GRANDVILLE - The West Ottawa boys soccer team looked like a different team in the second half.
But a two-goal deficit at halftime was just too much to overcome.
West Ottawa lost 2-1 to Grand Haven in a Division 1 district title game on Thursday, Oct. 22, at Grandville High School.
“I’m really proud of our seniors,” West Ottawa coach Tyler Robinson said. “We’ve got 10 of ‘em. A lot of new faces this year. There were a lot of ‘what ifs’ as far as how the season would go. We started off rocky and we really found our footing halfway through the season. It ended with positive momentum, despite this loss tonight.”
More: District soccer roundup: Fennville claims second title in three years, Holland, WO advance
Grand Haven (11-6-2) advanced to play Traverse City West in the regional semifinals at Forest Hills Northern on Oct. 27.
“We played (West Ottawa) three times last year and three times this year,” Grand Haven coach Adam Dean said. “They are rightfully in this (district) final. They are a fantastic team. Very well organized. We have a lot of respect for them. Last year, they got us (in the districts) and this year we got them.”
Grand Haven’s Caleb Brugger scored with a mind-boggling 0:02 seconds left as the buzzer sounded ending the first half, giving Grand Haven a 2-0 lead.
“That’s a momentum killer right there,” Robinson said. “But credit to the boys, they came out firing in the second half. There’s no quit in them.”
West Ottawa (9-9-2) got its lone goal early in the second half when Zeph Underwood scored on a penalty kick.
“That’s one of those moments we’ll remember,” Dean said of Brugger’s goal. “It shifts the momentum in our favor. That moment was huge. It’s one Caleb will remember for sure.”
Owen Haveman scored Grand Haven’s first goal.
DIVISION 4
Calvin Christian 1, Saugatuck 0
The No. 4 Trailblazers took their first and only loss of the season in the Division 4 district final on Thursday, Oct. 22, at No. 3 Grandville Calvin Christian.
Holland and Fennville are the only Holland-area teams remaining. Holland will play for the Division 2 district title on Saturday and Fennville won its district Wednesday and will play in the Division 3 regional semifinals on Oct. 27.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: West Ottawa, Saugatuck edged in heartbreaking district soccer finals to end season