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 was their moniker.  Possession play was their game.  The love and faith of their teammates on and off the field was their reason for success.  They were 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

From Canton Cup Champs

Panthers Bring Home The Cup

DAVISON — The U-13 MESA Panthers soccer team won the Canton Cup in the Elite Division after downing the GPSA Breakers of Grosse Pointe, 2-1, the Pennine United of Cleveland, 3-0, and the Canton Celtics, 3-1. The team picked up its 20th tournament win after dispatching the Breakers again, 5-0.

From Wixom champs

Indoor Champs

WIXOM — The MESA Panthers U-13 soccer team just completed their indoor season at Total Sports with a record of 7-1, taking the Premier Division championship. The squad also recently took on the Novi Jaguars, ranked first in the state and sixth nationally in Top Division competition, tying 1-1.
Tryouts for next year’s U-14 MESA Panthers will be June 15-17 at Gates Elementary at 6:30 p.m. Participants must have been born after July 31, 1995. Details: 810-240-8922 or http://www.mesapanthers.com/. — M.S.

• 2012 Michigan College Indoor Showcase Lansing- Undefeated
• 2011 Michigan Bucks Holiday Classic U16 - Champions
• 2011 Oakland University 5 v 5 U16 - Champions
• 2011 Central Michigan Unversity - Soccerfest - Champions
• 2010 MRL (Midwest Regional League) Qualifier
• 2010 MSPSP Premier 1 -League Champions
• 2010 MSYSA State Cup Quarter-Finalists
  
• 2010 Michigan Challenge Cup - Champions
• 2010 Nike Classic Cup - Chicago - Champions
• 2009 MSPSP Premier 1 - Fall League Champions 
• 2009 Fall Ball Tournament  - Cincinnati - Champions
• 2009 Pikefest Tournament - Indianapolis - Champions 
• 2009 Michigan Challange Cup - Champions
• 2009 Canton Cup U13 Elite Division - Champions
• 2009 Wixom Indoor Champion for U13 Premier Division Season 3
• 2008 Grand Valley State Soccer Tournament - Champions 
• 2008 Midland Fusion Invitational - Champions
• 2008 7-Eleven Soccer Classic - U13 Champions
• 2008 Queen City Tournament - Champions
• 2008 Novi Jaguar Invitational - Finalist
• 2008 Louisville Cup - Finalist
• 2008 Central Michigan University Soccerfest (Jan.) - Champions
• 2007 Spring and Fall MMYSL Division 1- Champions
• 2007 MSYSA Friendlies Pool - Champions
• 2007 Petoskey Autumn Blast Tournament- Champions
• 2007 Genesee Cup - Champions
• 2007 7-Eleven Soccer Classic Tournament - Champions