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 Foul After Shot on Goal
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Director of Brand Management
September 2, 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 Foul After Shot on Goal - Listen
We’re on the soccer field today, and the home team has the ball and is on the attack.
The ball makes it around to a forward from the home team, who is on-side and within the penalty area. His shot just misses – going wide for a goal kick.
However, just after the ball crossed the goalline, a player from the away team tackles the home team forward with excessive force.
What’s the call?
Because excessive force was used, it’s a red card for the away team player, which is an automatic ejection. But because it happened after the ball crossed the goalline and not at the time of the shot, it’s still a goal kick for the away team, not a penalty kick for the home team.
Previous 2026-27 editions
Aug. 25: Fumble Out of Bounds - Listen