Marquette Boys Take Home The Sunrise Side Soccer Challenge Cup Title

By Hannah Morrison
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Updated: August 27, 2022

Marquette, Mi– August 27th, 2022- The Marquette boys varsity soccer team traveled to Alpena over the weekend and won the Sunrise Side Soccer Challenge Cup. Marquette competed in four games throughout the day.

For the first game, Marquette competed against Sault St. Marie and won 5-1. Senior Ezra Pickard picked up a goal from senior Max Dawson and sophomore Kaleb Chipelewski, Chipelewski from Dawson, Pickard from senior Isaac Johnson, sophomore Cody Struck from sophomore Jack Sysko. Pickard had an unassisted goal in the second half. With the score 5–0, Sault Ste. Marie scored late in the game on sophomore keeper Edan Hautamaki who stopped 5 shots in the game. Coach Dan Salmon was proud of the passion and scoring ability of his players during the match. “From a coaching standpoint, we scored two goals on set pieces so I am really happy with that. Some of our younger players really stepped up in this game”

Game two against Boyne City was tense but uneventful, as it ended in a 0-0 tie. Keeper Hautamaki was able to prevent Boyne City from winning by stopping four shots.

Marquette’s third game was against Pinconning, they won 8-0 bringing them to the championship match. Senior Evan Sysko scored from his younger brother Jack Sysko, Johnson from Dawson, Dawson from Pickard and Jack Sysko, Chipelewski from Pickard, sophomore Henry Wood unassisted, sophomore Seamus Waite from Wood, and Chipelewski on a penalty kick. Chipelewski finished his hat-trick game in the second half and finished the game on a mercy rule off a pass from Jack Sysko. Keeper Hautamaki did not face a single shot. Coach Salmon was impressed by the player’s devotion to win after the previous tiebreaker match “This was a lopsided game but we knew we had to win big because of the tiebreakers. The boys went out there and did their job and we had some great effort from Chipelewski, Jack Sysko, and Wood.”

Marquette’s Championship game vs Alpena was no easy match, but the boys took it with stride and earned themselves a well-deserved victory. Evan Sysko scored from Dawson, Dawson from sophomore Indigo Catalano. Dawson scored a penalty kick goal in the second half to seal the victory. Keeper Hautamaki faced 3 shots in the first half and 7 in the second half.
First half goal scorers: Evan Sysko from Dawson, Dawson from sophomore Indigo Catalano. Dawson scored a penalty kick goal in the second half to seal the victory. Keeper Hautamaki faced 3 shots in the first half and 7 in the second half.

Coach Salmon had a lot to say in regards to the team’s strategy and skill, “We set the pace early as Sysko’s goal was just 30 seconds into the game. This was a great way to cap off the day as it was a true team effort in getting the win. Dawson and the offense took care of their side of the ball and the defense stepped up huge. Hunter Sandstrom and Indigo Catalano anchored that defensive line, these two were stand outs. Hautamaki made a couple great saves at key moments in the game which could’ve turned against us quickly. For having such a young team this year, winning this tournament feels really good.”

Ezra Pickard, Max Dawson, Edan Hautamaki, and Evan Sysko were named to the all tournament team.

Marquette travels to Iron Mountain on Thursday, September 1. Their record on the season is 6-2-1.