A Winning Goal Near the Finish

The Elks and Williamston remained scoreless through regulation and deep into overtime.

Junior Noah Liggett scored with 2:07 remaining in overtime, lifting Elk Rapids to a 1–0 victory before the match could be decided by penalty kicks.

The official Michigan High School Athletic Association account credits the play to an attacking sequence that brought the ball into the box, giving Liggett the chance to finish.

A Championship Long Awaited

The victory marks Elk Rapids' third boys soccer state championship and its first since the program won back-to-back titles in 1997 and 1998.

The Elks had reached the championship match two years earlier but came up short against Pontiac Notre Dame Prep.

This season's result closes that gap with a title and gives the school and community another moment to celebrate.

A Moment for the Community

The championship belongs to the players and coaches who completed the season, and to a Northern Michigan sports community that followed the run to the final.

Final score: Elk Rapids 1, Williamston 0. Winning goal: Noah Liggett in overtime.

Source: Michigan High School Athletic Association, November 7, 2026. https://www.mhsaa.com/sports/boys-soccer/stories/elk-rapids-ends-stalemate-overtime-goal-clinch-first-finals-title-1998