Lots of Fight in Pontiac Notre Dame Irish

SAUGATUCK – In MHSAA boys soccer history, fewer than 50 players have scored 100 or more career goals.

Dante Holley recently added his name to that prestigious list and into the record books. 

The Saugatuck senior standout reached the milestone on Aug. 28 against Wyoming Lee during a 4-0 victory. 

“My freshman year I scored only 12 goals, so I didn’t think it was something that was possible,” Holley said. “I started scoring more my sophomore year, and then my junior year, and I was 13 away from it this year so it was something that I really wanted.

“I was really looking forward to it for the season, and it was a big goal for me from the start, individual-wise, so it was good to finally get over the finish line that I’ve been working hard to get to.” 

Saugatuck boys soccer coach Nate Holley has watched his son score an abundance of goals through the years, but was most proud of No. 100.

“The way he scored it was amazing in itself,” Nate Holley said. “He correctly predicted the opposition’s back pass to their keeper and made a 30-yard sprint that in all likelihood wouldn’t pay off, but in that moment it did. It wasn't a cheap or easy goal, and was a 100-percent teaching moment to the rest of the team in terms of asking them to make runs that might be fruitless but nonetheless necessary for team success.

“I was incredibly nervous as he neared the milestone, fearing an injury or the stress of being on the precipice affecting his play, so it was a relief and an incredible moment. It had been a goal of his since his freshman year.” 

Dante Holley set a school record for goals in a season with 38 his sophomore year and then followed that with 37 as a junior.

He currently has 26 goals in 10 games this fall for the unbeaten (8-0-2) and seventh-ranked team in Division 4. 

While his scoring prowess has been impressive, Dante Holley’s decision-making and passing have been equally noteworthy. He entered the week with 45 career assists to go along with his now 113 goals. 

“His ability to put the ball in the back of the net is obviously a strong suit, but honestly, his ability to find teammates is probably a stronger suit,” Nate Holley said. “He’s had some jaw-dropping passes in matches.” 

Dante Holley has never wanted to be known as just an elite scorer. 

“I’ve always tried to keep myself well-rounded,” he said. “I don't want to be good at one thing. I want to be able to help my team with different things than just scoring. And, to me, sometimes a good assist feels just as good as a goal.

“There’s something about getting a crisp through ball behind everyone that just feels so good to me and something I've worked on and taken pride in. I also don't want to be known as a ball hog. It’s not something I want to live by.” 

Holley, who helped his Michigan Rangers club team win the State Cup this past spring, has been a captain and leader since his sophomore year.

While his work ethic and competitiveness stand out, he’s also never satisfied. He possesses a determination to fix certain aspects of his game.

“He’s one of the hardest-working kids I’ve ever coached, and he takes losses personally and makes achieving goals a priority,” Nate Holley said. “I've watched him immediately work on things that bothered him during a match, directly after the match.

"I love his leadership, and he raises the level of trainings and the level of expectations for the entire team.”

Dante Holley wants to achieve one more goal before he graduates, and this one is team oriented. 

The Trailblazers have never won a conference or District title in boys soccer, but Holley hopes to change that this season. 

“That’s been a big motivation for me,” he said. “I said when I came into this program that I didn’t want to leave without winning a trophy of some sort. I want us to be the first, and we want to go on a run. That’s been a big focus point.”

This Saugatuck team might just have the talent and experience to accomplish the feat. 

“We’ve been together since we were really young, and the one thing that helps high school teams become good is how long they’ve played together,” Holley said. “We’ve really bought into the system we want to play, and it’s a dedicated group of guys.” 

Dante Holley has received interest from several collegiate programs, but is undecided where he will play next.   

“I’m not thinking about the level,” he said. “I’m thinking more of the college that will fit me athletically and academically because I know some day soccer isn’t going to be there for me, so I want to get a good education while I’m at it.” 

Dean Holzwarth has covered primarily high school sports for Grand Rapids-based WOOD-TV for five years after serving at the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years along with shorter stints at the Ionia Sentinel and WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties. 

PHOTOS (Top) Saugatuck’s Dante Holley (13) stands for a photo with his team after scoring his 100^th career goal. (Middle) Holley and an opposing defender pursue the ball. (Photos provided by the Saugatuck boys soccer program.)