PETOSKEY โ On the surface level, there wasn't much going on for the Petoskey girls soccer team at this weekend's Petoskey Soccer Invitational.
But aside from the actual invitation itself, there was actually a time when postseason play was on the horizon if they could string together some wins on Saturday.
And they did.
“Today's results have secured us the top spot in district seeding and we are preparing for a tough week of Big North play,” Petoskey coach Zach Yonker said after receiving the invitation. It was a great day of competition.”
With a 2-1 record, PHS improved to 11-2-1 on the season and earned the coveted No. 1 seed in the district, with a win guaranteeing a hosting opportunity and a couple. Ta.
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Harbor Springs also entered the invitational and was the smallest program (many of them Division 1 or 2 programs) to finish within a day or two of the participating schools.
Petoskey started the day with a 5-0 win over Marquette, one of the district's leading teams, followed by a 1-0 win against Grand Blanc and a 3-1 loss at Lake Orion. Ta.
Five players scored in the opener against Marquette, including Lily Premo, Bryn Jonker, Clara Mailloux, Haidyn Wegman and Maddie Smith.
Smith had two assists, while Premo and Claire O'Donnell also had one each.
Then Avery Armstrong scored a goal against Grand Blanc with five minutes left, also with an assist from Wegman.
Smith then added his second unassisted goal of the day in the loss to Lake Orion.
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On a day when they earned the top seed and scored seven goals on offense, Yonkers had to give credit to their backline and keeper for their seventh and eighth shutouts of the year.
โOur backline handled a lot of pressure well throughout the day and Sadie Coley had another great day in goal,โ Yonker added.
The next few weeks will turn to wrapping up the Big North Conference title for Petoskey (6-1-1, BNC). With three games remaining, the Northmen maintain a three-point lead in the standings over Traverse City West, and will next face their opponent on Tuesday, May 14th at Northmen Stadium.
Games against Alpena and TC Central then follow to close out the season and conference before district play.
Petoskey will await the winner of the Alpena-Sault Ste. Marie, Gaylord hosts Marquette at the bottom of the bracket.
Saturday ended on a high for Harbor Springs with a 4-0 win over Bay City John Glenn after losing 5-2 to Clarkston and 3-1 to Flint Powers Catholic. .
The Rams move to 5-10-2 and will next face Traverse City St. Francis at home on Wednesday, May 15th. They will also end the season at Charlevoix on Monday, May 20th.
Please contact or submit game stats and information to Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on X, where he was previously known as Twitter (@DrewKochanny) and on his Instagram (@drewkochanny).