Leland offensive firepower proved to be the difference in a 3-1 district semifinal game between Leland and Suttons Bay on Tuesday.
Leland freshman Lillian Connor found the back of the net twice as she carved through the Norse defense multiple times.
“We were dribbling up and trying to take those touches around the defenders,” Connor said. “I think we did really well as a team with our passing and everything.”
Leland will play Elk Rapids today at 5 p.m. for a district championship and the right to move onto regionals.
Connor scored her first goal 20 minutes into the first half after a punt from junior goalkeeper Elli Miller gave Connor plenty of space to run. Leland came out slow in the first half despite going into the break with a 1-0 lead. Connor managed to get around multiple defenders and find minimal space to score her second goal of the game.
Suttons Bay threatened twice while down 2-0, but multiple second-half stops from Leland’s Miller were crucial in keeping the lead for the Comets.
Leland sophomore Willa Murray took the ball nearly from mid-field to the net, weaving through multiple players to extend Leland’s lead 3-0.
“I’m excited for our team to play our best. I think we’ve been playing really well and working hard, so hopefully the hard work pays off in the district finals,” Murray said.
Miller stuffed another Suttons Bay opportunity before the game became gridlocked in the second half.
Suttons Bay finally broke through when senior Lauren Lint scored as she juked out multiple defenders and sent a rocket into the net to cut Leland’s lead to 3-1 with 7:30 remaining. Sutton Bay competed the entire game to end the 2024 season.
“The girls gave it all they had … the effort was there the whole time. I was really proud of them,” Suttons Bay coach Randy U’Ren said. “We loved getting together for every practice and every game …. And if you have a team where you’re looking forward to hanging out with everybody every day, then you’re super sad when it ends because you don’t get to hang out and see them and coach them again. That’s a successful season. That’s a great group of girls to be around.”
Suttons Bay and Lake Leelanau seniors Lint, Keeley TwoCrow, Amanda Tarsa, Sarah Bunek, and Elena Grant played their last high school game. TwoCrow stood tall in net with multiple saves against the Comets.
“They showed the underclassmen that effort and some of the intangibles that it takes to have a good, successful season. The way (these seniors) handle themselves and the work they put in and the relationships that you built, all those things are great for the rest of the team to see,” U’Ren said.
Suttons Bay defeated Charlevoix in a thrilling district final game 2-1 on Thursday. Lint and Megan U’Ren each scored. Madelyn Hamilton assisted on both goals, and TwoCrow earned the win in net.
Glen Lake fell to Harbor Spring in a district quarterfinal game on Thursday 5-2.
Glen Lake seniors Paige Steffke and Ava Raymond scored in their last game as Lakers.
