Senior Eric Mclean captures spotlight during playoff run
Goalkeeper Eric McClean gives a “thumbs up” to the crowd at a soccer game.
The shot by the Clarkston kicker was slightly to the right. Senior goalie Eric Mclean leaped up to stop the ball, but it brushed his fingertips and went in. He fell to his knees in agony, with his hands placed on his head. Adams scored their next penalty kick to give Mclean the chance to redeem his last goal.
“My friend Vinnie, he’s walking back and I see that he’s upset. The only thought that’s going through my mind is that I’ve got your back,” said Mclean.
The backstop did have his teammates’ backs, as he stopped the next shot to give Adams a 4-3 advantage in the penalty kicks and a 1-0 win over Clarkston to advance to regional finals.
This past season has been an incredible turnaround from last year, which wouldn’t have been possible without the goalie’s help. Mclean is normally a defender, not a goalie, yet he stepped up for his team when they needed him. The team had won six straight games, four of which were shutouts and two which were won in penalty kicks, before falling in the Regional Championship.
“He was going to start [the season], but we got a talented freshman goalie in Dylan Brown. When Dylan got injured, Eric took over. We kept winning and he made a lot of big saves,” said Coach Josh Hickey.
Indeed, the soccer team began to win, and eventually went on to win the MHSAA Division 13 Title over Lake Orion in the frigid cold a few weeks ago. The next game, under the lights against Clarkston last Tuesday, McLean stopped two shots in penalty kicks and advanced Adams to their first regional final in four years.
“That last PK was something else,” said Mclean.
However, Mclean and the Highlanders could not stop Traverse City West and fell 1-0 in overtime in the Regional Final last week. It was their first time being a Regional finalist since 2009.
“This season was a success, for sure,” said Mclean, who also said that although it was a great season, he has no plans to play in college. For the goalie’s last year as a part of the Boys’ Soccer team, he’ll be sure to remember their outstanding run and District Championship.
