Copper Country Christian takes Upper Peninsula Division 2 soccer title
NEGAUNEE — The little school that could really did.
A team made up of the Copper Country Christian School and homeschoolers from that area won its first championship at the Upper Peninsula Division 2 Finals in boys soccer held at Peter Waara Park in Negaunee Township on Saturday.
The field included four teams with various lineups, though they mostly include high school players.
Teams included the Marquette Senior High School JV team, Negaunee club team that is coed and has players up to age 19, the CCCS team with seventh grade to 19-year-olds, and Sault Ste. Marie, a regular varsity squad.
The CCCS team was the only one to win both of its preliminary games to qualify for the championship game, CCCS athletic director Jen Bach reported. Its opponent was the Soo, which beat out the Marquette JV on a goal-differential tiebreaker after each started 1-1.
In the opening round in the morning, Marquette defeated Negaunee 3-0, while CCCS knocked off the Soo 2-1 on goals by Ben Bishop.
The winners played at noon with CCCS defeating Marquette 3-1, while at 1:30 p.m., the opening-round losers squared off with the Soo blanking Negaunee 4-0.
In the finale, the Soo jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Noah Bach and Colby Balyo scored to knot the scoreboard 2-2 at halftime.
In the second half, Bach was fouled in the box and he converted the penalty kick for a 3-2 final.
Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.