Freshman of the year: Coretti/Andy Hebden. I respect shuffling the deck to get Coretti on the team and you already wrote his bio, but what Hebden did at UDM was huge. A team that struggled to find any offense or identity in the midfield had it’s most steady player come from a freshman. Limited T/O’s, solid when stuck back in D, taking shots when he needed to and always making the extra pass for the open man. He passed up several open looks to keep the ball moving and work within the offense. Just want UDM needed to compliment Birney’s emergence.

Coach of the year: Karl Zimmerman. He inherited a terrible offense and fractured group of players in the wake of Tully. Took his lumps early in the season focusing the offense through Adams and then losing him for the season. Not to mention having to shuffle a few inherited guys into new roles and keeping them happy. By the time they had their “must win” game against Canisus the team was rolling. Slowing it down and eating clock in games they need to and running and gunning in games they needed goals. Completely converted the offense into a middie focused offense, allowing Alex Maini to be…well Alex and still attack the net and getting Masterson/Bo to get points in each game down the stretch. I think Karl deserves the nod.

To add to my description from yesterday:

It was well-over the goal line because it hit the bottom netting (you can clearly see the netting in that spot move) before it bounces down and lands halfway on the line before the goalie finally picks it up.

As far as the announcers. As he kept calling easy stuff like “checks” as “sticked away” or a cross check a “high stick” it was pretty clear he didn’t have a clue either.

Not calling you out, just saying that MHSAA TV crew didn’t give you anything to work with.

As CKLaxAlum stated, they were right on all 3 calls.

1) FHC was lucky they were not hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct call. That’s a bush league play.

2) On the 2nd goal, usually the flag is thrown to signify a push and not a dive because it’s simultaneous and that’s how the offensive player got in the crease. In this case there was a flag down and THEN a dive. The guy on the call is an MLL/NCAA ref, he got it right.

3) Clear goal. Lead and single are in position right on top of the crease.

2. The push call (flag down) was questionable to begin with, however, the FHC player took a few more steps and then dove (over the very top of the crease) to get the shot off. As we all know, you’re not allowed to dive in high school nor college. Again, no goal was the correct call.

3. After watching the replay several times, you can see the game-winning goal well-over the goal line for just a second before it spins backwards to halfway on the line before the goalie finally picks it up. A tough split second call for the naked eye, but the video shows it to be the right one.

The officiating wasn’t perfect on some pushing calls in the midfield area throughout the game, but overall it was state championship caliber.