By Robert Wilson
East Rankin Academy’s boys soccer team lost four of their first six games and headed into Christmas break with a losing record.
But East Rankin coach Reid Westover was optimistic about the rest of the season.
“Once we got back from break, I told them we would win out,” said Westover, who is in second season at head coach after one year as an assistant. “We took one loss in January, but it really brought out the best in us. After that loss, we started get hot, running through the rest of district play.”
East Rankin made school history and won the first boys soccer state championship with a 1-0 victory over Heritage Academy for the MAIS Division II title at Jackson Academy, avenging a 4-1 loss to Heritage in the first game of the season.
“Going into the championship game, I was at peace with the fact that I knew our boys would perform,” said Westover, who played at Clinton High and won two state championships and played at Holmes Community College. “Our boys were playing their best ball and as inspired as ever. I heard a few chattering about being nervous, but we always say that’s a good thing, because it means you care. I told them once the whistle blows, its game time, and all that nervousness will fade away instantly. We didn’t get off to the best start, a ton of turnovers and mistakes, but we did enough defensively to keep Heritage from scoring. At halftime, I told them I had good news and bad news. Bad news, we’re not playing our best ball, it’s 0-0, once we lock in and get it going, we’re going to win this game. And that’s what they did. Defensively, we began winning more challenges, connecting on more passes, stayed calm, and kept Heritage out of our goal. Offensively, we started to click, becoming more dangerous on the attack, getting our key players involved.”
East Rankin finally got a score to go up 1-0 with eight minutes to play.
“We got a free kick from 44 yards out and Jonathan Soto played an absolute beauty of a ball into the box where Nic Riemann had a fantastic touch, which led him putting the ball in the back of the net,” Westover said. “It was only fitting that our two captains made this happen. After the goal, we went straight into defensive mode, where we controlled the rest of the game. We stayed locked in, we defended for our lives, and got everything out. With the last save and last punt of the game, the whistle sounded, and it was time to celebrate. So many emotions went through my head, as I celebrated and watched our boys embrace each other knowing we reached our final goal. It all came down to us believing in ourselves, and the drive to win when we knew we were thought as the underdogs. I just want to shout out each and every one of these boys because we all made this happen together.”
Midfielders Riemann, Soto and Toler Logan, forwards Channing Diveley, Jordan Porter and Noah Craig, defenders Calian Hunt, John Riemann, Mike Kanengiser and Chylen Williams and goalkeeper Andy Bowman were the starters for this championship team, which finished with a 12-5 record this season.
Cole Cotnam, Mike Kanengiser, Austin Craig, Cale Cotnam, Alex Ramirez, Jackson Fountain and Landyn Williams were other members of the team.
