Almost like family

Canton Celtic '94 Black team has grown up together and won together -- a lot

 
  The mood was light, loose and lively minutes before practice officially started for the Canton Celtic '94 Black soccer team Wednesday night at Independence Park.

  If you didn't know any better, you would have thought it was a family get-together.

  In a way, it was.

  Most of the members of the ultra-successful soccer team have played together so long, they're almost like sisters.

  The group is fun to be around -- until the whistle blows and you have to square off against them on a soccer pitch.

  That's when the sisters get serious.

  Playing against many of the best U16 teams the Midwest has to offer, the '94 Black contingent has built a 19-5-1 record this season.

  Along with winning the Kalamazoo Invitational earlier this summer and earning a berth in the semifinal round of a talent-rich Labor Day tournament in Chicago, the team advanced to the semis in this past weekend's MSYSA State Cup Championship.

  Although Canton lost to Vardar in a game that was decided by penalty kicks, its quarterfinal victory over the Michigan Gators on Saturday was a match worthy of ESPN Classic.

  After falling behind 3-1 in overtime, Canton tallied a pair of incredible goals over the final seven minutes to send the showdown to a shoot-out that won't soon be forgotten by those in attendance.

  The shootout didn't end until Canton's 11th shooter -- goal-keeper Katelyn "Wipeout" Watson -- buried a shot seconds after stopping the Gator keeper's penalty shot.

  "I've never seen anything like it in all the years I've played and coached," said coach Drew Crawford.

  What makes the team's success rate even more impressive is that many of the teams they face draw from several communities. All but one of the Celtic Black players live in Plymouth or Canton.

  "The unique thing about this team -- and I've coached a lot of teams -- is that they're such a tight group," said Crawford. "Most of them have been together since 9U.

  "They do everything together. Three are no cliques on this team. They fight for each other and work hard for each other. It's just a great group of kids."

  The team has representation from all three PCEP schools -- Salem (six), Plymouth (five) and Canton (three) -- which makes for some interesting scenarios when the local high school teams face each other in the spring.

  "It's fun because we'll make faces at each other out there," said a smiling Robyn Mack, who goes to Canton High School and serves as a tri-captain for the Celtic Black team. "It's nice to win those games because then we know we'll have bragging rights when this team gets back together in the summer."

  Tri-captain Sarah Falvey, who attends Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, is one of the players who have been on the team since the U9 days.

  "The thing I like best about this team is that it's community-based," said Falvey, a Plymouth resident. "We're not like a lot of the teams we play that look for new players every year and get players from all over the place.

  "I think this team has been so successful because everyone is committed to soccer. Plus, we've played together for so long that we know what each other can do, and we have great coaching."

  The team consists of: Kaitlyn Jatczak, Nicole Ineich, Abby Livingston, Megan McCormack, Sarah Falvey, Katelyn Watson, Martha Sorenson, Kaitlyn Murphy, Kristina Klusek, Jessica Scott, Emily Southern, Katelyn Krause, Megan Peplinski, Mackenzie Rogers, Robyn Mack, Emily Lundh, Domenique Sarnecky, Claire Huddas and Taryne Pagel.

Ed Wright can be reached at info@plymouthcantonsports.com or (734) 453-1980.