WIN CHILL: Northville shrugs off frigid conditions, upends Canton
Canton’s Ava Murphy (left) and Northville’s Summer Larson battle for possession Tuesday night.
On a bitter-cold night that felt more like February 8 than April 8, Northville’s girls soccer team was energized by the game-changing presence of a player named “Summer”.
That would be junior Summer Larson, who may not have scored in the Mustangs’ convincing 3-0 victory over host Canton, but she did just about everything else.
Wearing uniform number 23 — which, by the way, may have been the wind chill at the start of the match — Larson was a force to be reckoned with, winning 50-50 balls, organizing the Mustangs’ attack with on-point passing, and providing the assist on the win-sealing third goal.
Larson ignited the winners’ third goal by launching a rising left-footed rocket of a shot that Canton keeper Campbell Appert deflected off the cross-bar with an all-out diving effort before Northville sophomore Hala Dent alertly nudged the ball into the unoccupied net with 28 minutes and 50 seconds left in the contest.
Mustangs put pedal to the metal
Northville, which looked like a state-title contender against the Cobras, improved to 1-0 in the KLAA West Division and 1-1-2 overall, according to the KLAA website.
As usual, the Mustangs’ early-seasons schedule is free of cupcake opponents. Northville has earned draws with Troy and Ann Arbor. Its lone blemish was a tough 2-0 setback to Brighton.
The Cobras, whose 2025 schedule has also been stocked with upper-echelon opponents, slipped to 0-3-1.
Canton senior keeper Campbell Appert was phenomenal in her team’s loss, making multiple saves in Mustang-heavy traffic. Her horizontal effort on Larson’s sizzling shot was worthy of a highlight reel; but the end result was tarnished by Dent’s heads-up play.
Set-piece success
The Mustangs scored first off a set piece just under 10 minutes into the contest.
Ava Unger’s well-struck corner kick was re-directed outside the penalty area by sophomore Monica Barretto. Senior Amelia Deren then one-timed the ball with the instep of her right foot through a crowd of players and into the back of the net.
That proved to be all the Mustangs needed thanks to senior goalie Simran Magnan, who defused the few Cobra opportunities she faced.
Ava adds clincher
Northville’s tenuous 1-0 halftime lead was doubled in the fourth minute of the second half when Ava Unger nudged Barretto’s corner kick just inside the left post to make it 2-0.
Eight minutes later, Dent’s net-finder capped the scoring and the Mustangs had their first W of the 2025 season.
Judging by the efficient style in which Northville played Tuesday night, it should be the first of many.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
