Flint Powers defeats Regina 2

Natalie Vance found the ball on her foot 40 yards from the goal and thought she couldn't go wrong.

Her Flint Powers Catholic soccer team already had a 1-0 lead over Regina in a Division 3 regional final Thursday, so the senior figured shooting from the unlikely scoring distance with more than 22 minutes left in the first half wouldn't hurt anything.

"I just thought, ‘Why not?" Vance said of her shot that hit the crossbar and caromed into the net for what proved to be the final goal in the Chargers’ 2-0 victory at Detroit Country Day.

"We scored two minutes in and had momentum, and I had so many emotions, so I just hit it," Vance continued. "I guess it was a really lucky shot, but I had my team backing me up. It was good."

Vance's goal with 22:41 left before halftime came after ninth-grader Danielle Bobowski's low shot tucked inside the far post 1:55 into the game, and the pair of strikes sent Powers into the state semifinals.

The Chargers, who lost in a regional final last year and a regional semifinal in 2021, are making good on their vow to have a long stay in the tournament.

"We knew what we wanted before the season even started," Vance said.

Regina has been in the regional round every year since spring sports resumed in 2021 after being cancelled because of the pandemic in 2020.

But the Saddlelites could not dent the Chargers’ defense.

"We did not play as good as we did against Notre Dame (in a regional semifinal)," Regina coach Stefano Moraccini said. "Hats off to them. They played a really good game.

"Unfortunately, today wasn't one of our best."

The Regina side thought a foul should have been called on Powers a moment before Vance's goal and that the Saddlelites should have been awarded a goal kick rather than the corner kick the Chargers took that put in motion the sequence that led to Bobowski's goal.

Regina surrendered only one goal in two district matches and one goal in regulation and overtime before defeating Notre Dame Prep on penalty kicks.

"I’m proud of the girls," Moraccini said. "They battled every game.

"It's just too bad we ended it on a note like this."

Powers plays Grosse Ile at Parker Middle School in Howell at 6 p.m. Tuesday in a state final four game. Hudsonville Unity Christian plays Elk Rapids at Cedar Springs in the other semifinal.

"We had our bumps and bruises like everybody else does, but we were focused on this season from the get-go," Powers coach Art Moody said. "That's where the relentlessness and determination come from.

"Playing aggressive, playing fast, playing hard — all those things are important to us. I’ve told many people that if we come out and play our way, we should do really well."

"We wanted from the start of the season to go as far as we can," Bobowski added.

Photos of Anchor Bay's regional soccer victory over Troy Athens

Bobowski is a cousin of Regina senior Brooke Bobowski, who made the deciding penalty kick against Notre Dame Prep.

"I love my cousin so much, I'm glad I got the opportunity to play against her," Danielle Bobowski said.

The cousins exchange text messages "all the time," Danielle said.

"We did just before the game, wishing each other luck," she added.

Grosse Ile defeated Williamston 2-1 in the regional final at Lansing Catholic.

Regina and Anchor Bay were the remaining Macomb County teams in the tournament. Anchor Bay lost to Stoney Creek in a Division 1 regional title game.

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