Cascades Rivalry Match Ends in a Tie

Michigan Center soccer.  File photo by Jeff Steers, JTV Sports.

By David Rice
JTV Sports

(April 27, 2022 11:44 PM) What started out as a scoreless and chilly Wednesday night conference battle, did not end that way. The Cascades girls soccer match came down to the final minutes out at Grass Lake High School as both teams look to improve over the .500 meter. GLHS coming in at 3-4 while MCHS coming in at 2-2. 

For the first 15 minutes of the game, it was scoreless. 5 missed shots and exceptional defense by Kaylee Johnson and Tori Nastally of MC kept things even. But with 25:35 left in the first half, the Cardinals were on the board first. Cecelia Scaife gave her team the 1-0 lead early off a fastbreak score.

Grass Lake struggled early, missing 8 shots from kickoff to 14:35 left in the opening half. Led by junior Ella Kraus, Grass Lake finally broke through and scored, making it only a 2-1 deficit. The first 30 minutes of the game was controlled mostly by MCHS. 

The Cardinals led 2-0 from 24:01 to 10:05 in the first half thanks to goals by Scaife and Julia Reynolds. Grass Lake evened it up with 6:58 left in the first half thanks to a goal by Senior Kylin Heidrich. Most of the game’s action happened in the first 35 minutes as defense by both teams stepped up and kept eachother out of the net.

But with 57 seconds left in the first half, Tori Nastally gave MCHS the lead 3-2 headed into the break. The second half ended up becoming the opposite of the high-scoring first half.

Thanks to defenders Johnson and Neely from MC along with Claire Foster and Rapert from GL, both teams kept each other out of the net until 4:45 left in the second half. With 4:45 left in the match, Grass Lake tied things up at 3-3 with a goal from Ella Easterday off a corner kick. Close crossbar shots and goalkeeper saves in the last 4:45 of the match kept things even.

The Cascades rivalry match ended up in a 3-3 draw on a chilly Wednesday evening. Cecelia Scaife had a goal and an assist, Julia Reynolds and Tori Nastally scored. Lizzie Williams and Maria Aloisio each had an assist. Nicola Wittkopf recorded 14 saves for MCHS. Ella Kraus, Kylin Heidrich, and Ella Easterday all scored for Grass Lake. Cassidy Ortbring added two assists. 

Grass Lake (now 3-4-1) will play at home Friday vs Manchester. Michigan Center (now 2-2-1) will take on Brighton Charyl Stockwell Prep on Saturday morning at the Stockbridge Panther Invitational.