COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Thursday night in boys high soccer, Coldwater beat the visiting Marshall Redhawks 2-0 to win the championship of the Interstate Eight Gold Division tournament. The Cardinals and the Redhawks tied for the regular season title and last night, it was a scoreless tie for an extended period because the match that started with no goals during the first 18 minutes was delayed for nearly an hour because of lightning. Coldwater scored about 2 minutes after the game resumed, on a goal from Ali Naji, assisted by Mana Ahmed. Azam Ahmed scored with just under 10 minutes to play in the first half off a corner kick assist from Fadel Said.
Balal Nasser made 2 saves in goal, as the Division Two 10th ranked Cardinals improved to 16-3-2 on the season, tying the school record for wins. They finished 8-0-1 in the Interstate 8. Coldwater will host Charlotte in a district first round game Tuesday at 6 p.m.
The Coldwater Boys Soccer Junior Varsity team finished their season last night with a 2-0 victory over Marshall. Mohammed Saleh scored both goals and the Cardinals outshot the Redhawks 11-4 with four saves in goal for Alex Shaale. The JV team had a final record of 18-1, and over the past two years had only one loss in their last 34 games.
Also last night in boys soccer, Quincy lost 1-0 to Blissfield in an Independent Soccer League crossover match.
The MHSAA State Boys Tennis and Girls Golf Finals begin today with the 2015 championships to be decided tomorrow with the Coldwater Cardinals competing in both events. The Cardinals Division 3 fifth ranked tennis team plays at Holland with Coldwater making the finals for the second year in-a-row after capturing the Sturgis Regional title a week ago yesterday.
In girls golf, Coldwater will tee it up in the Division 3 Finals at the Forest Acres West Course at Michigan State University. The Lady Cardinals made the finals with their third place finish October 7 in the Lakewood Lake Odessa Regionals where they shot their best team score of the season.
There are only two football Fridays left before this year’s playoffs begin and Coldwater’s Division 3 seventh-ranked Cardinals will suit up tonight for their final regular season home game, taking on the Charlotte Orioles. Coldwater last week improved to 7-0 and clinched a share of its first league title since 1986 and aims tonight to make it an outright championship with a Senior Night victory. It’s also time to Tackle Cancer at Cardinal Field when Coldwater Junior Varsity players this evening will be running through the bleachers between the first and second quarters of the game collecting donations with all the money raised going to the CHC Cancer Center. The Coldwater Athletic Boosters is also sponsoring a pregame tailgate party The kickoff tonight is at 7 p.m with our live coverage on the radio getting underway with the pre-game show at 6:30 p.m.
Elsewhere tonight, it’s homecoming at Quincy where the Orioles host Concord while also in the Big 8, Union City is on the road against league champion Homer. In the BCS, Bronson is at Cassopolis. And in 8 Man Football, Tekonsha hosts Michigan Lutheran. There was reserve football action last night including the Coldwater Junior Varsity winning at home 26-14 over Kalamazoo Central. The Coldwater freshman lost at Charlotte 40-12. Today on the Coaches Corner, it’s Coldwater football coach Jeff Schorfhaar.
In middle school sports yesterday, in volleyball, Coldwater’s 7th and 8th grade A teams won on the road against Jackson Lumen Christi. In the 8th grade match, Olivia Foley led the way on the service line with 14 points including 3 aces while Baily Burkhardt had 6 kills. In the seventh grade victory, AnnaKate Dwyer was 18-for-18 at the service line with 3 aces while Meg Smith also had 3 aces going 6-for-6. Smith also had a team-high 7 digs and Mia Rzepka and Abby Herman each had 4 kills. In the 8th grade B match, Kaity Meyers and Melaini Lewis led with 5 serves apiece. Meyers and Merna Yaldo each had 3 kills.
