---Thanks, Damion Deneau, MSHS Soccer---
BOYNE FALLS, Mich.---The Marquette High School boys soccer team opened the 2025 season with five matches against strong downstate competition this weekend, and ended up winning three matches, losing one, and another ending in a scoreless draw.
The two-time defending district champion Sentinels played twice Friday in Petoskey, beating the host Northmen, 1-0, and tying Haslett, 0-0.
Then on Saturday, Marquette got a satisfying 2-1 win over the Fruitport Trojans, the team that has ended the boys’ season in the regionals in each of the last two years. Marquette also beat Jackson Northwest, 2-1, and was overwhelmed by the defending state champion Warren delaSalle Pilots, 5-1.
The win over Fruitport is a signature one for Marquette to kick off the Boyne Mountain Invitational, which brought together 18 soccer teams from across the state (including ten district champions and five regional champions). Marquette got the early jump when Finn Styles drove the ball deep in to the right corner and send a beautiful crossing pass across the goal mouth where Charlie Hrodey made solid connection with the head to bury it in the back of the net.
The Trojans evened things up before the halftime break, and it looked like they may take the lead when their striker managed to find himself streaking down the middle of the field looking for a breakaway chance.
Marquette defender Dylan Deneau was able to make up ground just enough to push the attacker towards the outside and eventually knock the ball away to keep the score tied 1-1. Moments later, Hrodey found Seth Sandstrom along the goal line. Sandstom scored on a tough angle to give Marquette the 2-1 lead.
Next up, with temperatures well in the 80’s, Marquette had a tough task in facing the defending state champion DelaSalle Pilots. The metro Detroit team jumped to a quick 2-0 lead, Marquette was able to claw back to 2-1 when a key substitution brought Sophomore midfielder Liam Hewitt to take the field. Hewitt was able to find some space and put one past the Pilots keeper off a corner kick.
But the state’s top Division Two scorer from last season, Andrew Corder, picked up where he left off last season when he was named the state’s Offensove Player of the Year.
The third game of the day, and fifth of the weekend, saw Marquette take on Jackson Northwest. The Mounties scored the first goal, but Hrodey answered moments later to tie the game at 1-1. Then Marquette midfielder Landon Hartung found himself with an opportunity from the top of the box and buried it, putting the Sentimels ahead, 2-1, and they played defense the rest of the way, with Jayden Keys doing much of the work in the middle of the field.
On Friday, Hartung scored the only goal as Marquette defeated Petoskey, 1-0. Late in the game, goaltender Carter Tonella was able to keep Petoskey from tying the game when he stopped a breakway off of a penalty kick, giving new Head Coach Charlie Hill his first coaching win.
Marquette will have its home opener Tuesday afternoon against Iron Mountain, with game time set for 5:00 at the Kaufman Sports Complex. The Sentinels will also host a triangular next Saturday against Ortonville-Brandon and Kingsford. Games are set for 11:00, 1:00, and 3:00.
