Thinking Spring

“A Macomb County girls soccer team will win a state title in the next five years.”

I wrote that in this blog last year following the Division 1 girls soccer state final in which Utica Eisenhower fell 3-2 in overtime to Portage Central. http://candgnewssports.blogspot.com/2009/07/one-final-thought-from-pitch.html

Well, a few weeks into the spring season of year one and things seem right on track.

The state’s coaches association recently released its early season rankings and Eisenhower debuted at No. 2 and Clinton Township Chippewa Valley makes an appearance at No. 8 in Div. 1. http://www.mihisoccer.org/Girlsrankings.htm

The Eagles (1-0-1 overall at press time) and Big Reds (2-0-1) have their work cut out for them entering Macomb Area Conference Red Division action later this week.
http://www.macombmac.misd.net/soccer.htm
The competitive league’s other two Macomb County squads — Utica Stevenson (3-0-0) and Utica Ford II (2-0-1) — were also unbeaten three games into the young season.

All four of the talented squads will continually test each other — along with the division’s other two teams, Grosse Pointe North and Grosse Pointe South — preparing them well enough for at least one to make another deep playoff run.

The state tournament itself should pose another set of challenges, as talented local squads such as Macomb L’Anse Creuse North, Fair Haven Anchor Bay, Utica High, Sterling Heights High, Troy High and Troy Athens are bound to pose big obstacles in districts and regionals.
http://www.mhsaa.com/Sports/GirlsSoccer.aspx

If any of those squads can survive that gauntlet, it should be déjà vu all over again with Portage Central (which returned plenty of players and kicked off the season ranked No. 1) standing in the way of a title and my budding fortuneteller side career.