Stapleton Rewriting Frankenmuth Record Book as Eagles Pursue Historic Heights
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
September 16, 2026
Carter Stapleton set his sights on the Frankenmuth boys soccer scoring records as soon as he walked into the high school.
After accomplishing that feat just three games into his senior season, Stapleton is now setting the bar incredibly high for the next ambitious Frankenmuth freshman.
“It just showed all of the hard work that I put in throughout my career, and how much my team has supported me,” Stapleton said. “Last year (100 goals) became a big goal. Later in the season, I was pretty confident I was going to break the school record, so 100 was definitely the next big milestone that I had in mind.”
Stapleton has 90 goals and 134 points in his Frankenmuth career, both school records. He surpassed both marks Aug. 24 during a 5-0 win against Saginaw Valley Lutheran, supplanting Kendall Morris (2023) and Matt Hinds (2013), respectively.
Stapleton also is tied for the school single-game records for goals (six), points (eight) and assists (four).
“(Playing with Stapleton) is beneficial for everybody,” Frankenmuth coach Marcus Baker said. “He’s a great leader, a strong player. We have a small community, so I get chances to drive by the field in my off time, and he’s usually the one that’s out there doing drills, bringing teammates with him or working by himself. He’s definitely committed.”
Baker had his eye on Stapleton well before he was playing for the Eagles, having seen him play club soccer for Detroit City FC Genesee.
So, as a freshman, when he and his teammates had to help fill a roster that had lost 11 seniors from the year before, Stapleton was immediately tasked with a major role.
“With his technique and his skill level, we were able to play through him,” Baker said. “He was a guy that could make all the plays and read the game better than most people. He was a vital, key player. Like if we were playing chess, he’d be the queen.”
Stapleton, who had played forward for his club, played that season as a center midfielder and managed 18 goals and five assists as a young Frankenmuth team advanced to the District Final.
The following year, in the same role, he had 22 goals and 12 assists as Frankenmuth won its District before losing in the Regional Semifinal to eventual Division 3 champion Notre Dame Prep.
As a junior, Stapleton moved back to his more familiar center forward position and had 30 goals and 22 assists, leading Frankenmuth to a Regional Final, where it lost in overtime against Lansing Catholic.
This fall, he’s up top again and has 20 goals and five assists 12 games into the season.
“We just let him loose,” Baker said. “He’s definitely a threat, and his finishing skills are above the majority of our players. He sees passes that can be made to score goals while playing up top, and he also finishes the opportunities that he does get up top. It’s huge, it’s almost like having two queens on the chess board. He’s been playing with some of these boys since AYSO, and the chemistry is there.”
Foremost among those teammates when it comes to chemistry is Stapleton’s DCFC teammate, Landon Jacobs, who plays center mid for the Eagles.
That allows Stapleton to adjust his playing style from club to high school seamlessly, even though the games can be played in slightly different styles.
“For club, I tend to drop back as kind of a false nine, and get a lot of other players involved in the play,” Stapleton said. “With high school, it’s a lot more direct. So I either have the ball at my feet and drive to goal, or I make runs in behind, because I know Landon can find me.”
Stapleton and Jacobs are two of 10 seniors leading the way this year for Frankenmuth, which is 8-4 and ranked No. 11 in Division 3.
The four losses came over a five-game stretch, with three at the Eagles’ own Bavarian Cup against Davison, Ann Arbor Greenhills and Rockford, and the other against Haslett. Stapleton was out injured during the tournament, and while he would have liked to prove himself and help his team compete against some of those larger schools, he sees the positives in his absence.
“That could have been a good thing for the younger guys,” Stapleton said. “To help them get ready for next year, and the rest of this year.”
That outlook is further proof to Baker that his team is in good hands with Stapleton wearing the captain’s armband.
“He’s a very humble person, so for him to say that about his teammates, that’s a reason he’s one of the captains,” Baker said. “He sees it the way that I see it. He understands that it’s not just on him.”
The experience of the seniors, plus that gained by the underclassmen already this season, has Stapleton excited about how the rest of his final year at Frankenmuth could unfold. The team has advanced one round further during the postseason at the end of each of his first three years in the program. Another win this year would mean a berth in the Division 3 Semifinals, something Frankenmuth has achieved only once, in 2003.
With his name already all over the individual record books for the school, Stapleton would love to share that record-setting performance with his teammates.
“I definitely want to get there,” he said. “We can get a lot done this season. It’s kind of a toss-up with all the teams in Division 3. Honestly, I thought last year was going to be our year, we had a lot of really strong seniors. But a lot of younger guys have stepped up a lot this year.”
Paul Costanzo served as a sportswriter at The Port Huron Times Herald from 2006-15, including three years as lead sportswriter, and prior to that as sports editor at the Hillsdale Daily News from 2005-06. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Frankenmuth's Carter Stapleton advances the ball during his team's game against Bay City John Glenn on Wednesday. (Middle) Stapleton, right, and teammate Jack Muller give each other a quick five during an August win over Saginaw Valley Lutheran. (Photos by BMB Studios.)
Notre Dame Prep Sets Pace Early, Holds On Late to Finish 1st Title Run
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
November 2, 2024
GRAND LEDGE – For 10 years, Rob Suffredini has been chasing the ultimate goal of a boys soccer Finals title with Pontiac Notre Dame Prep.
After the Fighting Irish achieved that Saturday with a wild 3-2 victory against Elk Rapids in the Division 3 championship match, he was thrilled, but also left wondering what to do next.
“I’m still kind of trying to process all this,” Suffredini said. “We chased it, we caught it, now what? There’s no practice tomorrow, there’s no team to get ready for. It’s a sense of relief, especially how this game ended.”
The Irish jumped out to a 3-0 halftime lead and held on down the stretch to claim the first title in program history. They had made one trip to the Finals previously, finishing as Division 3 runners-up in 2000.
“It’s awesome to make history for my school,” said NDP senior forward Will Lanham, who had one goal and one assist. “It just means a lot, especially with all of my peers, the whole school, the athletic director and everybody (here). It’s great to finally win it for the school.”
Notre Dame Prep finished the season 23-2 despite playing one of the toughest schedules in the state. It’s a final record that even surprised Suffredini, but the competitive slate achieved exactly what he’d hoped.
“I really think that schedule, those level opponents and the pace of play that we played, (the Elks) weren’t really ready for it until they got acclimated,” Suffredini said. “Then they started getting into the game, but at that point we were up by three goals, thankfully.”
NDP made its presence felt early in the game, testing Elk Rapids keeper Jacob McManus from distance on a pair of shots during the opening 10 minutes.
The second shot, a rocket from junior midfielder Jack Kilpatrick, was brushed well wide by McManus, but Daniel Lebanion was able to get it under control on the left wing and send a cross toward the front of the goal where Ben Liparoto was able to deflect it into the goal and give his team a 1-0 lead with 31:33 to play in the first half.
Lanham doubled the lead 10 minutes later, taking a pass from Lebanion, splitting a pair of defenders outside the box before finding his footing and going to the far post for his 29th goal of the season.
Late in the first half, Lanham would get his 15th assist of the year, sending a cross into the box that Liparoto rose to meet with a well-placed header with 5:52 remaining
“We went out there, we gave everything we had,” Lanham said. “We have a rule: First 10 minutes, give it everything you’ve got in the game – intensity high – and we got three goals in the first half. We just came out flying.”
The gap in level of play early was also evident to Elk Rapids coach Nate Plum.
“We got to see for the first time the true talent on that other team,” Plum said. “It’s one thing to see it on video, it’s another thing to see – they don’t click off, so you have to give it to the other team.”
The Elks did find their footing late, though, and managed to make the Irish sweat over the final 10 minutes.
“We talked a lot about heart and grit in the locker room, that’s kind of what’s gotten us to this point,” Plum said. “I think you saw the heart come through, at the end. I wish we could take back a couple of those things, and I think our boys would say the same. A lot of emotion goes into this game. I’m proud of the way we finished; we never gave up.”
Elk Rapids got on the board with 10:06 to play, as Tyler Standfest scored on a flick header over Tomassino Offer who had come off his line to handle the free kick. The service came from Noah Bogard, who lofted his kick toward the penalty spot from about 45 yards out.
That was followed by steady Elk Rapids pressure, as it looked to draw level. The Elks nearly pulled to within a goal with six minutes remaining, when a header from Carter Denoyer went just wide.
Tempers flared not long after, with an Elk Rapids player shown a red card for a post-whistle foul on an NDP player who had just received a yellow. A second Elks player then was shown a second yellow, ending the match for him with 4:47 to play.
Even with nine players, the Elks were able to pull within one score with 32 seconds remaining on a goal from Jayden Hresko, which was assisted by Standfest.
“High school sports, man, and sports in general,” Suffredini said. “I give them a lot of credit. It just took a spark. It was unnerving. Those four minutes couldn’t go any slower, in my opinion.”
PHOTOS (Top) Notre Dame Prep’s Benjamin Liparoto (2) heads a shot past the last lines of Elk Rapids’ defense for the first goal of the Division 3 Final on Saturday. (Middle) NDP’s Will Lanham (10) works to gain possession against Elk Rapids’ Jonah DenHerder and Jake Garrow (14). (Below) The Elks’ Tyler Standfest heads a shot that gets past Fighting Irish keeper Tomassino Offer. (Photos by Adam Sheehan/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)