Suttons Bay girls' soccer team reached the "final four" of the Division 3 state tournament before running into a buzzsaw last week.

The Norse advanced through District and Regional competition before meeting up with Hudsonville Unity Christian in the state semifinals Wednesday, June 11 at East Kentwood. Suttons Bay also faced Unity Christian two years ago, the last time the Norse advanced this far in state competition. Each time, Unity Christian ended Suttons Bay’s season.

Unity Christian, fresh off its convincing 8-0 win over Suttons Bay last week, advanced to the state finals for the fourth consecutive season. In each of the previous three years, Unity Christian won the title and the Crusaders made it 4-for-4 when they beat Williamston in overtime in the championship game, 2-1.

Suttons Bay coach Ryan DeFour was upbeat about the team’s performance despite the shutout.

“The girls started the game really well and were able to keep the game 0-0 for about 15 minutes, and even get more shots on goal than Unity,” he said.

Unity was led by Michigan’s 2007 “Miss Soccer” Laura Heyboer, who scored four of the goals against Suttons Bay and had one assist.

“Their first goal was very impressive and then Laura got going and there was nothing we could do,” DeFour said.

Heyboer capped her stellar prep career by scoring on a header with less than two minutes remaining in overtime to beat Williamston. She is also considered the leading candidate to win her second straight Miss Soccer award. Unity Christian finished the year with a 25-1-1 record.

Suttons Bay finished the season at 18-5-3, and despite the loss in the state semifinals DeFour said he was happy with the play of the Norse.

“The year overall was very successful,” DeFour said. “We won the Ludington Tournament, our home tournament, the District and the Regional.”

He’s already looking ahead to next year.

“Next season should be very interesting,” the coach said. “We lose eight very close, very strong girls.”
Graduating seniors include Fran Belanger, Kara Bunbury, Maeve Burns, Octavia Buss, Arianna Guillen, Alyssa Korson, Erin Sneed and Charlotte Stowe.

“Replacing that group will not be possible,” DeFour said, “but I know the kids that will step up next year are very talented. If we can get them to play together we will be hard to beat.”