2024 Southfield Christian Boys Middle School Soccer Season Summary
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GAME 1 VS PLYMOUTH CHRISTIAN
The Eagles took the field for the first match of the 2024 season on Friday against division foe Plymouth Christian, a team SCS had not beaten since 2019. For three-quarters of the contest, it looked like that streak might finally be broken.
A goal halfway through the first half by the visitors was the only tally of that period, and Southfield Christian felt satisfied with how they'd played down just 1-0.
The second half proved to be much higher scoring, as Jackson Veldman scored several minutes in to even things at 1-1 on a great assist from Nate Ehlen. PCA then scored twice more, once on a corner kick, and then on a great individual move, to widen the margin to 3-1.
Later in the half, Jackson Veldman shook loose from a defender and put the ball between the goalie's legs to cut the margin to 3-2. He very nearly tied it with several minutes to go after a series of great touches involving Caleb Foote and Dane DeGiulio, but his shot from close range hit the outside of the net.
The opponents scored one last goal in the game's waning moments for a final score of 4-2. Levi Bowman notched his first career start in goal and made 8 saves in the loss.
The team looks to regroup next Tuesday against Roeper at their place.
Current record: 0-1
GAME 2 VS ROEPER
The Eagles hit the road to take on the Roeper Roughriders Tuesday afternoon, looking to beat them for the first time since 2022. They began sluggishly but as the game progressed, their effort and hustle increased, and they began to be rewarded on the scoreboard.
Jackson Veldman tallied the lone goal of the first half, bringing his total for the young season to 3. Levi Bowman held the opposition scoreless in that frame, and Gavin Turman replaced him between the pipes for the second half, also successfully shutting out the Roughriders.
Though short-handed and without subs, Roeper gave a valiant effort, repeatedly thwarting the Eagles' attack. Midway through the second half, Nate Ehlen blasted a long direct kick from the right side that floated into the net above the goalie's outstretched arms.
Later, Nate scored again, depositing the ball in the right corner after a good initial attack by Chase Baker. Before the final whistle, David John took a long clearance by defender Levi Bowman all the way to the net and finished, bringing the final score to 4-0.
Southfield Christian next heads to Parkway for a match on Thursday.
Current record: 1-1
GAME 3 VS PARKWAY CHRISTIAN
On Thursday, the Eagles traveled across town to Parkway Christian for a match under the hot afternoon sun, and put together a well-rounded team effort.
Early in the first half, Jackson Veldman scored two goals, the second on a beautiful assist from Caleb Foote, to jump out in front 2-0. Elliott Taylor put the ball past the keeper on a solid shot near halftime for his first SCS career goal.
Jackson completed his hat trick soon after the break to put Southfield Christian up 4-0. After several close calls that sailed just over the crossbar, Nate Ehlen finally pounded the ball home midway through the second frame to make it 5-0. Caleb Foote went on a solo run late in the game and scored his first tally of the season near the final whistle for a final 6-0 margin.
Every single player saw significant playing time, and made important contributions while gaining valuable in-game experience.
Levi Bowman and Gavin Turman each spent one half in goal, combining for 11 saves and a joint shutout. The win moves the team to a record of 2-1 and they look forward to their next match at home on Tuesday against Hope Christian.
Current record: 2-1
GAME 4 VS HOPE CHRISTIAN
On Tuesday, Southfield Christian welcomed the Hope Christian Academy Hawks for an afternoon contest. The team got off to a fast start and came out aggressively, dominating possession and incorporating many things they'd been focusing on in practice.
Jackson Veldman opened the scoring a few minutes into the game with a powerful strike from center. Minutes later, Nate Ehlen deftly headed a corner ball into the net for an early 2-0 lead.
Before much longer, Caleb Foote ricocheted a ball off a defender past the netminder, and then Kevin Casillas found the back of the net midway through the first half. The Hawks struggled to clear the ball all afternoon, and only the talented play of their goalie and a lone strong defender kept the Eagle's scoring barrage at bay.
Will Wyatt notched his first tally of the season right before halftime, and after the break, SCS had the opportunity to play different positions and log extra field time for the younger players.
Rashad Thompson scored first in the second half, putting the Eagles up by a score of 6-0. Nate Ehlen scored his second goal of the afternoon with a long blast from the right side, and Caleb Hutchison rounded out the scoring with 9 minutes to play for a final 8-0 margin.
Every team member contributed and played very well in the decisive win. Levi Bowman and Gavin Turman combined for their third straight shutout. The 3-1 Eagles go for their 4th straight win in a game away at Hillel on Thursday.
Current record: 3-1
GAME 5 VS HILLEL DAY SCHOOL
On Thursday, the soccer team visited Hillel Day School, an opponent they had not faced in the past decade. The team was ready for whatever came their way, and the game started off in a tight battle, with both teams playing well under the hot sun.
About 15 minutes in Jackson Veldman finally broke loose and went on a run, opening the scoring with a nice shot into the net. Not long after, he struck again on a smart assist from Nate Ehlen. Soon after Jackson completed his first-half hat trick, and then the defense withstood a massive offensive barrage from the Hawks. They were awarded several direct kicks, ringing one of them off the crossbar, and yet another terrific chance to the top corner was swatted away by Levi Bowman with an impressive save.
Coming out with a 3-0 lead after the break, the Eagles were able to eventually wear down their opponents with long possessions and relentless pressure. Nate Ehlen cranked a long volley over the goalie's head for a 4-0 lead, and then Caleb Foote headed a ball past the keeper to widen the margin further.
Jackson pounded a 4th goal in from close range halfway through the second frame, and Caleb Foote scored his second of the day close on Jackson's heels. Gavin Turman finished up the offensive explosion by putting the ball past the goalie as the game was called.
It was a tremendous team victory against a scrappy opponent, and all 17 players did well and got a lot of quality time on the pitch. SCS won their 4th game in a row, and their shutout streak increased to four contests as well, as their overall record moved to 4-1.
They look forward to Novi Christian next Monday in an away match, against a team that swept them last season.
Current record: 4-1
GAME 6 VS NOVI CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
On Monday, the Eagles traveled to play rival Novi Christian Academy, a team they had not beaten since 2019. It was cool and overcast, and the team had trouble matching the same energy they showed in the previous week's victories.
However, Jackson Veldman was able to beat the keeper twice in the first frame to stake SCS to a 2-0 lead. Levi Bowman played the first half of shutout soccer in goal, and Gavin Turman replaced him for the second half as they have often done this season.
After the break, it was Nate Ehlen's turn to reel off two goals. The Warriors added one of their own in between Nate's strikes for a final 4-1 margin.
Chase Holmes had several great runs and dominated play in the middle of the field for much of the game. Elijah Marbry and David John showed a lot of hustle and were involved in many key plays as well.
On Tuesday, the Eagles get an away rematch against Plymouth Christian, the only team to successfully defeat SCS in the first half of the season.
Current record: 5-1
GAME 7 VS PLYMOUTH CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
On a humid and rainy Tuesday afternoon, the team headed southwest to take on perennial rival Plymouth Christian at their place. The game was tightly contested throughout, with the Eagles playing stout defense and just missing on several chances in the first half.Eventually, the home team was able to push two across the line for a 2-0 halftime deficit. Levi Bowman played in goal for the first half, and Gavin Turman took his place in the second. Both goalies played well and made important saves to keep the contest close all the way through the final whistle.
PCA was able to add one more goal in the second half for a final 3-0 margin. SCS had a shot off the crossbar and several threats but could never quite convert. They gave it all they had and can be proud even in defeat against a talented opponent.
Thursday they are excited to welcome Parkway back and look to return quickly to the win column.
Current record: 5-2
Current record: 5-2
GAME 8 VS PARKWAY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
The Eagles returned to action Thursday against Parkway Christian, missing five players and both goalies. They rose to the challenge and played an exciting match against the visitors with just two subs.
Current Record: 6-2
Current Goal Differential: 38-9 SCS
Nate Ehlen got the start in goal, and was relieved 15 minutes into the first half by Caleb Hutchison, who played solidly between the pipes for the remainder of the contest. Jackson Veldman struck first, staking SCS to a 1-0 lead. Nate Ehlen followed soon after with a goal of his own, and Elijah Marbry successfully pounded a left-footed shot past the keeper on an assist from Jackson to round out the first half tallies.
In the second half, the team played a shuffled lineup, with defenders getting to go forward. Chase Baker soon found the back of the net to make it 4-0 in favor of the Eagles. Later in the second frame both Jackson (his 15th of the season) and Nate (his 10th of the season) scored once again, to extend the lead to 6-0. A late goal by Parkway in the final minute resulted in a 6-1 final.
The team moves to 6-2 on the season and heads up to Oakland Christian next Tuesday for their first meeting with the Lancers of 2024.
Current Record: 6-2
Current Goal Differential: 38-9 SCS
GAME 9 VS OAKLAND CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
The cold rain came pouring down at Oakland Christian on Tuesday, and so did the goals for the SCS boy's soccer game in a dominating first-half outburst against the Lancers.
With Gavin Turman playing goal and making several nice saves, the Eagles struck first with a long shot by Nate Ehlen. Dane DeGiulio scored his first of the season soon after to make it 2-0, and Jackson Veldman pounded 2 solid shots through for his 16th and 17th of the year for a 4-0 lead.
Chase Holmes scored next, followed by Dane's second of the contest for a 6-0 margin. Then, Nate Ehlen scored his second goal of the rain-soaked contest, his 12th of the year, to push SCS's lead to 7 at the halftime break.
The second half was much more tightly played, with the home Lancers finally stopping SCS's barrage and countering with two goals of their own. Caleb Hutchison filled in as goalie for the second half, making several saves in the process.
With the 7-2 victory, the Eagles move to a 7-2 record on the year, the first time a middle school Eagles club has reached that win total since 2015. They also reached another milestone with 45 goals scored, surpassing the mark set by the 2022 club as the highest season total on record.
Next up is an away contest at Inter-City Baptist on Thursday afternoon.
Current Record: 7-2
Current Goal Differential: 45-11 SCS
Current Record: 7-2
Current Goal Differential: 45-11 SCS
GAME 10 VS INTER-CITY BAPTIST
The boys played a competitive match against Inter-City down at their home field on Thursday afternoon. Jackson Veldman was able to strike early for his 18th goal of the season on a beautiful assist from Chase Holmes to put the Eagles up 1-0 several minutes in.The Chargers were awarded a penalty kick near the end of the first half and they successfully converted it, leading to a halftime score of 1-1.
The team continued to play hard into the second half and created multiple opportunities, and while the defense withstood many attacks, one ball eventually got through and Inter-City capitalized on it well for a 2-1 lead.
The Chargers were again awarded a trip to the penalty line, and Gavin Turman turned it away on a great save up and over the bar, one of many he made during the game. Unfortunately, the referees ruled that the Eagles had been too eager and entered the box, resulting in another attempt. The home team finally converted that one for a 3-1 lead.
The rest of the half saw the Chargers hunker down on defense, and they successfully stalled and played the ball out of bounds to wind down the clock for the 3-1 win.
The Eagles' record falls to 7-3 on the season and they are looking forward to a rematch against Oakland Christian at home next Monday.
Current Record: 7-3
Current Goal Differential: 46-14 SCS
Current Record: 7-3
Current Goal Differential: 46-14 SCS
GAME 11 VS OAKLAND CHRISTIAN
The Eagles welcomed Oakland Christian for the second match of the year against the Lancers Monday afternoon, and the teams held each other scoreless during a well-played and competitive first half.
Current Record: 8-3
Current Goal Differential: 47-14 SCS
Levi Bowman made a handful of saves, but the defensive trio of Will Wyatt, Chase Baker, and Elijah Marbury limited the visitors' chances for the entire contest.
After halftime, the Eagles' pressure mounted even further, and the offense created more scoring opportunities. Finally about midway through the second frame, Jackson Veldman was able to slot a shot under the goalie's outstretched arms for a 1-0 lead.
The home team continued to dominate possession and nearly added to their tally, which helped limit Oakland's chances to equalize. When the final horn sounded, SCS was the victor by a final score of 1-0.
The team moves to an 8-3 record on the year and plays its final game of the season at home Tuesday against Roeper
Current Record: 8-3
Current Goal Differential: 47-14 SCS