Despite a similar record to last year, the Leland High School boys soccer team won’t have a chance to defend its Division 4 state title, following a loss against No. 2 ranked Muskegon Western Michigan Christian in Thursday evening’s regional championship match. The Comets end the season with a record of 16 wins, six losses, and two ties, compared to last season’s 16-8-2 record.

Speaking to the Leelanau Ticker last fall, Leland coach Rob Sirrine said the 2026 season would be a rebuilding year for the program, which had nine outgoing seniors from its state championship winning squad, plus a small junior class last year. But the Comets had a robust season regardless, winning just as many games as last season, and clinching conference and district titles for the fifth straight year. Leland went undefeated in the Northwest Conference, which also includes other local teams like Glen Lake, Suttons Bay, Buckley, and Benzie Central.

Heading into Thursday’s regional final, Leland had won 11 of its last 12 games, with the only loss coming on October 3 against last year’s D4 runners-up, Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett.

Muskegon Western Michigan Christian (19-1-3) put an end to that winning streak by applying pressure on Leland all game long. During the first half, Western Michigan Christian took 10 shots on goal to Leland’s two. Leland goalkeeper Edgar Hernandez Mosqueda, a junior, fended off those attacks to keep the Comets in the game, and the teams went to the locker rooms at halftime with the match deadlocked 0-0. But a score early in the second half put Western Michigan Christian up 1-0, and Leland were unable to find an equalizer during the final half hour of play.

The loss puts an end to Leland’s title defense, and advances Western Michigan Christian to the state semifinals, to be played next Wednesday against Kalamazoo Christian.