• HS Baseball 4/25: Negaunee 10, Escanaba 9
  • HS Baseball 4/25: Bark River-Harris 11, Superior Central 1
  • HS Softball 4/25: Menominee 15, Bark River-Harris 0
  • HS Softball 4/25: Hancock 12, Norway 2
  • HS Softball 4/25: Houghton 10, Westwood 2
  • HS Baseball 4/25: Traverse City West 9, Sault Ste. Marie 3
  • HS Softball 4/25: Kingsford 15, Marquette 0
5911 articles
Friday April 26, 2024
LITTLE SCHOOL WINS BIG: Bach Leads Warriors

Click the thumbnails above to see photos, courtesy of the CCCS.

NEGAUNEE---Sometimes, David really does beat Goliath.

And when an Upper Peninsula high school soccer team that wins a championship is a tiny, Christian-based school, well, the Biblical analogy is just irresistable.

The Copper Country Christian Warriors won the Division Two U.P. soccer championship over the weekend, beating a club from a large Class A/B school twice in the process, including once in a spirited championship game.

Now, it won't be as monumental as the victory David scored in his defeat of the monster Goliath in the Bible. But for a little school based in Chassell, with some homeschooled kids on the team, well, the first-ever soccer championship was special.

Marquette usually hosts the UP Division II Soccer Finals, but didn't do it this time, so four teams converged on Negaunee's Peter Waara Park.

There were five games held in the daylong event under cold conditions, with on-again-off-again snow showers and a chilly breeze.

In the championship game, Sault Ste. Marie jumped out to an early 2-0 lead.

But CCCS's Noah Bach eventually scored to pull within one. Shortly before halftime, Colby Balyo scored on a corner kick from Bach to knot it up at 2-2.

The teams remained deadlocked for 27 minutes of the second half before Bach was fouled in the box, setting up a penalty kick.

He scored to take the lead, and the defense, led by goal keeper, Ian Balyo, held off a very physical team, to win help the little school from the Keweenaw win its first-ever championship (in 15-plus years).

Earlier in the day, the Marquette JV team (all high school boys) defeated Negaunee (co-ed, high school to 19 years), 3-0.

Then Copper Country Christian, with kids from seventh grade to 19-year-olds beat the Sault, 2-1, on a goal and penalty kick by Ben Bishop.

Next, Copper Country Christian faced the Marquette JV. The Junior Redmen scored first before Bach tied it up late in the first half.

In the second hald, Bach scored on a penalty kick to make itg 2-1, and Luke Bishop added an insurance goal.

In the fourth game, the Sault beat Negaunee, 4-0. This put Sault and the Marquette JV in a tie by points, but Sault advanced to the championship game by winning a goal differential tie-breaker. That set up the championship, and a huge win for a little school.





NEAR PERFECTION: Redmen Win D1 Soccer Title
Monday October 19, 2020
Marquette Soccer Team Keeps Rolling In Houghton
Monday September 14, 2020
Dawson, Lindberg Lead Redmen Soccer In Rout
Tuesday September 8, 2020
Marquette Redmen Soccer Shuts Out Escanaba 8-0
Thursday September 3, 2020