Unionville-Sebewaing, Frankenmuth softball fall short in heartbreakers
EAST LANSING -- Flint Powers not only had to play a flawless game to earn a state title in girls soccer, they also had to overcome the resident bully on the block to obtain it.
Taking on six-time defending Division 3 state champion Hudsonville-Unity Christian - who had also won nine titles in the previous ten years - the Chargers used a first-half goal from Maddie Reynolds to hold off the Crusaders, earning a 1-0 victory. In addition to knocking off the powerhouse Crusaders in the title, the Chargers also had to get past long-time nemesis Detroit Country Day in the semi-finals, as Flint Powers proved themselves a worthy state champion, indeed.
Things were not so kind for Mid-Michigan teams on the softball diamond, however.
In Division Four, the Unionville-Sebewaing Patriots climbed out of a 5-0 deficit to force extra innings, only to lose in the eighth inning to Petersburg-Summerfield, who secured a second consecutive state title with a 6-5 victory. In Division Three, Frankenmuth entered the seventh inning trailing 4-0, before scoring two runs to cut the deficit in half, with runners at second and third and only one away. However, the Eagles' next two batters both struck out, putting an end to their comeback attempt, and giving the state title to Clinton by a final of 4-2.
