GAYLORD---A very long day for the Kingsford Flivvers became even longer late Tuesday night as the team tried to make history in the Michigan High School Athletic Association regional tournament in Gaylord. The Flivvers had the long five-hour bus ride across the Mackinac Bridge, and then a ot of waiting as thunderstorms delayed the match for two hours.
The regional semifinal game against the Fremont Packers started well enough for Kingsford, but ended in heartbreak, 3-2, as Fremont moves on to face Alma in the regional final.
For the longest time Tuesday, it looked like this Flivver train would have at least one more stop. The Flivvers led, 2-0, as brothers Jaxon Buckley and Jett Buckley both scored goals.
It still looked good in the second half, as the Flivvers played a more defensive style and tried to hold off the Packer attack. Even after Fremont scored its first goal, the Flivvers still carried that one-goal lead into the final minutes. But the Packers tied the game with about four minutes left on the clock, and then won the game with just under one minute left.
After a heartbreaking game that ended at just after 11:00 Eastern time, the guys then boarded the bus back to Dickinson County, with only a pit stop in St. Ignace along the way, they arrived at a soaking-wet Kingsford High School at almost 3 a.m. Kingsford time, thinking about what might have been. The Flivvers finished their season with a 24-2 record, and three wins in the MHSAA tournament as Upper Peninsula teams competed in the statewide event for the first time.
The regional semifinal game against the Fremont Packers started well enough for Kingsford, but ended in heartbreak, 3-2, as Fremont moves on to face Alma in the regional final.
"It was a magical season," Kingsford captain Ben Fornetti said. "We played our hearts out tonight. We left it all on the field. We just fell short. Thank you to everyone who came down to support us, and thank you to the departing seniors."
"We battled and left it all on the field it just came down to to many mistakes by us in the second half," Kingsford's Jake Crockford added. "But it was a great season and we made history for our school so I think we should leave the season with our heads high."
For the longest time Tuesday, it looked like this Flivver train would have at least one more stop. The Flivvers led, 2-0, as brothers Jaxon Buckley and Jett Buckley both scored goals.
It still looked good in the second half, as the Flivvers played a more defensive style and tried to hold off the Packer attack. Even after Fremont scored its first goal, the Flivvers still carried that one-goal lead into the final minutes. But the Packers tied the game with about four minutes left on the clock, and then won the game with just under one minute left.
After a heartbreaking game that ended at just after 11:00 Eastern time, the guys then boarded the bus back to Dickinson County, with only a pit stop in St. Ignace along the way, they arrived at a soaking-wet Kingsford High School at almost 3 a.m. Kingsford time, thinking about what might have been. The Flivvers finished their season with a 24-2 record, and three wins in the MHSAA tournament as Upper Peninsula teams competed in the statewide event for the first time.
