#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.
De La Salle Continues Reign, Delivering Previously-Unbeaten Unity's Lone Defeat
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
November 1, 2025
GRAND LEDGE — Call this the continued resurgence of a program that’s long been a state boys soccer power.
Before last season, tradition-rich Warren De La Salle Collegiate hadn’t won a Finals championship in nearly two decades after claiming five from 1990-2005.
De La Salle seems to have returned to its glory days again, capping back-to-back championships Saturday for the first time since 1992 and 1993 with a 2-0 triumph over Hudsonville Unity Christian in the Division 2 Final.
It was the seventh state title in school history, all under legendary head coach Thaier Mukhtar.
“Credit goes to the boys,” Mukhtar said. “It goes to them for just listening to what they were supposed to do, and they got it done.”
In winning title No. 7, De La Salle (21-4-2) did something no other team was able to do before the championship game – defeat a Unity Christian contender also looking for its seventh Finals title.
De La Salle scored first with 29:03 remaining in the first half on a goal by senior James Spicuzzi.
Following a throw-in into the box by senior Max Wyszczelski, the ball deflected off the head of a Unity Christian defender to the foot of Spicuzzi, who buried the chance to make it 1-0 De La Salle.
“I was kind of anticipating it coming to me,” Spicuzzi said. “It definitely was just composure. That was really it.”
De La Salle then took a 2-0 lead with 3:41 to go in the first half when senior Nikolai Zacharko converted a penalty kick after Wyszczelski was fouled in the box.
Unity Christian had a golden chance to get back in the game with 21:36 remaining in regulation as De La Salle was called for a foul in its box, giving Unity Christian a penalty kick.
But Pilots junior goalie Dominic Baldarotta saved the kick and the ensuing rebound to keep the score 2-0.
“I knew right when he placed the ball down where he was going,” Baldarotta said. “He placed on the other side so I just went the other way. It was a lot of momentum. It really changed the entire course of that second half.”
From there, De La Salle held firm defensively, preventing Unity Christian from getting quality scoring chances as the clock ticked down.
“Once a team gets a lead, the other team knows they have to get it done and they throw everything at you,” Mukhtar said. “We weathered the storm and settled the ship down a little bit. The game worked out the way we wanted it to work out.”
Unity Christian, which won the Division 3 title two years ago, finished its season at 19-1-4.
“We knew it was going to be a dogfight,” Unity Christian head coach Ian Billin said. “They play very similar to us. Just a lot of high pressure and try to make things chaotic. Kudos to them. They get one early, and that changes the dynamic of the game.
“For us, I was really proud of our guys in the second half. To go down 2-0, we really settled in and we created in the second half quality corner kicks, free kicks and we got the PK as well. We just couldn’t get the back of the net today. But I’m really proud of this group and what they’ve done all season.”
PHOTOS (Top) De La Salle’s James Spicuzzi (5) and his teammates celebrate during Saturday’s Division 2 Final. (Middle) The Pilots’ Andrew Corder (14) controls the ball with Unity Christian’s Landon Crump (19) and Kyler Berghuis (3) working to gain possession. (Below) Berghuis gets up high to stop a shot headed toward his team’s goal. (Photos by Adam Sheehan/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)