at the point of the foul, you are correct. Advantage allows officials to keep play moving when the fouled team benefits from continuing. Here, that advantage never materialized, so the referee goes back to the original foul.
Previous 2026-27 editions
Oct. 6: Defensive Holding - Listen
Sept. 29: Minimum Number of Volleyball Players - Listen
Sept 22: Soccer Changes - Listen
Sept: 15: Dead Ball Penalty - Listen
Sept. 8: Libero Ejected - Listen
Sept. 1: Soccer Foul After Shot on Goal - Listen
Aug. 25: Fumble Out of Bounds - Listen