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EAST LANSING – Hudsonville Unity Christian rolled over Bloomfield Hills Marian for its fourth consecutive MHSAA girls soccer state title on Saturday, June 13.
But the 2-0 win in the Division 2 championship game at DeMartin Soccer Complex didn't come without controversy; the shutout allowed the Crusaders to tie the MHSAA record for fewest goals allowed in a season – 1 – thanks to a disputed no-goal call toward the end of the first half.
Around the 30 minutes into the first half, Marian's Nia Bordogna drove downfield and attempted to put the Mustangs on the board first, from about 35 yards out. But Unity Christian goalie Payton Barendsen got just enough of it to keep it out of the net.
DIVISION 3: Country Day smothers GR West Catholic for D-3 girls soccer title
Or did she?
“The girls said that the shot in first [half] that the goalkeeper saved and went off the bar [and] was in,” Marian coach Danny Price said.
Barendsen, meanwhile, defended her save.
“I saw [the ball] coming high, so I knew I had to tip it or at least catch it. My fingers got it and then it hit the cross bar and went right outside the line.”
Price, who said his team is no stranger to what he called a “referee error,” was visibly frustrated afterward.
DIVISION 1: Rockford rolls over Troy in MHSAA girls soccer D-1 title game
“Two years ago, the only goal of the game against Spring Lake was a foul on our left back; she got absolutely trucked,” Price said. “Not taking anything away from Unity, but goals change games, and that was overlying.”
Unity’s win completed an undefeated season (24-0) made especially notable for its lone goal allowed: during a 2-1 victory over Grand Rapids South Christian in April.
On Saturday, both teams were eager to get things going in the first half; heading into halftime, Unity had nine shot attempts to Marian’s six.
That overflow of shots turned into a commanding 2-0 lead near halftime. In the 35th minute, Unity Christian junior Myla Obande put in the first goal in for the Crusaders. Teammate Tessa Ponstein, a senior, followed up with another goal in the 37th minute.
Despite the loss, Price complimented Unity Christian’s approach.
“They’re very athletic and they’re very committed and they’re very organized. And they play for each other,” Price said. “I’ve got to give them a lot of credit. It’s hard to play against them.”
In addition to the current four-year run for Unity – featuring D-3 titles in 2023-24 and D-2 wins in 2025-26 – the Crusaders are no strangers to repeating as champs, with six straight from 2005-10 and three straight from 2014-16.
Coach Randy Heethuis, in his 37th season, credited his team’s consistency for the most recent title run.
“They’ve watched soccer coming through the ranks and they want to be a part of it. And so they just buy in and do what’s best,” he said.
Barendsen, who leaves the program as a four-time champion, said the Unity Christian is more than about winning. It’s about playing for each other.
“It goes so much beyond winning,” she said. “Many teams have come up to us after [a game] and said ‘There’s just something different about this team.’ And it’s not that we’re so good ... but that we work together and don’t stop working together.”
Nominate a high school athlete for the Detroit Free Press boys and girls athlete of the week.
Eric Guzmán covers youth sports culture at the Free Press as a corps member for Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Make a tax-deductible contribution to support this work.
Contact Eric Guzmán: [email protected]; 313-222-1850.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Hudsonville Unity Christian beats Marian for fourth straight title
Continue reading...
But the 2-0 win in the Division 2 championship game at DeMartin Soccer Complex didn't come without controversy; the shutout allowed the Crusaders to tie the MHSAA record for fewest goals allowed in a season – 1 – thanks to a disputed no-goal call toward the end of the first half.
Around the 30 minutes into the first half, Marian's Nia Bordogna drove downfield and attempted to put the Mustangs on the board first, from about 35 yards out. But Unity Christian goalie Payton Barendsen got just enough of it to keep it out of the net.
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DIVISION 3: Country Day smothers GR West Catholic for D-3 girls soccer title
Or did she?
“The girls said that the shot in first [half] that the goalkeeper saved and went off the bar [and] was in,” Marian coach Danny Price said.
Barendsen, meanwhile, defended her save.
“I saw [the ball] coming high, so I knew I had to tip it or at least catch it. My fingers got it and then it hit the cross bar and went right outside the line.”
Price, who said his team is no stranger to what he called a “referee error,” was visibly frustrated afterward.
DIVISION 1: Rockford rolls over Troy in MHSAA girls soccer D-1 title game
“Two years ago, the only goal of the game against Spring Lake was a foul on our left back; she got absolutely trucked,” Price said. “Not taking anything away from Unity, but goals change games, and that was overlying.”
Unity’s win completed an undefeated season (24-0) made especially notable for its lone goal allowed: during a 2-1 victory over Grand Rapids South Christian in April.
On Saturday, both teams were eager to get things going in the first half; heading into halftime, Unity had nine shot attempts to Marian’s six.
That overflow of shots turned into a commanding 2-0 lead near halftime. In the 35th minute, Unity Christian junior Myla Obande put in the first goal in for the Crusaders. Teammate Tessa Ponstein, a senior, followed up with another goal in the 37th minute.
Despite the loss, Price complimented Unity Christian’s approach.
“They’re very athletic and they’re very committed and they’re very organized. And they play for each other,” Price said. “I’ve got to give them a lot of credit. It’s hard to play against them.”
You must be registered for see images attach
In addition to the current four-year run for Unity – featuring D-3 titles in 2023-24 and D-2 wins in 2025-26 – the Crusaders are no strangers to repeating as champs, with six straight from 2005-10 and three straight from 2014-16.
Coach Randy Heethuis, in his 37th season, credited his team’s consistency for the most recent title run.
“They’ve watched soccer coming through the ranks and they want to be a part of it. And so they just buy in and do what’s best,” he said.
Barendsen, who leaves the program as a four-time champion, said the Unity Christian is more than about winning. It’s about playing for each other.
“It goes so much beyond winning,” she said. “Many teams have come up to us after [a game] and said ‘There’s just something different about this team.’ And it’s not that we’re so good ... but that we work together and don’t stop working together.”
Nominate a high school athlete for the Detroit Free Press boys and girls athlete of the week.
Eric Guzmán covers youth sports culture at the Free Press as a corps member for Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Make a tax-deductible contribution to support this work.
Contact Eric Guzmán: [email protected]; 313-222-1850.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Hudsonville Unity Christian beats Marian for fourth straight title
Continue reading...
