Panthers Perfect in Lansing

 The MESA Panthers went undefeated at the Michigan Indoor Showcase on February 16th in Lansing.  They had convincing victories over Livonia Soccer Club, TNT Dynamite 96 Red and TNT Dynamite 97 Red.  The Panthers showcased their skills in front of over 17 different colleges that attended the event.  This marks the end of the Panthers 10th season together with their 33rd tournament championship and their 350th win.  With this end, it also marks the first time we will have to say goodbye to some of our fellow Panthers due to graduation.  Two of our players, Maddi Carper and Becca Turvene will be moving on to college next year.  Maddi will be attending and playing soccer for Northwood University in the fall and Becca will be attending Oakland University.  Both players are irreplaceable and will surely be missed; both for what they have contributed on and off the field during their time with the team.  We wish them both the best.  If you are interested in joining next year's U18 MESA Panthers showcase team, we will be looking for field players and a goalkeeper.  contact Mark Burke at 810-240-8922 for more information.

Maddi Carper - Pictured top row, Third from the left and Becca Turvene, front and center.      "Maddi and Rebecca's contributions to the Panthers are immeasurable.  Their impact will inspire us always." - coach Mark Burke.

Panthers Undefeated in Indy

The Panthers were victorious in all three of their games at the Indianapolis College showcase.  Their first game was against Midwest United from Illinois, where they took care of business with a 3-0 win.  Their second game was against the Hoosiers FC Elite Wolves, who are the current State Cup Semi-finalists and ranked 4th in Indiana.  The Panthers fell behind early 1-0, but stormed back with 3 unanswered goals.  Their third game was against 7th ranked Panathinaikos from Missouri.  The Panthers were down 2-0 shortly into the second half, but once again proved their resilience as they fired off three second half goals to claim victory 3-2.  College coaches from Indiana, Ohio and Michigan were there to watch the Panthers over the two day tournament.  The Panthers next event will be a showcase in Fort Wayne Indiana. 

Panthers Stellar at Michigan FC Fall Showcase

The Panthers vaulted themselves to the top of their division once again.  With 3 more victories in as many tries they went undefeated at the Michigan FC Fall College Showcase.  Their first game was against a familiar foe the Bloomfield Force.  The Panthers shutout the Force with a Friday night 2-0 victory.

In game two the Panthers put on a clinic against a very skilled Rockford team.  The Panthers dominated in what many say was their finest performance of the year with a 5-0 whitewashing.

The third game had an international flair to it against an upstart team from Toronto.  The Canadians got on the board first putting the Panthers down a goal in the early going.  The Panthers fired right back tying the score then pulling ahead for good.  The explosiveness of the Panthers were just too much as the final tally ended in a 6-3 score.

Coach Burke loved the girls speed of play and their great execution dazzled the college coaches and observers.  With scoring from 6 different Panthers in the games it showed how well rounded the team is with so many having the ability to contribute to the offense.  The defense was strong as well giving up just 3 goals the whole tourney.  The Panthers ended the event with the highest goal differential of any team with a +10 rating.

Panthers Win Force FC Invitational

The Panthers attended the Force FC Invitational in Bloomfield Hills and captured their 30th tournament championship.  Friday night they beat the Michigan Rush U17 MRL team who are currently undefeated in MRL play and have already punched their ticket to the Michigan State Cup Quarter-finals.  The Panthers dominated the Rush by beating them 5-2. On Saturday the Panthers played the Bloomfield Force to a 2-2 tie at Ultimate Soccer Arenas.  The Panthers controlled the game 2-0 late into the match, but the Force were awarded two penalty kicks to earn the tie.  On Sunday, the Panthers earned a spot in the finals by beating a fiesty Portage team 5-3.  The finals were a rematch with the Force from their earlier tie game.  This time, the Panthers took matters into their own hands and didn't look back.  The Panthers ran away with a dominate 3-0 victory to earn the championship.  

From Force Invitational 2012

        Panthers enjoy their new uniforms ....                   ...and their new hardware from the tourney.

  Panthers just wanna have fun...

U17 Panthers Go Undefeated at MFC College Showcase

The Panthers participated in the MFC Summer Showcase and dispatched of all 3 opponents including Premier 1 and Midwest Regional League teams.  The scores were 5-0 over the MRL Michigan Jags, 7-0 against the Premier 1 Michigan Hawks Red, and 5-0 against an older U18 Cadillac Frenzy team.  During the tournament the MESA Panthers outscored their opponents 17 goals to 0.

From Desktop

MESA Panthers Champions in Kalamazoo

The U16 MESA Panthers go undefeated in the 2012 KISS Soccer Showcase.  With victories over the Michigan Alliance Elite 3-1, Midwest United 3-0, KM United 4-0 and the Cary Defenders 2-0, the Panthers secure their 28th tournament championship.

From Pictures

From My Pictures

The MESA Panthers may be considered the most successful girls youth soccer team ever in Genesee county.  From the small town of Davison Michigan they proved to the world that they could be a “small town team on a big time stage.”  Competing against all the top clubs in the state, such as the Hawks, WAZA, Gators, Jaguars and Vardar they showed everyone that using skill, hard work, determination, heart, and will, the Panthers could compete and win against the large clubs in communities with over 10 times the population.

Speed of play is their moniker.  Possession play is their game.  The love and faith of their teammates on and off the field is their reason for success.  They are technical, tactical and never let up. 

Competition that had never played them had no idea of who they were.  After they played them, never forgot.

Fall 2009 & 2010 Michigan State Premier Soccer Program

 MESA Panthers Repeat as Premier 1 State Champs

STORY BY GREG CHRAPEK

FOR THE DAVISON FLAGSTAFF 

Who says you have to be from a big city to have a powerful youth soccer club?

Not a determined bunch of girls from Davison and several other communities.

The MESA Panthers soccer team, based out of Davison has not only made its mark as one of the top amateur teams in the state, but has consistently proven it over the past seven years.

This year, the Panthers 15-under team won the Premier 1 15-under league in the state for the second year in a row.  To win the league title, the team had to defeat premier teams from metropolitan areas like Detroit and Grand Rapids along with Lansing and Kalamazoo.  The Panthers captured the title when they defeated the Michigan Hawks 4-1 in the final game of the season Oct. 30.

“This was the second time we won Premier 1,” said Panther’s coach Mark Burke.

“We checked the records and going back 20 years, no teaqm from Genesee county has ever won in Premier 1.  There may be a team that won it more than 20 years ago but we don’t know for sure.  Not only did we win it, but we won it twice.  The impressive thing is that we are a small team from a small town.  We don’t have eighty kids trying out like they do in some areas.  All of our kids have been with the team for several years.  For a small-town, independent team to win Premier 1 is phenomenal.”

Three team members, Alyssa Burke, Madison Carper and Casey Wangler (all from Davison), have been with the team since it began playing as a U-10 team in 2003.  The team also includes Alayna Hilgendorf(Davison), April Crowe, Samntha Chouinard, Fran Ortega, Allison Chialkoszewski, Jessie Magalski, Maya Piper, Hollie Koning, Mackenzie Wetekamp, Sara Lampere and Rebecca Turvene.

Since the team first started playing together in the fall of 2003, it has won 25 tournaments and 314 games.  During that time, the Panthers won tournaments throughout the Midwest, including wins in Louisville, Columbus, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Chicago and Lexington.

In July, the Panthers captured their 25^th tournament when they won the top bracket in the U15/16 division at the Michigan Challenge Cup in Lansing.  In the title game, the Panthers defeated TNT from Lansing which was comprised mostly of U-16 players.

“We just have a great group of girls,” Burke said.  “we also have a great group of families who support the team and do whatever it takes to help the team.  All the players and families are very close and that is one of the reasons behind our success.  We don’t lose players to bigger clubs because everyone is so close to each other and want to remain with the team.”

The closeness of the players is the key, and that closeness has grown over the years.

“A lot of us have been together since we were 7 or 8 years old,” said Alyssa Burke.  “We know each other so good and know how each other plays.  We get along really well.  We work good together and practice hard together.  It felt good winning the Premier 1 again this year.”

Along with improving as soccer players, coach Burke also stresses the importance of becoming better people.  “Our team motto is ‘an elite soccer program where ladies and champions are made,’” Burke said.  “What we want to do is develop champion human beings more than anything else.  We have unique chemistry and it is important for us.  Our goal is to develop young ladies and soccer players.  Another motto is ‘We stay hungry but we stay humble.’  We want to stay humble but also stay hungry to win and develop into better soccer players.”

After taking a month off, the team will resume practicing this winter.  The team is looking to play next fall in the Midwest Regional League where it will have increased visibility to college recruiter.  “I think all of our girls have the ability to someday play college soccer,” Burke said.  “Playing in the MRL will expose them to more colleges.”

MESA Panthers win Nike Classic Cup in Chicago

From Nike Classic Cup

From Nike Classic Cup

See video highlights below as seen on You Tube