Harper Creek kicks off district boys soccer play with victory over upstart Hastings

BATTLE CREEK - Records don't matter when it comes to the postseason.

No matter how much success you may have had. Or, how little your opponent might have had. If you don't win, your season is over.

A favored Harper Creek team faced that head on as underdog Hastings attempted to knock the Beavers out of the playoffs. But, in the end, the Beavers held on as Harper Creek beat Hastings 2-1 in the first round of Michigan High School Athletic Association boys soccer district play on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

MORE: Michigan High School boys soccer rankings

Harper Creek advances to the Division 2 district semifinals on Monday at Plainwell to play the winner of Thornapple-Kellogg vs. Marshall.

Playing on their home field, Harper Creek came into district action with a 10-5 record. The Beavers were playing a 1-19-3 Hastings team that had lost to Harper Creek during the regular season by the score of 3-0.

None of those numbers mattered much until Harper Creek broke a 1-1 tie with a go-ahead goal by TJ Ruble with 11:17 remaining in regulation.

"We went over all of that all of last week. We told our guys that their record didn't matter. Everybody is 0-0 in districts. Districts are totally different. You have to come to play," Harper Creek coach Kyle Grestini said. "Win and advance. That's what it is all about. It doesn't matter who you play, or what the score is. Win by one goal and move on to the next round."

Ruble scored both goals for Harper Creek in the win. His first tally came with 8:48 left in the first half on an assist by Rodrigo Nunez to make it 1-0.

Hastings scored in the first two minutes of play after intermission as Hugo Zeichhardt tied the game at 1-1 for the Saxons.

The game remained tied until Ruble found the net again on an assist by Kohen Hudson for the game-winner.

It was the first time the junior had scored two goals in a game since the first game of his freshman year.

"This was a huge win for our program.... it's a great way to start this third of the season," Ruble said. "In a game like this, to do this for my team, to score, is amazing. This means the world to me. To get hot at the right time and score tonight, just means the world to me."

The win also came as Harper Creek played the majority of the contest with just 10 players. The Beavers received a red card for unsportsmanlike conduct based something that was said on the field with 5:32 left in the first half and was a down a player the rest of the game.

"We were down to 10 men with a very ridiculous red card. It was ridicoulous by us, we should have gotten it, we should have received it,"Grestini said. "But playing with 10 men in a district game is really putting us to the test. We have played with 10 men four times this year and won all four times, so we are no stranger to that. But that's not how you want to play a district game."

Junior keeper Broderick Hanger helped Harper Creek get the win, giving up just the one goal.

Division 1

Lakeview was scheduled to face Mattawan in a first-round district game in Division 1. The winner will advance to play the winner of Battle Creek Central vs. Loy Norrix on Oct. 15.

Battle Creek Central was scheduled to play at Loy Norrix in a first-round game in Division 1. The winner will advance to play the winner of Lakeview vs. Mattawan on Oct. 15.

Division 2

Pennfield will host Onsted (3-14-1) in a Division 2 first-round district game at 5 p.m. on Thursday. Pennfield comes into the postseason at 9-9.

In other Division 2 action, Coldwater will host Niles in a district opener. Coldwater finished the regular season as Interstate 8 Conference champs and came into the postseason at 14-5-1.

Division 3

Williamston earned a 13-0 mercy-rule victory over Olivet in Division 3 district action. Olivet ends the season at 1-17. Williamston advances to host Lake Fenton on Tuesday.

Division 4

The Calhoun Christian/St. Philip co-op team saw its season come to an end with a 6-2 loss to Kalamazoo Phoenix on Wednesday. Kalamazoo Phoenix advances to see Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic on Monday in the district semifinals.

In other Division 4 action, Bronson will host Maple Valley in a district opener at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

Contact Bill Broderick at [email protected]. Follow him on X/Twitter @billbroderick.

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Battle Creek-area results from first round of district soccer tourney