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Boys district soccer: Montague earns first win over Whitehall since 1999

See results and district schedules for West Michigan Conference teams.

Photos by Matt Tarket | CatchMark

Montague’s first boys soccer win over Whitehall since the 1999 regular season also meant the end of a highly successful coaching career for the Vikings’ Bryan Mahan.

Montague defeated host Whitehall, 2-1, in a Division 3 first-round district match Wednesday night.

The Wildcats (8-12-2), who avenged a 4-1 regular-season loss to the rival Vikings, advance to Monday’s 4:30 p.m. district semifinal at Hart against the winner of today’s first-round match between Hart and Newaygo.

“I think for us it was just the energy. We came out with the intensity right away. Scored first and we are just one of those teams that if we score first, the momentum’s on our side and the kids are energized and the bench is yelling. It was electric on the bench,” Montague coach Brandon Mahoney said.

“It was probably the No. 1 most emotional game I’ve had as a coach in nine years.”

Whitehall finishes 6-7-2 in what was Mahan’s final season at the helm. Mahan coached 29 seasons with the Vikings. He was instrumental in building the boys and girls programs at Whitehall. In his 30 total seasons as a head coach, Mahan amassed a 448-296-44 overall record, which ranks him fifth on the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s all-time victories list.

Trevor Trevino got Montague on the board in the first half on a goal assisted by Chris Aebig. The Wildcats took the 1-0 lead into the halftime break.

Whitehall’s Jack McDowell tied the game at 1 just before the midway point of the second half, but Aebig netted the winner on a free kick as the match started to wind down.

Eli Bunton recorded 16 saves for Montague.

“We just couldn’t put the ball where we needed to shooting. We had lots of really good opportunities, we didn’t finish when we needed to,” Mahan said. “I’m not even sure how the second goal happened. It was just a weird bounce, whatever, and we just didn’t finish. … You’ve got to finish when it’s important and we didn’t finish when we needed to.”

DIVISION 4

NORTH MUSKEGON 3, MUSKEGON CATHOLIC CENTRAL 0: Gabe Lenius tallied a goal and an assist to lead host North Muskegon to a first-round district victory over Muskegon Catholic Central. Dallyn Ellis and Chase Zizak also scored goals for the Norsemen (8-10-3), who advance to next Tuesday’s 5 p.m. district semifinal at Western Michigan Christian against Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian (10-4-4). Zach Mallon and Cole Johnson had assists for the Norse, while Leighton Hunt earned the shutout in goal with six saves.

RAVENNA 7, GRAND RAPIDS WELLSPRING 1: Hunter Hogan netted four goals to power visiting Ravenna to a first-round district win over Wellspring. The Bulldogs (5-9-4) advance to Tuesday’s 7 p.m. district semifinal and will face host Western Michigan Christian (10-8-2).

WEST MICHIGAN CONFERENCE TEAMS IN DISTRICTS

DIVISION 2

Semifinals:

Ludington vs. Allendale/Reeths-Puffer winner, 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17 at Coopersville

DIVISION 3

First round:

Montague 2, Whitehall 1

Newaygo at Hart, 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13

Shelby at Fremont, 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13

Semifinals:

Montague vs. Newaygo/Hart winner, 4:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, site TBA

Manistee vs. Shelby/Fremont winner, 4:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, at Manistee

DIVISION 4

First round:

North Muskegon 3, Muskegon Catholic Central 0

Ravenna 7, Grand Rapids Wellspring 1

Semifinals:

North Muskegon vs. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, at Western Michigan Christian

Ravenna vs. Western Michigan Christian, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, at Western Michigan Christian

Lead writer for CatchMark SportsNet and Web Services leader for CatchMark Technologies.

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