Mason Comes Back, Comes Through in D2
November 7, 2015
By Butch Harmon
Special for Second Half
COMSTOCK PARK – The soccer season ended Saturday similarly to how it started for Mason.
The big difference was that the Bulldogs were hoisting the Division 2 championship trophy at the end.
Mason earned its fourth boys soccer championship with a 3-2 victory against Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern in the Division 2 Final at Comstock Park. The teams played to a 2-2 tie through regulation and overtime before Mason outshot Forest Hills Northern 4-3 in a shootout.
Mason almost didn’t make it to overtime as Forest Hills Northern scored a late goal with 2:32 remaining in regulation to take a 2-1 lead. With time running down, however, Mason turned up the pressure in a frenzied effort to tie the match. That effort paid off when, with 38 seconds left, Christian Jordan knocked a shot in during a scramble in front of the Forest Hills Northern net that tied the game.
“We just went full out,” Jordan said. “After they scored to take the lead I thought we were about to lose. We just attacked the net. We made a play called number six, and Caleb Graham took a shot on goal. It bounced right to me, and I just poked it in. When I scored that goal, I just ran to our student section and was pointing at them. It was incredible.”
Fellow senior captain Holden Dippel had a little more confidence in the comeback than his teammate did.
“I knew we could come back,” Dippel said. “We’ve been down and have come back before this year. It happened to us in our first game of the season against Williamston. We fell behind by a goal and came back. We started the season this way, and we ended it with a comeback.”
To complete the comeback, however, the Bulldogs needed to go through a pair of 10-minute overtime periods that were scoreless, sending the match into the penalty-kick shootout.
Dippel gave Mason the early lead when he scored in the first round after Forest Hills Northern missed its first penalty kick.
Both teams scored in the second round of the shootout with Travis Barrington scoring for FHN and John Kingman answering for Mason.
In the third round Forest Hills Northern missed again while Mason’s Tristan Pease scored to put Mason up 3-1 with two rounds left.
FHN then cut the margin to 3-2 on a goal from Hunter Barrington, and Mason was unable to answer. Northern’s Diego Compean kept the Huskies’ hopes alive with another score, but Mason’s Lirim Shefkiu then scored the deciding goal, setting off a wild Mason celebration for its first soccer title since winning Division 2 in 1997.
“It feels so good,” Dippel said. “We’ve been talking forever about getting a state title. This is just insane. To win it in our senior year like this is just crazy.”
Mason coach Nick Binder knew exactly what his players were feeling, as he was a member of that title team in 1997.
“As a coach I feel so great for these kids,” Binder said. “I’ve known a lot of these kids since they were 5 and 6 years old. This is exciting for the whole community. It’s always been a goal of this team to win a state title. Growing up playing soccer in Mason, it’s always a goal to win a state title.”
The title was hard-earned as Mason needed to battle from behind for almost the entire match.
Forest Hills Northern took the first lead at 15:13 of the first half when junior Evan VanNortwick scored.
Mason came back to tie the match at the 31:15 mark of the second half when Jordan scored on a header, making the score 1-1.
The two teams then battled it out as the second half wound down. Forest Hills Northern applied some heavy pressure late, and with 2:32 remaining in regulation Travis Barrington scored on a header giving the Huskies the 2-1 lead and pulling them within seconds of a first-ever soccer title.
“We just had 38 seconds to go but they got one on us,” Forest Hills Northern coach Daniel Siminski said. “It was a scramble in front of the net, and it’s hard to describe. (Mason) earned it. It is what it is. I have no regrets because the kids did all they could do. There were 118 teams that started the tournament in Division 2, and we ended up playing on the final day. We knew our season was going to end one way or another.”
Forest Hills Northern ended the season with a 22-2-3 overall record. Saturday’s appearance was its first in an MHSAA Boys Soccer Final.
Mason ended with a 24-3 overall record.
“Our guys just kept battling,” Binder said. “Even when we were down at halftime, they believed. They believed at the end of regulation and they believed in the shootout. Their confidence never wavered.”
PHOTOS: (Top) A Mason player looks for an opening with Cameron Leitz (12) blocking the way. (Middle) Forest Hills Northern’s Hayden Strobel heads the ball while surrounded by Mason defenders.
Scoring & Sharing, Visser Eyes Eagles' Rise
October 1, 2018
By Dean Holzwarth
Special for Second Half
GRAND RAPIDS – Grand Rapids Christian senior Tommy Visser had a difficult time deciding which aspect of soccer he enjoys the most – scoring goals or distributing.
The question wasn’t easy considering he does both equally well.
“Obviously scoring goals is a ton of fun, but at the same time setting other people up and seeing their reactions when they score or leading up to it is fun,” Visser said. “I think they are pretty equal. Assisting and scoring is a lot of fun.”
Midway through the season, Visser is already in double figures in both goals (11) and assists (15) while helping lead the Eagles to an 11-1 start and No. 2 state ranking in Division 2.
Grand Rapids Christian’s only loss is to top-ranked Forest Hills Northern.
Visser, a four-year varsity player and returning all-state first teamer, is one of the most highly regarded in the state and the catalyst of a veteran Eagles squad that boasts 14 seniors.
“He definitely meets all the hype,” Eagles coach Bruce Pobocik said. “He’s one of the most athletic soccer players I’ve had the privilege to coach, and he’s just a very committed competitor. He has just worked his tail off year after year to become one of the most skilled players, hands down, in the state.”
Visser, who recorded 17 goals and 15 assists as a junior, possesses qualities that set him apart from other players.
Vision, quickness, unselfishness and playmaking abilities are just a few of the attributes that have opposing coaches scrambling to find ways to contain him.
“I’ve had him since his sophomore year, and each year he has continued to get faster, stronger, more technical and more creative with his abilities,” Pobocik said. “He’s our captain, and really is the glue that connects the defense and offense. All play goes through his feet, and he’s a two-touch player who makes the guys around him better.”
Visser is constantly marked by other teams, but he takes it in stride while finding opportunities for his teammates.
“I just continue playing and not worry about it too much,” Visser said. “I have to change up my runs and move positioning, but I think it’s been good because it’s helped me grow as a soccer player. It gives more space and time for my teammates. They have more time to get the ball and attack.”
Pobocik points to Visser’s affinity for spreading the wealth as a reason why he is so hard to stop.
“He looks to connect with his teammates and put them in positions to be successful,” Pobocik said. “And I think that’s why he’s so dangerous. He’s not a player that is going to try and take everyone every time. When he’s double teamed, he’s going to make you pay by putting others in dangerous spots.”
Visser was a highly-recruited college prospect and attracted the attention of several Division I programs.
He received scholarship offers from Michigan State and Western Michigan University, and also considered Calvin College before committing to Butler University.
“For me, Butler was a great fit because it’s a combination of strong academics and a strong soccer program with a coaching staff that I liked,” Visser said.
Visser isn’t thinking about his college future just yet – he’s focused on helping the Eagles make a deeper run in the MHSAA tournament.
Last season, Grand Rapids Christian lost to eventual champion Holland in a Division 2 Regional Final.
“Last year really motivated us to not be satisfied,” Visser said. “We want to go big, and I think it really pushes us to continue working hard each practice and try to get better throughout the season.
“We all get along great and have played together for a while. We have a lot of different players that can impact the game, and all parts of our game are solid.”
While the offense is generated through Visser, the Eagles also have a stout defense behind a superb backline and two capable goalies in senior Daniel Wonder and junior Grayson Parks.
“We knew what we had coming back, and we had big hopes,” Pobocik said. “So far they’re exceeding expectations. Guys have really stepped up in their roles and are playing great team soccer. We’ve had some surprises with guys we didn’t expect to be contributors that are, and that’s been fun.”
The Eagles are two-time reigning Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold champions, but have their sights set on more.
“Losing last year (in the Regional Finals) has us hungry to extend beyond that,” Pobocik said. “They have clear eyes as far as our vision of going deep in the postseason.”
Dean Holzwarth covered primarily high school sports for the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years and more recently served as sports editor of the Ionia Sentinel and as a sports photojournalist for WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Tommy Visser keys the Grand Rapids Christian offense as a scorer and distributor. (Middle) Visser works to get past an opponent this fall. (Photos courtesy of the Grand Rapids Christian boys soccer program.)