BIG RAPIDS - The Harbor Springs Rams had a number of opportunities to score, but could not ultimately find the net, as they fell for the second straight year to North Muskegon in a division four regional final on Friday evening, 1-0.
The Rams’ speedy forward, Grace Thorpe had a couple of outstanding chances in the first half, but she could not beat Norsemen goalie Emma Lamiman.
North Muskegon got on the board midway through the first half when Kennedi Koekkoek put her shot up under the crossbar and in for what would prove to be the game-winning goal.
Harbor Springs got a golden opportunity midway through the second half, when a crossing pass from Thorpe into the box found Teagan Inglehart, whose shot was stopped by a Norsemen defender, and cleared off the line. It was ruled that the defender used her arm to stop the shot though, so she was given a red card and sent off, and Harbor Springs was awarded a penalty kick.
Unfortunately for the Rams, Inglehart’s penalty kick attempt for the upper right corner just sailed over the crossbar and out of bounds.
That was the Rams’ last, best chance to score. The Norsemen would hang on to claim the regional title by a 1-0 final.
“Who would’ve thought that we’d be at this stage?” Harbor Springs head coach Aaron Riley asked after the game. “I mean when we started in March and April, things were not looking this good. But, now if you look at the end product here today, how can you not be proud of the fact that these girls have come so far. For us to go 80 minutes with them, and almost get away with a win today, I couldn’t be any more proud of our girls.”
Harbor Springs finishes the season with an 8-13-3 overall record. North Muskegon (17-3-1) advances to the division four state semifinals, where they will meet Kalamazoo Christian on Wednesday evening in Cedar Springs.