Moment: VanDyke Wins Race to End Title Chase
May 7, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Maddy VanDyke already was known to be one of the state’s top soccer players – after graduating from Hudsonville Unity Christian, she went on to start most of four seasons for Michigan State.
But she also showed at the end of her last MHSAA Final to be quite a sprinter.
VanDyke picked up an incredibly-placed pass from Bethany Balcer and raced half the field and past two Detroit Country Day defenders to send home the overtime game-winner in the Division 3 Final on June 12, 2015, to give Unity a 2-1 win.
Country Day had scored the game’s first goal 18 minutes in and led until Unity evened things up with 17 minutes to play in regulation.
With just more than four minutes left in overtime, VanDyke picked up Balcer’s long pass just past midfield. She pushed her winning shot past a deflection by Country Day keeper Isabel Nino, who made the record book with 13 saves that game after also making 13 when the teams met in the 2014 Final, also a Unity win. Nino went on to play at University of Michigan.
Click for coverage from Second Half and see below for the game winner from the NFHS Network.
Be the Referee: Soccer Advantage
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Director of Brand Management
October 13, 2026
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment – Soccer Advantage - Listen
We’re on the soccer field today, where Team A has possession. A player from Team A is carelessly tackled by a Team B player in the middle of the field. The referee applies advantage because the fouled player quickly gets up and retains possession. However, a Team B defender intercepts the ball and kicks it out of bounds. What’s the call?
- Is it a throw-in for Team A since Team B kicked it out?
- Is it a free kick for Team A at the point of the foul?
- Or is it a free kick for Team A and a caution to Team B for kicking the ball away?
If you said a free kick for Team A at the point of the foul, you are correct. Advantage allows officials to keep play moving when the fouled team benefits from continuing. Here, that advantage never materialized, so the referee goes back to the original foul.
Previous 2026-27 editions
Oct. 6: Defensive Holding - Listen
Sept. 29: Minimum Number of Volleyball Players - Listen
Sept 22: Soccer Changes - Listen
Sept: 15: Dead Ball Penalty - Listen
Sept. 8: Libero Ejected - Listen
Sept. 1: Soccer Foul After Shot on Goal - Listen
Aug. 25: Fumble Out of Bounds - Listen