Harbor Springs soccer lifted to state finals on last second goal in D4 semis

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CEDAR SPRINGS — The rain held off on an overcast day in Cedar Springs Tuesday when the Harbor Springs girls soccer team took the field for a Division 4 state semifinal against Kalamazoo Christian.

But, Harbor Springs coach Aaron Riley still walked off the field soaked from head to toe. He had his team to thank for that, who introduced him to the ice water jug following the game.

&#8220;I&#8217;m a little cold, wet, but to be honest, that is OK right now,&#8221; Riley said. “I don’t care much.”

After his Harbor team earned a 2-1 victory, secured with just two seconds left on the clock, to reach the Division 4 state championship game, its really no surprise why Riley doesn’t have a care in the world.

“That was by far the best game I’ve ever seen,” he said, still exhausted from celebrating. “This team, we never had our heads down, even when they were coming back.”

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The win lifts the Rams into the state championships for the first time since 2001, when they fell in a 2-1 overtime matchup against Clawson.

The Division 4 title game will take place at 1 p.m., Friday, June 12 at Michigan State University’s DeMartin Soccer Stadium in East Lansing. There, they’ll meet Royal Oak Shrine, who earned a 4-3 win over Schoolcraft on Tuesday.

Royal Oak Shrine last made a title game appearance in 2022, winning the D4 title. They also own a recent state title in 2019.

In a back and forth night Tuesday that came with an early score by Harbor (19-1-2), met by an equalizer by the Comets and a 1-1 halftime, things almost looked certain to be heading to overtime and a potential penalty kick situation in Cedar Springs.

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But, as Kalamazoo Christian was trying to clear the ball and the countdown was on over the speakers, Harbor’s Lilly Barnadyn sent a moon shot over the top of the Comet defense, which Stefi Reskevics settled, ran past five Kalamazoo players and a misplay by the keeper, then shot into the bottom left corner of the goal.

“Stefi, like she has been all year, was in the right place at the right time to finish it,” Riley said. “That was just proof that we were going to give it everything we can and we did.”

Harbor certainly didn’t head into the matchup as a favorite.

The Comets owned a 19-1 goal-differential in the postseason and they had played in four straight state championship games, which included a 2025 title a year ago.

Riley was fine with not being the favorite. He believed his team would show everyone that’s just a label anyway.

“I know downstate teams have really good players, good programs, but I’m just really excited that Harbor can show that the north can play,” he said. “We can represent Leland and Elk Rapids and say, ‘Hey, we’re pretty good up here and can compete at the state level.'”

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Freshman Maeve Riley scored first for the Rams just five minutes into the contest, a goal that built the belief that Harbor needed early to compete with a juggernaut like Kalamazoo Christian.

From that moment on, Harbor stepped up all around the field.

“A great game by everybody, from our forwards to goal (Lillian McShannock) and midfielders to the backline,” Riley said. “Once again, Harbor’s all about the team.”

It’s an amazing run by the Rams that’s already come with the program’s first regional title since 2003 and now snapping a 25-year drought on state final appearances.

It’s the kind of season that gets remembered for a long time in a small town, but it’s not over yet.

“I hope these girls can finish what they started and do something that’s never happened in school history,” Riley said. “We’ve sparked something here and I just hope that we can finish it. This team is one to remember.”

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Riley’s got some drying out to do before then. If you’re curious what he’ll be wearing, it’ll be the same thing in each matchup of the postseason so far – he’s a little superstitious – including a thick wool green hat that’s getting a bit warm as the weeks pass into summer.

“I don’t even care if it’s 95° in East Lansing, I have to wear it,” Riley said with a big laugh and not a care in the world at the moment.

Reach Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com and follow him on X @DrewKochanny and Instagram @drewkochanny

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Harbor Springs soccer making first state finals trip since 2001