DeWITT — The playing opportunities haven't always been there this fall for Jake Wever.
But the freshman forward has bought into his role and been willing to do what the DeWitt boys soccer team has needed him to do this fall.
And that has led to some good results.
That included Thursday, Oct. 22 as Wever came through on a big stage to help the Panthers extend their season
Wever scored a goal in the 20th minute for DeWitt in its 1-0 victory over No. 3-ranked Eastern in a Division 2 district final on its home field.
"He's a freshman that doesn't look like a freshman and didn't play like a freshman today," DeWitt coach Joe Ishraidi said of Wever. "He came through when we needed him. He hasn't always played the most minutes but he's played important minutes . He was there when we needed it and did what we talked about and put it in the back of the net."
More: Michigan high school boys soccer: See Greater Lansing district results
The district championship was the second straight for the Panthers and seventh in eight seasons for the program. Wever was pleased to play a role in DeWitt (11-4-5) adding another layer to its postseason success and advancing to next week's regional where it will face Bay City Western at Swartz Creek.
"It feels great," Wenver said.. "(The goal) means like more than myself. (This was) for all the seniors that are leaving this year. Putting one in just to win a district championship and with the home crowd and probably our biggest fan section of the year (was great)."
The victory marked the third straight shutout for goalkeeper Vince Rose and DeWitt, which opened district play with a 2-0 win over Haslett and followed with a 1-0 semifinal win over Mason on Oct. 19.
"They did everything we talked about," Ishraidi said. "They believed in each other, they fought for each other and I'm happy for them that they got to see the fruits of their labor tonight."
DeWitt knocked off Eastern in a district final for a second straight season. The loss ended a historic season for Eastern, which won the CAAC Red title and finished as the CAAC Gold Cup champion. The Quakers close the season 17-2-3.
Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on X @brian_calloway.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Freshman helps DeWitt boys soccer upset Eastern for district title