#TBT: Ferrin Shuts Them Down, and Out
September 21, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
As Lincoln Alcona’s Connor McCoy looks to break MHSAA and national records for career saves in the next week, it’s a good time to “throw back” to the oldest goalkeeping record in the MHSAA record book – 50 career shutouts first attained by Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett’s Dan Ferrin from 1996-99.
As the Detroit Free Press reported in a feature during Ferrin’s freshman season (“Ferrin’s a keeper at Liggett”), it was easy to notice the stellar keeper that season and forecast a special career over the next three. Indeed, Ferrin posted a record book-worthy 13 shutouts that fall in helping Liggett to the last MHSAA Class C championship before the tournament was moved from classes to divisions – he had three saves in the Final, a 2-1 win over Elk Rapids.
Ferrin also made the MHSAA record book with 14 shutouts as a senior in 1999. Liggett went on to win the Division 4 championship that fall with a 4-2 win over Muskegon Western Michigan Christian that included eight Ferrin saves.
He capped his career with 50 shutouts, at the time 20 more than the next entry on that list. The record has since been tied by East Lansing’s Scott Zolkowski (2005-07) and Bridgman’s Jeff Jakeway (2006-09).
Ferrin went on to play at Stony Brook University in New York, finishing his career in 2003. He owns the season shutout (9) and wins (12) records for the Seawolves, attaining both as a freshman in 2000, and ranks in a number of the program’s career categories as well.
PHOTO: Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett keeper Dan Ferrin (middle, in net) stands ready as a teammate works to clear the ball during the 1996 Class C Final.
Portage Central Counts on Keeper One Last Time to Lock Up 1st Finals Title
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
November 1, 2025
GRAND LEDGE — No one should be blamed for being a little confused when first glancing at Portage Central senior Gunnar Thorhallsson.
At 6-foot-8 with a wingspan over seven feet, many probably look at Thorhallsson and ask how long he’s been playing basketball, only to find out something surprising.
“I do not play basketball,” he said. “I was a former basketball player and wasn’t very good at it, so I decided to stick to soccer.”
It became clear to all who saw the Division 1 Boys Soccer Final between Portage Central and Ann Arbor Huron on Saturday why Thorhallsson is indeed a soccer player.
Arguably the state’s best goalkeeper all season, Thorhallsson showed why once again, pitching his 18th shutout of the fall to lift Central to a 1-0 shootout win (4-2 in the penalty kick portion) over Huron in a battle of two teams making their first appearances in a Finals championship game.
Thorhallsson made 11 saves in regulation and overtime, one in the shootout and then saw another Huron shooter miss the net on his attempt, most likely affected by Thorhallsson’s wingspan.
“I’ve been saying all season long he’s the best goalkeeper in the state,” Central head coach Tim Halloran said. “We left him out to dry a few times. He had to save us, and he did countless times. In the penalties, part of the fact is we have to be so precise to beat him in practice because he’s so great.”
Following a scoreless regulation and overtime, Huron’s Philip Leucht and Central’s Carter Seim both converted kicks in the first round of the shootout.
Thorhallsson then made a save to start the second round, and Max Bailey gave Central a 2-1 lead with a successful conversion.
Chris Zou and Marshall Neumann then traded successful conversions to make it 3-2 Central after the third round.
Central then finished it off on a miss by Huron and a successful conversion by Jayce Handley to start the celebration for Mustangs, who completed an unbeaten season at 24-0-2.
“When we got here, we were dumb little freshmen,” Thorhallsson said of the senior class. “We didn’t know what this program was all about. But the coaches developed us into great players. We formed a special bond over the past four years, and to be able to end on a high note like this is awesome.”
Thorhallsson said he and his teammates in front of him on defense have the nickname “strap city.”
“We strap them,” he said. “We don’t let the offense get anything on us. We’re always there. They can’t escape us. We just hold it down in the back, and that’s why they weren’t able to score tonight.”
Huron ended up outshooting Central, 20-9, but couldn’t find the back of the net against Thorhallsson.
“The physical attributes, they go on the page and you can kind of see them,” Huron head coach Luis Gomez-Dominguez said of Thorhallsson. “But the reflexes, that’s something you don’t put on the stat sheet. The goalkeeper did an unbelievable job keeping his team in the game.”
But even in defeat, advancing farther than it ever has was a source of pride for Huron.
“Being here is unbelievable,” Gomez-Dominguez said. “I think these boys raised the bar for the people coming up after them.”
PHOTOS (Top) Portage Central keeper Gunnar Thorhallsson makes a save during his team’s Division 1 championship victory Saturday night. (Middle) AJ Giebel (4) controls possession for the Mustangs with Huron’s Nasser Diarra in pursuit. (Below) Central’s Eli Greenwald (19) and Huron’s Malic Kasham compete for a loose ball. (Photos by Adam Sheehan/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)