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BY DAN STICKRADT
WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR | DIRECTOR OF NEWS
Premier Media Group | National Soccer Network and affiliates
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ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – As expected, when a team wins the Division 1 state championship, that particular school reaps the rewards on the postseason All-State lists.
Rochester Adams did so this season – and for good reason. The Highlanders were ranked in the top 10 all season long and with 17 seniors and bevy of future college talent, captured their second state championship in three years and third overall in school history.
It is of no surprise that the nationally-ranked Highlanders earned seven total All-State players this season, five on the first team, one on the second team and one in the honorable mention category, and those seven Adams standouts were part of a large group from the talent-laden Oakland Activities Association Red Division to earn some type of All-State recognition this season. In fact, the eight-team league produced 26 overall All-State players in Division 1 and nine of them were selected to the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association Division1 All-State First Team this season – more than any other conference or division within a conference.
The Division All-State First Team is loaded with talented players and even forced some NCAA Division I and Division II recruits downward to the second and third teams because there was a bevy of talent competing in high school at the Division 1 level this past fall.
Below are the player profiles of all of the MHSSCA Division 1 All-State First Team selections:
FORWARDS
KAI NIELSEN, Berkley sr. F: Nielsen is an example of a player just simply getting better and better each year. After a strong club season last winter and spring, Nielsen had a foot in 49 percent of his team’s 69 goals as he scored an OAA Red Division-leading 21 goals this season with 13 assists and 55 points. He also added six game-winning goals and two game-tying tallies. He finished his three-year varsity career with 35 goals and 26 assists while his 13 assists this year were the second most in a season in program history. Teamwise, Nielsen helped the Bears remain in the top 15 in Division 1 all season, finish 17-5-2, tie for fourth in a loaded Oakland Activities Association Red Division, outscore the opposition 69-22, average 2.88 goals per game, post a team goals-against-average of 0.92 with 11 shutouts, and reach the district finals for the fifth time in six seasons. Nielsen earned All-OAA Red Division, All-District, All-Region, All-Oakland County and Division 1 All-State First Team this season and he is one of nine OAA Red Division players to earn Division 1 All-State First Team this year. Although Nielsen has the track-type speed, a knack for the goal and pedigree of playing in big games, and the talent to play college soccer at various levels, he is leaning on going to either the University of Michigan or UCLA and concentrate on just studies. He has an outstanding 4.54 GPA and registered a stellar 35 on his ACT. On the club circuit, he plays in the Vardar organization.
“Kai has been a major contributor to our success over his three seasons on varsity,” said Berkley coach Steve Wloszek. “His ability to poach the ball from defenders and turn it into a solo counterattack made him dangerous and made teams ignore possession out of the back in fears of him stealing it. He is a clinical finisher and his speed on the field was unmatched.”
SALVATORE DINOTO, Rochester Adams sr. F: DiNoto joined the Highlanders’ roster in late August and didn’t compete in games until early September. But he made an immediate impact once he was eligible. DiNoto finished with seven goals and five assists for the talented Highlanders and helped them make a run to the Division 1 state championship. He was All-OAA Red Division, All-District, All-Region, All-Oakland County and Division 1 All-State First Team this season despite playing in only 75 percent of the games during his first high school campaign. He helped Adams to a stellar 18-2-4 record playing a rugged schedule, and to a 64-16 scoring edge and 13 shutouts over 24 games. DiNoto competed with the Michigan Jaguars MLS Next Academy as a freshman and sophomore before taking up residency with the Columbus Crew MLS Next Youth team in his age group as a junior during the 2023-24 school year. He opted to return to Michigan this year and was originally going to compete with Vardar MLS Next Academy but opted late to compete for Adams and spend just a couple of months competing one time with his friends. DiNoto was a heavy lean to Ohio State University but has now picked up recruiting from several other NCAA Division I schools along with OSU, Western Michigan University and a host of others that are taking a serious look at his abilities. Once the dust settles with the lowered roster spots for NCAA Division I athletics and the transfer portal, DiNoto will make his college decision during the winter or spring months.
“Sal is a great kid and we were glad to have him this year,” said Adams coach Josh Hickey. “He didn’t score a ton of goals, but he scored some really big goals. He scored a few game winners, scored some goals in the tournament and even scored in the state finals. He understands how to play the game the right way and was very dangerous in every game he played in this season. Wherever he goes to college, I believe he’ll excel. He’s a very talented soccer player.”
ANTHONY ELIAS, Romeo sr. F: After spending his eighth grade through junior seasons competing solely for Vardar MLS Next Academy in his age group, Elias opted to play one season of high school soccer with his lifelong friends and helped make an impact. After fellow standout Alex Cappuso went down with a season-ending knee injury one game after Labor Day, Elias helped take charge of the Bulldogs and lead them into unchartered waters. He finished with a single-season school record 28 goals with five assists for 61 points, one of the highest point totals in program history. He led Romeo to a 15-5-2 overall record and a .682 winning percentage, both some of the best in program history. He also lead Romeo to its first district championship since 1987, its first-ever regional victory and a berth in the regional finals before the Bulldogs succumbed to eventual Division 1 state champion Rochester Adams. Elias’ Bulldogs outscored the opposition 60-26, average 2.73 goals per game, post nine shutouts in 22 games, finish second in the Macomb Area Conference-Red Division, the team’s best finish in the MAC-Red, and a respectable 1.19 goals-against-average as a team. He currently plays club ball for Nationals SC-ECNL. Recruiting-wise, Elias was being courted by NCAA Division I schools University of Detroit-Mercy and Bowling Green State University along with some smaller schools such as Aquinas College.
“I didn’t even know he was going to play for us until the middle of the summer and once he came out I knew he was going to make an impact,” said Romeo coach Vincent Vasilevski. “He has a knack for the goal and is always dangerous when he touched the ball. And once Alex (Cappuso) went down, we asked him to step up and he did and we had perhaps the best season we’ve ever had at Romeo. Anthony was a big part of it. I though he was the most dangerous forward in the entire MAC this season. I don’t think we’ve ever had a (male) soccer player make All-State First Team.”
DREW DIEBOLT, Caledonia sr. D/M/F: The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Diebolt has been one of the top-rated players in Michigan in his age group since he was in middle school. He played with the Midwest United MLS Next Academy from the eighth grade through his sophomore years, and then last school year signed and competed for the Columbus Crew MLS Next Youth Academy as a junior. He opted to come back home to play for his high school as a senior and made an immediate impact. The NCAA Division I University of Michigan commit is a great two-way player who can be effective both anchoring the back line or being a part of the attack. A left back or left center back on the club circuit, Diebolt’s services for Caledonia also included stints at attacking center midfielder and forward. He collected 16 goals and eight assists this year and scored several highlight-reel goals for the Fighting Scots this year. Diebolt, considered a top-200 prospect nationally in the Class of 2025 who was being courted by numerous NCAA Division I programs before his commitment to Michigan, earned All-Ottawa Kent Conference-Green Division, All-District, All-Region and Division 1 All-State First Team to go along with his All-State Dream Team selection. He led Caledonia to a respectable 13-4-0 overall record, including a 3-0 shutout of eventual Division 1 state runner-up Byron Center in late September, along with an 8-2-0 conference record good for the runner-up slot. His team was upset in the D-1 pre-district match. He helped Caledonia outscore the opposition 53-10, average 3.12 goals a game while help boasting one of the state’s top defenses with a 0.59 team goals-against-average and 10 shutouts. Diebolt is believed to be Caledonia’s first Dream Team honoree in boys soccer in program history. He played with the Caledonia Cats youth team through the sixth grade before being scooped up to play in the Midwest United system. After the completion of the prep season in October, Diebolt returned to the Midwest United MLS Next Academy to continue to play at a high level and continue to hone his skills for a future of Big Ten Conference soccer.
“We were excited that Drew chose to come play for us his senior year,” said first-year Caledonia coach Luke Dishnow. “He plays in the back in club and at first we tried him in the midfield and then we pushed him up top at forwards quite bit this season. He really learned how to become a forward. He’s very skilled, athletic, hard to (knock) off the ball and he is very quick on the outside with his crosses, ability to get forward or cut into the middle or make diagonal runs. He scored some amazing goals for us this season. He’s very good, especially on the outside.”
ALEX MCCALLUM, Northville sr. F: Big, strong, powerful and fast is a deadly combination out on the pitch and ice for this two-sport athlete. McCallum is also a standout hockey player who has Compuware AAA hockey experience and varsity experience as a defenseman in that sport. He played high school hockey as a junior where he had 14 goals and 11 assists and earned All-KLAA honors. But perhaps soccer is his best sport. The three-year varsity veteran is a high-scoring forward who opposing defenders can’t knock off the ball. He warrants attention and welcomes contact because he can overpower defenders with the ball and has a quick release with his shot. He earned All-Kensington Lakes Activities Association Honorable Mention Honors as a sophomore when he finished with four goals and four assists. Playing a difficult schedule, he shined as a junior and senior as one of the Mustangs’ go-to players on offense, finishing with 23 goals and 16 assists as a junior and 19 goals and 13 assists this season. He is a two-time All-KLAA First Team, All-District, All-Area and All-Region player who earned All-State Second Team as a junior and All-State First Team and All-State Dream Team as a senior. McCallum led Northville to a Division 1 Final Four appearance as a junior, helped the Mustangs play in three district championship matches, post a three-year overall record of 48-7-9, a three-year 33-3-6 KLAA-West Division record, and win two straight KLAA-West Division and KLAA Conference Tournament championships. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound striker was part of an offense that outscored the opposition 69-22 this season and post 10 shutouts, while he was a key cog in an engine that outscored the opposition 191-55 over three years and post 32 clean sheets. His team was upset in the district finals in a shootout that featured 10 rounds of PKs. McCallum is one of at least six Northville players to make the Dream Team over the years.
“Alex is so big and strong that he almost wants the contact and plays off of it,” said Northville coach Henry Klimes. “He was so tough out there and the (senior) didn’t sneak up on anybody this year. Every team we played really tired to mark him. We kept him on varsity as a sophomore because we could see how strong he was (with the ball). He’s a hockey player and that (crossover sport) helps. The last couple of years he really teamed up with some other players to form a really good offensive (group). We’ll miss having him up there next year, for sure. Alex was a big part of our program.”
AIDAN ORTH, Traverse City West sr. F/M: The 6-foot-3, 175-pound Orth is a highly-decorated player on the high school, club soccer and Olympic Developmental Program platforms. He is on the Olympic Developmental Program National Team and Midwest Regional team for his age group, is a standout with his TBAYS North Storm club team and has been putting up big-time numbers at Traverse City West since he was a freshman. Orth was pulled up to the varsity early in his freshman season and has been a mainstay in the starting lineup ever since. Before his sophomore season, he was offered to take up residency with the Shattuck St. Mary’s MLS Next Academy but opted to remain in Traverse City. As a senior, Orth played in and started in 21 games and finished with 27 goals and 13 assists and two hattricks. For his career, he notched 75 goals, 43 assists and six hattricks. He was Division 1 All-State Third Team as a sophomore and All-State First Team as both a junior and senior. He is also a three-time All-Big North Conference, All-Area, All-District and All-Region honoree and helped Traverse City West win four straight Big North Conference and Division 1 district titles. Orth entered the season as a Mr. Soccer candidate and became the school’s fourth all-time All-State Dream Team selection, joining Casey Townsend (two-time Mr. Soccer), Dalton Michigan (Mr. Soccer) and Colin Blackport in an elite company. During the last four years, the Titans have posted a combined 69-11-6 record, a 38-1-1 league record, post 42 shutouts while being blanked just five times, and outscored the opposition 357-66 during that span with Orth in the program. On the recruiting side, Orth is in communication with NCAA Division I schools Western Illinois University, Eastern Illinois University, Oakland University and Purdue University-Fort Wayne, NCAA Division II Purdue-Northwest University and NCAA Division III Calvin University while he has received letters from dozens of schools over the last couple of years. He accepted an offer to go play in the United Soccer Coaches East-West High School All-Star Game in December and will go play with the Michigan Rangers Elite-64 club team this winter and spring.
“We called him up to varsity early his freshman year during the 2021 season and he was with us ever since. He had just a great career for us,” noted Traverse City West coach Matt Griesinger. “He got a chance his freshman year to play with another Dream Team player, Colin Blackport, and I think he learned a few things from him. The thing I love about Aidan is more than just the goals, clutch goals and all of the assists, but his ability to adjust in a game. He’s like having a coach on the field. He has a great (soccer IQ) and he see things out there and just makes decisions on the field. He doesn’t necessarily wait until halftime. He makes decisions to change things up and we had great trust in him because he sees things developing and he sees what other teams are doing and knows how to break them down. Not every kid out there has that ability. He’s been a big part of our program and we’ll miss having him next year.”
MIDFIELDERS
BASHAR OTHMAN, Dearborn Fordson sr. M/F: The Tractors have made a resurgence in boys soccer in recent years and posted one of their best overall campaigns in 2024. Bashar Othman was a big part of that success. Spending time at attacking midfielder or forward depending on the game situation, Othman proved to be one of Michigan’s most dangerous players on the attack. This season alone he recorded a single-season school record 32 goals, 21 assists, 85 points, which is another school record, three hattricks and six game-winning goals. This season, Fordson finished 16-4-2 over 22 games, went 11-1-2 to win the Kensington Lakes Activities Association-East Division title, reached the KLAA Conference Tournament finals before falling to then-unbeaten Northville (6-5), and advanced to the Division 1 district finals before falling to rival Dearborn Edsel Ford (1-0). Over his three-year career as a varsity starter, Othman scored 73 goals, had 51 assists and recorded 197 total points – all which rank amongst the all-time leaders for Fordson’s soccer program. Over the past three seasons, Othman has helped the Tractors go 46-15-4 over 65 games and post a .708 winning percentage during that span. He is a three-time All-KLAA First Team, All-District, All-Region, All-Dearborn Area and All-State player, earning third team as a sophomore and second team as a junior before first team this season. Othman has had conversations with NCAA Division I Oakland University as well as in-state NAIA schools Madonna University, Lawrence Tech University and UM-Dearborn amongst others.
“Not too many players have ever had the kind of season or career that Bashar had for us,” said Fordson coach Bobby Murray. “Setting records upon records, the 2024 season for Bashar Othman was one for the ages. Following an impressive first two years on varsity, Bashar came back for his senior year put up a monster season. He scored 32 goals and 21 assists setting (Fordson) single-season records in the process. Othman, a three-year varsity player and two-year captain, shattered the career scoring record at Fordson High School with career points. Bashar finished the season as the No. 1 player in District 12 for the second straight year. He was named the No. 7 field player in the state and received First Team All-State honors. Bashar also received All-District, All-Regional Honors. The Fordson soccer program is incredibly proud of all that Bashar has accomplished. Outside of being a quality young man, Bashar has been a tremendous player, and teammate throughout his varsity career. His love for the game and offensive skill set makes us excited to see him excel at the next level.”
LINCOLN FLOYD, Grand Blanc sr. M: After competing solely with the Nationals Soccer Club ECNL showcase team in ninth and 10th grade, Floyd made a huge impact on the Grand Blanc soccer program as a junior and senior. He helped lead the Bobcats to back-to-back Saginaw Valley League championships and to numerous weeks inside the Division 1 top 15 rankings in that span. This season, Floyd scored 20 goals, added 10 assists and record 50 points to go along with one hattrick and three game-winning goals. He missed three games due to injury and only played in 17 contests and was often pulled during lopsided wins. Floyd directed an offense that outscored the opposition 82-15 and average 4.10 goals-per-game all while getting back on defense to help post 11 clean sheets and a team goals-against-average of 0.75. Floyd is a two-time All-Saginaw Valley League First Team, All-District, All-Region, All-Flint Area, and All-State selection, making the jump up from third-team as a junior to first-team as a senior. Over two seasons, Floyd finished with 35 goals, 17 assists, 87 points, two hattricks and 10 game-winning goals. The 20 goals this season ranks top 10 on the single-season list for a storied program. After talking to several NCAA Division I and Division II schools, he recently committed to NCAA Division I University of Detroit-Mercy. He carries a 3.98 GPA.
“Lincoln is one of the most talented players I have ever been around as a coach,” said Grand Blanc coach Nick Thomas. “The amount of time he spends watching and studying the game in order to improve his craft is unlike anything I have seen for a player his age. Combine that with his work ethic, his tactical awareness, his technical ability, and his ability to be both available and coachable and I feel like Lincoln has barely scratched the surface for what he is capable of. He is a little undersized and has been a bit of a “late bloomer” on the club scene, but he is an extremely gifted player. U-D Mercy is lucky to be finding a player with such a high ceiling."
JOSH LITTLE, Hudsonville sr. M: A four-year starter, Little is one of the top players ever to don the Hudsonville jersey and he helped turn the Eagles from a struggling program to a team that captured the Ottawa Kent Conference-Red Division title this season for the first time. Hudsonville finished 10-4-6 overall and won the league with an undefeated record of 6-0-4. The Eagles only allowed 16 goals all season despite losing their last two games, including being upset in the Division 1 district semifinals in a shootout to Jenison (2-1), and posted 10 shutouts in 20 games with a 0.80 goals-against-average as a team. Hudsonville lost all of its goal scorers to graduation last year and struggled to score goals at times this season, only averaging 1.75 goals per game and 35 goals as a team. Little finished with eight goals and seven assists to earn All-State First Team accolades for the first time and to become a rare male soccer player at the school to do so. A defensive center midfielder, Little was asked to pick up some of the scoring slack this season. Little was also an All—OKC Red Division, All-District, All-Region, All-Grand Rapids Area First Team and All-State choice the last two years, also earning All-State Honorable Mention last season to go with his first-team status this year. The Michigan Rangers club player has shined on the club circuit and at ID camps the last couple of years and has had conversations with NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III and NAIA schools over the past year but is undecided on his college choice.
AIDEN PHENICIE, Portage Central sr. M: The leader of this talented band, Phenicie led the Mustangs to one of their best seasons in school history. The three-year varsity performer scored 18 goals with six assists, two hattricks and five game-winning goals from his attacking midfielder position but that doesn’t tell the whole story. The two-time Team MVP helped the Mustangs win Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference regular season, and conference tournament titles this year, capture their third straight Division 1 district crown and finish the regular season unbeaten. The Mustangs reached the regional finals for the third straight year with 15 shutouts and spent the whole season in the top five in Division1, including the No. 1 spot for more than a month. Despite injuries to of their best players, Phenicie helped the Mustangs outscore the opposition 87-8, average around 3.80 goals per game while conceding around 0.35 goals a contest this season enroute to a 19-1-3 record. Over his varsity career, he totaled 25 goals and 15 assists. This season Phenicie earned All-SMAC First Team, All-District, All-Region, All-Kalamazoo Area and Division 1 All-State First Team honors. The field general and captain has engaged in discussions with NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA schools and picked up an offer from NCAA Division II Davenport University. A two-time All-State player, he carries a 3.75 GPA. He plays club ball for TKO.
“It’s interesting. Aiden was almost cut from the JV team as a freshman,” said Portage Central coach Tim Halloran. “He was out of shape and didn't work very hard. We kept him because of his skill level. He was moved up to varsity (eventually) to win a starting position later in the season, and I don't think he has lost a two-mile timed run since. Aiden did everything for us. He scored big goals, he got big assists, he won countless tackles, he controlled the midfield, and he led us on a daily basis. The commitment he made to succeeding after his freshman year has made him a true legend at Portage Central.”
DANIEL KADIU, Troy Athens jr. M: During his sophomore year, Kadiu came on strong the second half of the season and later became one of the Red Hawks’ top players as Athens ended up winning the Division 1 state championship a year ago. This year as only one of eight returnees, Kadiu rose to the cream of the crop not only at Athens but in the talent-laden Oakland Activities Association Red Division as one of the best players there and in all of Division 1. The All-OAA Red Division, All-District, All-Region, All-Oakland County and Division 1 All-State First Team choice led the Red Hawks from his attacking midfielder position with 18 goals and 11 assists and became a clutch performer. Kadiu’s Red Hawks still finished a respectable 12-4-2 overall, tied for fourth in a loaded OAA-Red, was ranked virtually the whole season, and outscored the opposition 46-14 with eight shutouts and was just one of two teams to defeat eventual D-1 state champion Rochester Adams this year. Kadiu, who plays club ball with Nationals SC ECNL, had invites to go play with the Columbus Crew MLS Next Youth team in his age group the last two years but opted to stay home in Michigan to compete with Troy Athens and Nationals. If he competes in high school in 2025, he’ll be amongst the list of candidates for Mr. Soccer as a senior. Kadiu is already on the radar with numerous NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II schools.
LOGAN LILLA, Rochester Adams sr. M/F: One of five former MLS Next Academy players on the Rochester Adams roster, Lilla opted to join up this summer with the Highlanders with the goal of winning a state championship and he helped deliver on that promise. Named All-Oakland Activities Association-Red Division, All-District, All-Region and Division 1 All-State First Team to go along with earning a spot on the prestigious All-State Dream Team for the Division 1 state champion Highlanders. Lilla grew up in the Vardar system, actually played with Sporting KC in a MLS Next Youth Academy as an eighth grader before returning to the Vardar MLS Next Academy for his ninth grade, 10th grade and 11th grade years. Lilla finished his sole high school season with 14 goals and seven assists and always drew attention from some of the opposition’s top defensive players. Lilla is considering NCAA Division I schools University of Detroit-Mercy, West Point University, Holy Cross University, Bowling Green State University and a host of others.
“Logan is a great kid who came in very hungry to do well for us,” said coach Josh Hickey. “He’s very quick on the ball or without the ball and he’s at his best when he gets in deep behind the defense. He can score or get the ball to a teammate. He’s very good 1-v-1 and when he gets forward that is when he really shined. He scored some really big goals for us this season and he’s so poised as a player. Watching him play, you can see he has been well-coached. He seems like he knows what to do next.”
ALEX ROSIN, Rochester Adams sr. D/M/F (Mr. Soccer): Even before he stepped onto the Adams pitch for a game this August, Rosin was tabbed as being one of the best players in the state and a bona fide Mr. Soccer candidate. He has lived up to his billing with an exceptional level of play and business-like approach to the game. He turned down offers to go play with the Columbus Crew MLS Next Youth Team as a sophomore and junior and this year he was one of a handful of U.S. youth players invited to go to FC Bayern Munich to train and compete for the year. He opted out of that invite to stay in Michigan and live out his dream of leading Adams to a state title. A top-100 recruit nationally in his age group, Rosin played one season of prep soccer, leading Adams to an 18-2-4 record, a district and regional title and the school’s third state title. He had two assists in the Division 1 state title win over Byron Center (2-0) and finished his senior season with 15 goals and 20 assists despite a rugged schedule that included 24 games and more than a dozen games against state-ranked opponents. An outside left marking back by trade, Rosin played all over the field for Adams this season and learned how to be a goal scorer as well. The 6-foot, 165-pound talent has been known to play forward, attacking center midfielder and outside back in a single game based on whatever a particular contest dictates. A commit to NCAA Division I University of Notre Dame, the 2023 national runner-up, over a multitude of offers, Rosin has as great of a resume as anyone in the state. He will graduate at the end of the year and head to Notre Dame, his dream school, in January. On Wednesday night during the Michigan Soccer Network’s annual Dream Team Reveal Show, Rosin became the third Rochester Adams player awarded with the prestigious Mr. Soccer honor, given annually by the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association each year since 1974 to the top player in the state. He follows Ricky Strong (1999) and Simon Omekanda (2002) as the Mr. Soccer winners from Adams.
“What can you say about Alex Rosin? I think he’s a professional high school soccer player, and I mean that by saying he does everything the right way and he has a business-like approach to every practice and every game,” said Adams coach Josh Hickey. “He’s always stretching, and you know how hard it is to get high school boys to stretch. He is always very prepared for everything. He’s a great kid and once a game starts, he just excels all over the field. I think playing one year of high school soccer will help him in college. He’s learned how to play up top with his back to the goal and using his body a different way and not playing just out of the back and looking forward. He’s had to adapt. I know Notre Dame likes the fact that he can (now) get forward as a left back and get into the attack even more. I k new this kid was special and I’m glad a lot of people that never saw him before got a chance to see him play.”
DEFENDERS/CENTER BACKS/OUTSIDE MARKING BACKS
CASH WILLIAMS, Hudsonville sr. D: Williams plays club soccer with the Michigan Rangers Elite-64 side and is a highly-skilled and fast center back. Standing at 5-foot-11 and 155 pounds, Williams has been one of the anchors of the Eagles stout back line the past couple of years and emerged this season as one of the state’s top center backs. Hudsonville won its first Ottawa Kent Conference-Red Division title this season where the Eagles were ranked for most of the campaign in Division 1. Hudsonville literally went from last in the OKC-Red Division during Williams’ freshman year to undefeated league champs at 6-0-4 as a senior. A four-year varsity veteran, Williams was named Division 1 Defensive Player of the Year in 2024, the first time a Hudsonville athlete earned the honor, and also earned All-OKC-Red Division First Team, All-District, All-Region and All-State First Team this season. This season Williams helped the Eagles finish 10-4-6 overall, outscored the opposition 35-16 with a defensive-first mentality, and record 10 shutouts in 20 games. His team posted a 0.80 team goals-against-average and his defensive play was needed as his team scored just the 35 goals and averaged just 1.75 goals a game. He was All-League, All-District, All-Region and All-State Honorable Mention last season. On the recruiting circuit, Williams has heard from a lot of schools but has basically narrowed his choices down to NCAA Division I Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and NCAA Division II Tiffin University.
“He’s basically the top defender that we’ve had at Hudsonville and he and Josh Little were a huge part of our success and helped turn it around during the last four years,” said Hudsonville coach Christopher Deiss. “He helped us win the OKC-Red the first time and we were last in the league when he was a freshman. He set the tone defensively the past couple of seasons where we really became a strong defensive team, and we needed that this season more than ever because we were not an explosive offensive team and relied on our defense a lot. We were really hard to score upon when Cash was on the field. I thought he was one of the top center backs in the state and proved that by being honored with the award.”
DREW CADY, Oxford sr. D: One won’t find as many well-rounded, old-school athletes and physical specimens out on the playing surface than Drew Cady. The four-sport athlete was finally healthy this season and helped lead the Wildcats soccer team to one of their greatest seasons in program history dating back to the inaugural season in 1983. Cady, a three-year starter in soccer after spending time his freshman year with the Vardar MLS Next Academy, spearheaded a defensive unit that posted a team goals-against-average of 0.87, 10 shutouts, a 16-2-5 overall record and a third-place finish in a loaded OAA Red Division, a team title at the Petoskey Invitational, a second straight district championship, and the school’s first Division 1 regional title and berth in the Final Four for the first time in the 42 years of the program. The 6-foot, 185-pound center back was known for his booming long kicks, especially on goal-kicks and other restarts, skill passing out of the back and his overall physical play winning balls out of the air and shutting down opposing forwards. He finished with four goals and seven assists to earn All-OAA Red Division, All-District, All-Region, All-Oakland County and All-State First Teram honors. Athletically, Cady runs the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds, and plays kicker, punter, tight end and safety on the Oxford football team, where he also earned numerous postseason honors for the OAA-Red champs in that sport. He can bench press 210 pounds, dead lift 315 pounds and is also is a starting guard/forward on the Wildcats basketball team and plays outfield in baseball as well. Cady has committed to NCAA Division II Northwood University as a placekicker and punter in football. He earned great ratings and reviews at several kicking camps the past two years, including a top-50 rating at the Kohl’s Kicking Camp last summer. He carried a 4.025 GPA into his senior year.
“Drew had a fantastic senior year and he’s one of our several multi-sport athletes,” said Oxford coach Adam Bican, whose squad remained in the Division 1 top 15 for all of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. “He’s so string out there and this year he was finally healthy for the most part. Last year had had some injuries and missed some time. . He was a big part of what we did defensively this year. Drew is also a great kicker (and punter) and that’s what he’ll do in college.”
ANTHONY PIACENTINI, Rochester Adams sr. D: The former Vardar MLS Next Academy backfield star recently committed to NCAA Division I Western Michigan University, a current national powerhouse, after being courted by numerous schools in the country. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound Piacentini was also recruited by the likes of Robert Morris University, West Point University, Syracuse University and Oakland University amongst others. The senior opted over the summer to play one season of high school soccer with his friends and classmates and try to lead the Highlanders to championships. Adams finished second to Troy in the loaded Oakland Activities Association-Red Division (5-1-1) this year and won district, regional and the Division 1 state championship this season with the uber-talented Piacentini anchoring the back line for the Highlanders. He started all 24 games for 18-2-4 Adams this year and rarely came off the field unless it was a blowout or late in a non-league contest. He also helped Adams record 13 shutouts, allow around 0.67 goals a game and outscored the opposition 64-16. On the field, he is considered one of the state’s top center backs in his age group spanning all levels of soccer.
“Anthony is so smooth out there. He never panics and he understands every situation very well,” said coach Josh Hickey. “He’s a very smart player. It doesn’t matter if he has a lot of space or if he is working with (little space), he always seems to make the right decision with the ball and rarely makes a mistake. He also was pushed up occasionally (on restarts) and he finished with three goals and three assists for us. He was so consistent all season long and I don’t know if we have all of this success without him. He’s really going to be one to watch in college. I think everyone will be hearing about him in the future.”
GOALKEEPERS
REID DENNIS, Rochester Adams sr. G: After being pulled up to varsity as a sophomore in 2022, the 6-foot-4, 180-pound Dennis did not see any varsity action during the Highlanders’ Division 1 state championship run. Last year he took over the No. 1 goalkeepers role and thrived with 11 shutouts for a team that suffered a multitude of injuries but still won a district trophy. This year he emerged as one for the state’s top keepers. The captain played a bulk of the minutes during the 18-2-4 campaign, posted a 0.42 goals-against-average, posted 13 shutouts (@4 during his career), played 1,830 minutes and posted a save percentage of around .800. More importantly, he made a save in a shootout in a 4-3 state semifinals win over Saline (5-4 on PKs) and routinely made difficult saves look easy. Using his athleticism, frame and long arms, Dennis has the prototypical body to be a college goalkeeper and also carries around q 4.0 GPA in the classroom. Dennis has also shined at the ECNL club levels with Nationals boys Academy and has drawn some interest from college coaches, including NCAA Division I Western Michigan University, University of Detroit-Mercy, Robert Morris University, University of Dayton and even some recent interest from the University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin.
“Reid was great when we needed to be,” admitted Adams coach Josh Hickey. “When he was a sophomore, we brought him up for the tournament and he got a chance to experience. the state championship run, and even though he didn’t see the field he was able to learn a lot and gain that experience. Last year we moved him into the starting lineup and he played great, which is (noteworthy) because we had a lot of injuries last year but we still won a district title. This year he really stepped it up and there were some games where he just made some incredible saves. Even though we had a very good defense, you have to have a great goalkeeper in order to play the type of schedule that we play every year. He was so consistent, really, the last two years. He made some things look easy but they’re not. With all of the future college players in our league and some of the teams we played in the non-league and in the tournament, he was asked to come through with some big saves for us like in that Saline game this year he made a great save in regulation and the one huge save in the Saline game during the shootout. That’s the type of keeper that he is. He steps up when we need him to play great. He’s one of our captains, one of our leaders, and I think with his body-type and athleticism he could be a very good goalkeeper in college one day.”
NOLAN MAUSER, Oxford sr. G: After then-senior goalkeeper Jack Brown went down with an injury early in the 2021 season, Mauser was thrusted from a backup goalie as a freshman to a varsity starter and he ended up maintaining that position throughout the rest of his four-year career. An athletic three-sport athlete who also excels as a guard/forward in basketball and as an infielder in baseball, where he is an NCAA Division I and Division II recruit, Mauser was exceptional on the high school soccer circuit despite not playing high-level club soccer the past couple of years. With great athleticism and range, the 6-foot, 165-pound Mauser earned a reputation of making saves throughout his career that many goalkeepers don’t record, even making three saves in a 2-1 shootout win over rival Lake Orion in the district finals this season. He helped turn Oxford from a sub-five-hundred team as a ninth-grader to one of the best teams in Division 1 as a junior and senior, where his team never fell from the Division 1 top 15. He helped the Wildcats win the OAA-Red Division title as a junior and finish third as a senior all while winning back-to-back Division 1 district titles, the first time since Oxford moved up to Division 1 in 2011 that the team was able to accomplish that feat. This season, Mauser led the Wildcats to their first-ever regional championship and berth into the Final Four before the team lost in a shootout to Byron Center in the state semifinals. Oxford was 16-2-5 overall this season with Mauser logging over 90 percent of those minutes in goal. He had a goals-against-average of 0.80 and the team posted a 0.87 GAA overall. Mauser notched 10 shutouts in 23 games with the only losses coming against OAA Red Division champion Troy and to Byron Center, another school that captured its first regional title. Mauser’s save percentage was also around the .800 mark. One of a trio of four-year starting goalkeepers at Oxford since the early 2000s, Mauser will depart as one of the school’s all-time goalkeepers in program history. He is a two-time All-OAA Red Division, All-District, All-Region, All-Oakland County and All-State player, making the leap from third-team as a junior up to first-team as a senior. He is also believed to be the first goalkeeper at Oxford to ever earn All-State First Team honors. Mauser is uncertain about his college choice as of yet but will play either baseball or soccer in college or both sports if the right schools allows him to do so.
“What can I say about Nolan other than he is an amazing multi-sport athlete who was big-time for us in goal the last couple of years,” said Oxford coach Adam Bican. “He made some incredible saves for us and we won or tied some games in his career that we might not been able to without his play in goal. He was a big part of us winning the OAA-Red last season, winning two straight districts and reaching the (Final Four) this season.”
BOYS SOCCER
MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER COACHES ASSOCIATION
2024 ALL-STATE BOYS SOCCER TEAMS
DIVISION 1 ALL-STATE FIRST TEAM
Kai Nielsen, Berkley sr. F
Drew Diebolt, Caledonia sr. D/F/M
Bashar Othman, Dearborn Fordson sr. M
Lincoln Floyd, Grand Blanc sr. M
Cash Williams, Hudsonville sr. D
Josh Little, Hudsonville sr. M
Alex McCallum, Northville sr. F
Drew Cady, Oxford sr. D
Aiden Phenicie, Portage Central sr. M
Anthony Piacentini, Rochester Adams sr. D
Alex Rosin, Rochester sr. M/F/D
Logan Lilla, Rochester Adams sr. F/M
Salvatore DiNoto, Rochester Adams sr. F
Anthony Elias, Romeo sr. F
Aidan Orth, Traverse City West sr. F
Daniel Kadiu, Troy Athens jr. M
Nolan Mauser, Oxford sr. G
Reid Dennis, Rochester Adams sr. G
DIVISION 1 ALL-STATE SECOND TEAM
Bruno Delgado, Canton sr. F
Hadi Saad, Dearborn Fordson sr. M
Grant Mooradian, Novi Detroit Catholic Central jr. F
Hayden Gaetino, Dexter jr. F
Benji Cook, Livonia Churchill sr. M
Haithem Al-Zoubi, Northville sr. F
Ryan Clark, Oxford jr. M/F
Spencer Prouty, Plymouth sr. D
Max Bailey, Portage Central jr. F
Anthony Page, Rochester Adams sr. M/D
Jackson Phillips, Saline sr. D
Juan Martin-Balda, Saline sr. M
Nahuel Larroquette, Troy sr. D
Graham Bauman, Troy sr. F
JonPaul Yatooma, Utica Eisenhower jr. F
Kinan Abdulrazzak, West Bloomfield sr. F
Matthew Pletcher, Ann Arbor Huron jr. G
Luke Philo, Byron Center sr. G
DIVISION 1 ALL-STATE THIRD TEAM
Cody Slater, Allen Park sr. F
Nate Neuser, Berkley sr. D
Mac Sperl, Berkley sr. M
Devlin McGinnis, Brighton sr. F
Camden Arndt, Detroit U-D Jesuit sr. D
Onction Zape, Grosse Pointe South sr. F
Sam Schnell, Kalamazoo Loy-Norrix sr. M
Ryan Afsari, Northville sr. D
Abraham Fischer, Okemos sr. F
Marshall Neumann, Portage Central jr. M
Dugan Black, Rockford sr. F/M
Zach Heisler, Saline jr. F
Brody Plumstead, Traverse City West sr. M
Nick Kamugunga, Troy jr. M
Marc Delikat, Troy Athens sr. M
Reece McCreary, Walled Lake Central sr. F
Zach Pheiffer, Northville sr. G
Gunnar Thorhallson, Portage Central jr. G
DIVISION 1 ALL-STATE HONORABLE MENTION
Drew Hersberger, Hudsonville jr. G
Simeon Kolev, Troy sr. G
Spencer Bajcz, Berkley sr. G
Eric Friedholm, Saline sr. G
Evan Gaylord, Plymouth soph. G
Griffin White, Okemos sr. G
Leland Lyon, Traverse City West sr. D
Kyle Mills, Portage Central sr. D
Jonathon Pyle, Kalamazoo Loy-Norrix sr. D
Brendan Walker, Byron Center sr. D
Anelka Faria, Kalamazoo Loy-Norrix sr. F
Michael Kaczmarski, Portage Central sr. F
Kaleb Smith, Byron Center jr. M
Asa Dean, Grand Haven sr. M
Payton Wright, Grand Haven sr. F
Harrison Tello, Grand Rapids Northview sr. F
Jaiden Collins, Traverse City West sr. M
Labee Chrispine, East Kentwood sr. F
Sam Botsko, Jenison sr. M
Asher Paul, Traverse City Central sr. F
Furaha Djumbe, Holt sr. F
Carlos Monterroso-Rivera, Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills jr. M
Cris Mora, Holland West Ottawa sr. F
Owen Mittelstadt, New Baltimore Anchor Bay sr. D
Solomon Gambone, Utica Ford sr. D
Mario Gjonaj, Utica Eisenhower sr. F
Isaac Wood, Rochester sr. F
Mikel Camaj, Romeo sr. M
Christian Dedvukovic, Macomb Dakota sr. M
Brody Cain, Berkley jr. M
Jameson Smith, Rochester Adams sr. M
Angelo Nuculaj, Birmingham Seaholm sr. F
Clay Cusmano, Troy sr. M
Chase Henderson, Birmingham Seaholm sr. M/F
Bryson Lane, Monroe sr. D
Bernie Bowman, Ann Arbor Huron sr. D
Harith Nasser, Dearborn Edsel Ford jr. F
Jovanny Gallegos, Monroe sr. M
Kinley Poole, Ann Arbor Huron jr. F
Abdulrahman, Dearborn Edsel Ford jr. F
Alexander Reifler, Ann Arbor Pioneer sr. M
JR Maitland, Plymouth sr. M
Jaedyn Sifuna, Saline sr. F
Mikail Miciek, Temperance-Bedford sr. F
Bryan Baker, Salem sr. F
Cameron Dion, Woodhaven sr. M
Shea Parker, Ann Arbor Skyline sr. M/F
Nathan Gilmour, Canton sr. F
Brian Palmer, Monroe sr. F
Phillip Leucht, Ann Arbor Huron jr. M
Nick Willson, Northville sr. D
Thomas Slater, Northville jr. D
Owen Cooper, Grand Blanc sr. D
Austin Negri, Lake Orion jr. M
Brayden Cooper, Clarkston sr. F
Parker DeLange, Lapeer sr. M
Brad Schilling, Flushing sr. M
Zane Kharizat, Northville sr. M
Julian Quick, Novi Detroit Catholic Central sr. F
Leon Johnson, Okemos sr. F
Avery Bryan, Hartland jr. F
Owen Buckley, Brighton sr. M
Paulo Gjolaj, Hartland jr. M
Damon Richmond, North Farmington jr. M
Brandon Fleurissaint, West Bloomfield sr. F/M
Harry Dixon, Bloomfield Hills jr. F
(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group, the Michigan Soccer Network and the National Soccer Network regarding club/youth soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer involving teams, players or coaches with ties to a particular state or states, contact Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com or dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com, or call 248-525-2349. Dan Stickradt is a 32-year veteran of the Michigan Media circles and recently joined the staff full time at PMG in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/NSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at and jonathan@thepremiermediagrp.com.)
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