Meet the 2022 All-Enquirer Boys Soccer Team
The 2022 Battle Creek Enquirer All-Enquirer Boys Soccer Team is made up of players from teams in the Enquirer coverage area and selected by the Enquirer sports staff.
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Arif Ahmed
Coldwater
After taking his sophomore season off, Arif Ahmed came back for a big junior season and helped Coldwater to an 8-8-3 record overall and a second-place finish in the Interstate 8 Conference at 5-1-1. A co-captain, Ahmed had 14 goals and seven assists and earned all-league and all-district honors. His technical ability and speed made him a go-to player for the Cardinals.
Austin Atkins
Coldwater
Converting Austin Atkins from a center back to an outside defender allowed him to not only shutdown many of the opposing team's best offensive players, but also allowed him to join the Cardinal attack. With a goal and an assist, Atkins earned all-conference honors and all-district accolades as Coldwater was 8-8-3 overall and 5-1-1 in the Interstate 8.
Mathew Bacik
Lakeview
Mathew Bacik finished his fourth varsity season as the No. 3 all-time scorer in program history. A two-year captain, Bacik ended the 2022 campaign with 13 goals and 10 assists. Over his four years he amassed 33 goals and 23 assists. In helping Lakeview to an All-City title and a spot in the district finals, Bacik was all-league in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference and earned all-district and all-region honors as well as honorable mention All-State.
Nicholas Behnke
Harper Creek
A team leader and captain for a 7-10-2 squad, Nicholas Behnke was one of Harper Creek’s best defenders. He had the ability to often neutralize the opponent’s best attacker. An excellent passer from the back, the senior helped the team transition to offense. Behnke earned all-conference honors and had two goals and three assists. He was voted team MVP.
Drew Boucher
Gull Lake
Considered one of the best center backs in the league, Drew Boucher was part of a talented junior class for a Gull Lake team that was ranked No. 1 all year and won a state championship in Division 2. Boucher controlled the game from the middle of the field as he earned all-league in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference as well as earning all-district honors.
Ryker Corstange
Gull Lake
One of the top rising prospects in the junior class, Ryker Corstange had another standout season for a Gull Lake team that was ranked No. 1 all year and won a state championship in Division 2. Corstange had 19 goals and 24 assists as his speed and ballhandling were key to the Blue Devils' attack. The forward was named all-league in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference as well as earning all-district and First-Team All-State honors.
Daniel Martin Delgado
Lakeview
Daniel Martin Delgado, an exchange student from Spain, had a very solid second half of the season. Being only a sophomore, he played the attacking center midfield role for the high-scoring Spartans, who finished with a program-record 76 goals. Delgado finished with nine goals and 11 assists. In helping Lakeview to an All-City title and a spot in the district finals, Delgado was all-league in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference and earned all-district honors.
Liam Dzialo
Harper Creek
A senior captain for a 7-10-2 Harper Creek team that went 3-3-1 in the Interstate 8, Liam Dzialo was a strong left defender for the Beavers. Dzialo was able to lock down his opposing offensive player in the back with the size and speed to force his matchup into errors as he earned all-conference honors.
Alex Fourn
Pennfield
Alex Fourn was a senior center midfielder, who was a leader on and off the field for a Pennfield team that went 6-13. He finished with 10 goals and five assists and earned honorable mention all-conference honors in the Interstate 8 as well as all-district accolades. His play on defense and getting the ball to the next level on offense was key for a young Panther squad.
Nathan Grennes
Pennfield
A team captain, Nathan Grennes was a senior forward and a player who led by example for a young Pennfield squad that went 6-13. With three goals and two assists, he gave the Panthers a spark and earned all-district honors. His play going toward the net opened opportunities for the Panther attack.
Lal Hlui
Battle Creek Central
A four-year varsity player and senior captain, Lal Hlui was a bright spot for a Battle Creek Central team that went 1-12-2 in a highly-competitive Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference. Hlui earned all-conference honors from his midfield position as he scored three goals and had five assists.
Ethan Kinney
St. Philip/Calhoun Christian
Ethan Kinney was one of the leaders and captains for a St. Philip/Calhoun Christian co-op team that went 2-9-3. As one of the most accurate ball strikers on the team, he was a key offensive force who showed the ability to score with his feet, while also adding two goals on headers.
Tariku Klipsch
Gull Lake
Showing standout speed and the ability to beat his defenders off the ball, Tariku Klipsch had a big senior season for a Gull Lake team that was ranked No. 1 all year and won a state championship in Division 2. Klipsch, playing midfielder, had 13 goals and six assists and was named all-league in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference as well as earning all-district honors and an honorable mention spot on the All-State team.
Micah Martinson
Marshall
As a defensive midfielder, Micah Martinson doesn't have eye-popping stats with a goal and six assists on the season. However, the senior was a key on-field presence for a Marshall team that went 12-9-2 on the season. A leader among a very young midfield group, his ability to read plays, intercept passes and win tackles were key for the Redhawks as he finished as an all-conference selection in the Interstate 8.
Travis Neal
Lakeview
Travis Neal, a junior center back and captain, led the Spartans defense. Neal helped the Spartans to an outstanding 10 shutouts in 23 games. Travis made it very difficult for a lot of offenses and created havoc for some of the state's top players. In helping Lakeview to an All-City title and a spot in the district finals, Neal was all-league in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference and earned all-district honors.
Muan Pu
Battle Creek Academy
In its first season competing as a team allowed to compete in the MHSAA postseason, Muan Pu helped Battle Creek Academy go 5-8-1 and earn a win in district play. As the most impactful player on the team, Muan Pu had 14 goals and two assists, showing the ability to help out on defense as well being a go-to scorer for the program. Three of his goals came on penalty kicks.
Josh Pugh
Marshall
Josh Pugh had a record-breaking career at Marshall as the 2021 All-Stater, and four-time all-conference player in the Interstate 8 Conference, ends his run with the Redhawks. Pugh had 34 goals, breaking his own single-season record that he set a year ago. He is also the all-time leading scorer at Marshall with 110 goals overall. The senior helped Marshall to a 12-9-2 mark this fall, earning all-district and All-State First-Team honors once again.
Maximiliano Rosas
Battle Creek Central
A three-year varsity player and senior captain, Maximiliano Rosas was a bright spot for a Battle Creek Central team that went 1-12-2 in a highly-competitive Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference. Rosas earned all-conference honors as one of the Bearcats' best defenders.
Nabil Saied
Coldwater
After lining up as a defensive player a year ago, Nabil Saied became a game-breaking midfield/forward this season for a Coldwater team that went 8-8-3 record overall and took second place in the Interstate 8 at 5-1-1. A co-captain, Saied had five goals and five assists and earned all-league and all-district honors. His play in the midfield opened up the offense for the forwards.
Sang Sang
Lakeview
Sang Sang, a four-year varsity player who had nine goals and seven assists for the Spartans this year, ended his career with more than 20 goals. In helping Lakeview to an All-City title and a spot in the district finals, Sang was all-league in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference and earned all-district honors.
Abram Thang
Lakeview
Abram Thang led the Spartans in scoring and assists as Lakeview was All-City champion and advanced to the district finals. He finished his outstanding senior season with 23 goals and 13 assists. Over his four-year varsity career he had 51 goals, putting him at No. 2 all-time in program history. A two-time captain, Thang was all-league in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference and earned all-district and all-region honors as well as Third-Team All-State.
Kai Watts
Gull Lake
A standout player at the outside back position, Kai Watts was part of a talented junior class for a Gull Lake team that was ranked No. 1 all year and won a state championship in Division 2. Watts kept the ball moving, allowing the Blue Devils to implement its aggressive style as he earned all-league in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference as well as earning all-district honors.
Kaden Wright
Harper Creek
A senior captain for a 7-10-2 Harper Creek team, Kaden Wright was the Beavers' lead attacker with 12 goals and six assists. He never quit moving on the field and was a constant threat to score and apply tenacious back pressure to the opponent as he earned all-conference honors and was voted 'Best Offensive Player' by his teammates.
Jasek Zielaskowski
Gull Lake
An aggressive and talented player with the ball, Jasek Zielaskowski had a big senior season for a Gull Lake team that was ranked No. 1 all year and won a state championship in Division 2. Zielaskowski, playing midfielder, had 21 goals and eight assists and was named all-league in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference as well as earning all-district honors as well as a Second-Team All-State spot.
HONORABLE MENTION
Griff Klein (Marshall), Branden Contat (Marshall), William Hewitt (Pennfield), Kyle Smith (Pennfield), Zach Walling (Pennfield), Ezaldeen Ahmed (Coldwater), Laith Musa (Coldwater), Evan Kaiser (Gull Lake), Ethan Carr (Gull Lake), Zavier Thomas (Gull Lake), Alex Lafleur (Harper Creek), Johnny Ramos (Harper Creek), Luke Borozan (Lakeview), Andy Ignatovich (Lakeview), Hung Ling (Lakeview), Billy Felton (St. Philip/Calhoun Christian), Deven VanderBilt (St. Philip/Calhoun Christian), Khup Kim (Battle Creek Academy), Daniel Mung (Battle Creek Academy)
Contact Bill Broderick at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on Twitter @billbroderick
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Meet the 2022 All-Enquirer Boys Soccer Team
