Troy Caps Undefeated Season with First Finals Championship Since 2003
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
November 7, 2026
GRAND LEDGE — For as many powerhouse teams as Troy has had in boys soccer over the years, it’s hard to believe that going into Saturday’s Division 1 Final, the Colts had won only one state championship.
Well, now make that two.
Troy claimed its first championship since 2003 and became the 20th undefeated champion in MHSAA boys soccer history as it rode two first-half goals to a 2-1 victory over Livonia Stevenson.
In the process, the Colts (19-0-2) completed an unbeaten season and impressive tournament run that saw them win all six of their playoff games in regulation and outscore opponents by a combined 22-7.
“First one in 23 years, and it was a big goal of ours at the beginning of the year,” Troy head coach Adam Spinks said. “To do it in unbelievable style, going undefeated, it was crazy.”
Troy opened the scoring just 5:46 into the game on a goal by senior Faris Ibrahim off a set piece. Senior Ryan Wind fired a free kick from about 40 yards out into the box, where Ibrahim got off a shot that went inside the far post.
“From the set pieces, we’ve been doing it all year,” Wind said. “Just trying to get the ball in the middle of the box. We’ve got two giants in there, so I was trying to get in there, help them muck it up and try to get the finish. I knew we had to start quick. We’ve been doing that all year. I knew if we got the first goal, we could control the rest of the game.”
With 16:36 remaining in the half, Troy took a 2-0 lead on a goal by sophomore and leading scorer Connor Hotts, who put home a loose ball in the box created on a flicked header by senior Cole Cusmano following a corner kick by senior Kevin Garay.
Stevenson got on the board with 13:05 remaining in the first half, making it 2-1 on a penalty kick goal by senior Niko Zhuli after a Stevenson player was taken down in the Troy box.
Troy definitely didn’t sit on its lead during the second half, continuing to provide pressure and possession on the Stevenson side of the field.
The Colts couldn’t get the third goal, but it ultimately didn’t matter because Stevenson couldn’t generate a serious threat for an equalizer.
Making its first championship game appearance since 2008, Stevenson fell short of winning a seventh title and first since 1996, but could rightfully bask in bringing pride back to a historically powerful program this fall.
“Two early (goals) and I think we were just kind of late waking up and reacting, which obviously at the end of the day is something that we can’t do,” Stevenson head coach Louis Sala said. “In terms of the fight after, I’m proud of the guys. I wish we could have gotten our line a little bit higher up the field as well as a little more hole to play. But it’s hard to come back from two.
“Give all credit to them. We got a goal back, but credit to Troy. They’re a really talented team. They’re hard to play against, and all the spoils to them. I’m super proud of my guys to be back here for the first time since 2008. I’m not sure any of them had been born yet.”
PHOTOS (Top) Troy celebrates its Division 1 championship Saturday night at Grand Ledge. (Middle) Troy’s Cole Cusmano (10) winds up for a shot attempt with Stevenson’s Kouta Cawood defending. (Photos by Adam Sheehan/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
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.)