Country Day smothers GR West Catholic for D-3 girls soccer title
· Yahoo Sports
EAST LANSING – Aliya Saad set a high bar for herself as she looks forward to the next three years of soccer with Birmingham Detroit Country Day.
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With less than 10 minutes left in the first half of the MHSAA girls soccer Division 3 championship game, the freshman scored to lead Country Day to a 1-0 victory over Grand Rapids West Catholic on Saturday, June 13, at DeMartin Field.
“It feels great knowing that my next three years ahead of me are going to be big ones to live up to," Saad said. “I’m just so glad I could put that ball into the back of the net for my teammates, my seniors, my captains, the people who can’t come back [next] year.”
Saad received the credit for her offense, but it was the Yellowjackets' defense that ultimately carried the team to its first championship since 2021 (and its seventh overall).
Saad’s winner was one of 15 shot attempts Country Day took throughout the game. West Catholic, conversely, was only able to get one shot attempt all afternoon, and that one wasn't even on net.
West Catholic did make a formation adjustment in the second half of the game but it didn’t alter Country Day’s defensive scheme.
The Falcons had a chance to tie things up in the final minute,when freshman midfielder Lexy Druelle attempted three flip-in passes to try and create a shot for her team.
Country Day coach Laura Hamway said she was blown away with how her team played in Saturday’s matchup.
“There was times today you stand in awe on the sideline of their creativity, numbers in the attack, purpose in the attack and Jenna [Shaban] leading the defense,” Hamway said. “It’s just so clean and an amazing group to be around.”
The Yellowjackets only gave up 12 goals the entire season – and just one in the MHSAA tournament – while scoring 61.
Hamway credited Shaban for anchoring the defense.
“[She] is the returning D-3 defensive player of the year from last year. She’s a high-level [Elite Club National League] player. She’s intelligent and going to Harvard next year,” Hamway said of her star defender. “So she’s able to remind the defense, when it’s needed, to go hard and play direct and when we can build. ... And I love hearing her voice out here. If you hear her, she’s communicating the entire game.”
Shaban seconded her coach’s sentiments about the defensive production this year.
“I think our communication, our work ethic on the field never went down,” she said. “And when we can keep that up, I think we can do anything.”
She also said Saturday's victory is atop her favorite career moments.
"I mean, I think this has got to be No. 1, but I think just the little moments with the team have been amazing," she said. "I just love being with my teammates."
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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: Birmingham Detroit Country Day locks up MHSAA girls soccer D-3 title