Pink Out game honoring Plymouth teacher evolves into magical night
Plymouth’s captain possesses the ball against a Canton defender during Thursday’s Pink Out game that honored Plymouth teacher Sharon Mackey.
Just when it appeared Thursday night’s annual Plymouth-vs.-Canton Pink Out soccer match honoring Plymouth teacher/cancer survivor Sharon Mackey couldn’t get any better, the western sky turned a bright shade of pink as the sun set, providing a fitting backdrop to a special night.
In the moments leading up to the game between the two Plymouth-Canton Educational Park rivals — the inspired Wildcats earned a 2-0 victory — Mackey, who is on medical leave while battling multiple cancers, walked to the middle of the pitch and was given a heart-warming round of applause from the large crowd.
Cancer survivors in the crowd were then asked to stand for a second round of applause.
During player introductions, each Plymouth player — accompanied by a local youth-league player and wearing special pink jerseys — jogged to the middle of the pitch and handed Mackey a pink rose.
(To check out highlights of Thursday’s game (including the first goal), click here.)
A lot of love for Mackey
Accompanied by husband Joe, Mackey smiled warmly during the pre-game festivities, appreciative of all the love the community showed her during her relentless battle against the breast cancer that she is determined to defeat.
The game was a typical P-CEP rivalry encounter filled with upper-echelon plays and spirited action.
The first goal was scored shortly after the sky turned a crazy-cool shade of pink. Plymouth’s Henry Maitland chased down the ball just before it crossed the end line 10 yards wide of the left post and whistled a crossing pass that just missed its intended target — the forehead of JR Maitland, who was crashing the box on a near-connection with his brother.
After Canton failed to clear the ball, it was settled about 20 yards out by Wildcat captain Will Dani, who lasered it into the net. Dani sprinted to the east sideline to join his teammates in a rousing celebration.
Typical high-caliber P-CEP showdown
The well-played contest remained 1-0 until Plymouth’s Ian Timberlake added an insurance goal with just under eight minutes to play.
Now 6-1-4 in the KLAA West Division, the Wildcats cemented their second-place standing behind front-runner Northville, which they tied 2-2 less than two weeks earlier.
Canton’s MVP Thursday night was senior keeper Keegan Creedon, who kept his team within striking distance for most of the night with a series of sterling saves.
The night belonged to Mackey — and all the cancer survivors in attendance — who display on a daily basis that a positive mindset and never-say-quit attitude can overcome the most fierce opponent known to man.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
