Grosse Ile Advances to State Semifinals After 2-1 Win Over Notre Dame Prep

Carson Twiner Strikes Twice as Grosse Ile Dethrones Notre Dame Prep in D3 Regional Final

PONTIAC — With just minutes remaining on the clock and a state semifinal berth hanging in the balance, Carson Twiner found himself in the right place at the right time. Grosse Ile’s long ball out of the back found a friendly deflection, and Twiner did the rest, splitting the defense and picking the bottom-right corner to break a late tie. That strike with 3:43 remaining carried the No. 14 Red Devils past the No. 2 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep Fighting Irish for a 2-1 victory on Thursday night.

No. 7 Notre Dame Prep girls soccer blanks No. 5 Grosse Ile in early clash of D3 powers – The News Herald https://t.co/18za2e2KN0

— https://x.com/NDPMA/status/2037466176012349544

The win books Grosse Ile a return trip to the state semifinals for the first time since 2022, exorcising the ghosts of a painful exit the previous year. Last season ended right here on this turf with a regional final loss to eventual state champion Detroit Country Day. This time, the script flipped.

“It feels great. We’ve been working on it all season. Last year was rough. We lost here last year, so just getting back here was something we wanted to do all year, and I’m so happy for this team,” Red Devils senior captain Rocco Pascuzzi said. “We worked so hard, and I’m so happy. The focus is up, and we’re just playing for each other.”

A Chess Match on the Pitch

Thursday’s regional championship was defined by tactical discipline and limited breathing room. For most of the contest, Notre Dame Prep held the territorial advantage and controlled the run of possession. Both squads opted for a cautious approach, sitting back defensively and waiting for the opposition to blink.

The first breakthrough came late in the opening half. Twiner capitalized on a loose ball inside the penalty area, driving it hard into the far side with just 2:03 left before halftime. But the Fighting Irish answered almost immediately. Tommy Viviano stepped up to convert a penalty kick with 54 seconds remaining on the first-half clock, restoring parity before the break.

The second half played out as a tense defensive duel. Notre Dame Prep pushed hard for the go-ahead goal, coming within inches when a shot rattled off the crossbar with roughly 14 minutes left to play. Yet, in a matchup where finishing was at a premium, Grosse Ile capitalized on its moments.

“Hats off to Notre Dame. They have an amazing team. We knew we were going to have our work cut out for us,” Grosse Ile head coach Jonathan Evans noted, adding that his squad wanted to keep the opponent’s dangerous attackers in front of them.

The Cost of Missed Opportunities for Notre Dame Prep

For the Fighting Irish, the final whistle marked a bitter end to an otherwise encouraging campaign. Head coach Rob Suffredini pointed to missed chances and a lack of clinical execution in the final third as the difference maker.

Soccer team — Photo: theoaklandpress.com

“I think we dominated corner kicks, field position. But when you’ve got speed like they do up top, it’s always a risk. And you’ve got to put the ball in the net. There are no beauty points here. It’s who is scoring and we did not do enough of that,” Suffredini said. He also credited Grosse Ile’s defensive organization and relentless work ethic.

Despite the sting of the regional exit, Notre Dame Prep finishes the year 13-4-5 overall. Crucially, the Fighting Irish graduate just five seniors. The team is young, with nearly 90% of the team returning.

Looking Ahead to the State Semifinals

With the regional trophy secured, Grosse Ile improves to 18-5 on the season. The Red Devils turn their attention to a Wednesday matchup against Williamston, scheduled to take place at Parker Middle School in Howell.

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While Grosse Ile last played in the state final in 2022, the program has not won the state title since 2002, losing the state final three times since then. Getting past Notre Dame Prep clears the immediate hurdle, but the journey toward ending that two-decade title drought continues.