Essexville Garber's Emma Kelly (23) and Frankenmuth's Landyn Kroeger (5) fight for the ball during a girls soccer Division 3 district championship game on Friday, May 30, 2025, at E.F. Rittmueller Middle School in Frankenmuth. Frankenmuth defeated Essexville Garber 4-1.

FRANKENMUTH, MI – The hardware was so valuable, Frankenmuth girls soccer coach Brad Thompson got down on one knee before offering it to Stefanie Popp.

She said yes to his proposal, adding one more reason for the Eagles to celebrate after claiming a Division 3 district championship with a 4-1 win over Tri-Valley Conference rival Essexville Garber.

“It’s one of the best days of my life,” Thompson said. “If we had lost, I might have had to pick a different date to propose. It was nice to get the win. It’s always nerve-wracking.”

Frankenmuth takes a 14-3-3 record to the Division 3 regional semifinal at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Lansing Catholic against the winner of Saturday’s district final between Freeland and Standish-Sterling. Almont faces Williamston in the other regional semifinal at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Emma Witbrodt had her own reason to celebrate. The Northwood University-bound senior set the Frankenmuth girls soccer season record for goals, scoring twice in the win to give her 40.

“I was terrible as a freshman … I had wheels so he gave me a shot, but I had bricks for feet,” Witbrodt said. “I would just kick the ball and try to outrun everybody. I missed a lot of goals my freshman year.

Essexville Garber's Iva Bebow (20) and Frankenmuth's Catherine Retberg (15) chase the ball during a girls soccer Division 3 district championship game on Friday, May 30, 2025, at E.F. Rittmueller Middle School in Frankenmuth. Frankenmuth defeated Essexville Garber 4-1.

“I had five goals my freshman year, now I have 40.”

Addison Bickel gave Frankenmuth its first goal less than five minutes into the game, and Witbrodt followed with a goal off a penalty kick to give the Eagles a 2-0 halftime lead.

“When we lost to (Flint) Powers my freshman year, I was devastated,” Witbrodt said. “I live down the street from the field, maybe a half mile. After that loss, I was here almost every single morning in the summer and even in the fall when it was getting cooler.

Essexville Garber's Natalie Fodrey (1) dives in an attempt to save a goal during a girls soccer Division 3 district championship game on Friday, May 30, 2025, at E.F. Rittmueller Middle School in Frankenmuth. Frankenmuth defeated Essexville Garber 4-1.

“Every year I wanted it more and more, so I had to work more and more.”

Thompson gives Witbrodt all the credit for setting the record.

“She’s good because of practice, and that’s maybe a boring answer,” Thompson said “But for any player out there who maybe thinks they’re not good enough or it’s too late for them, they have to look at Emma.

Essexville Garber's Emily Hall (4) runs onto the field during introductions before a girls soccer Division 3 district championship game on Friday, May 30, 2025, at E.F. Rittmueller Middle School in Frankenmuth. Frankenmuth defeated Essexville Garber 4-1.

“She made the varsity team her freshman year on physical ability alone. She had lead feet. She would kick the ball a mile away from her. She spent countless hours on this field, putting the time in to make herself the player she is today.”

Garber, which was ranked No. 1 in the state at one point during the regular season, took the offensive to start the second half. Garber scored less than two minutes into the half, but the goal was waved off after the Dukes were called for being offsides.

Twelve minutes into the half, Garber’s Avery Newman scored to cut the Frankenmuth lead to 2-1.

But Frankenmuth goalkeeper Lillian Mickelson did not allow another goal, and Bickel scored her second goal of the game with 8:49 remaining for a 3-1 lead.

Frankenmuth's Lillian Swiecicki (19) dribbles the ball during a girls soccer Division 3 district championship game on Friday, May 30, 2025, at E.F. Rittmueller Middle School in Frankenmuth. Frankenmuth defeated Essexville Garber 4-1.

“We talked about how they were going to come out the first five minutes of the half and that they were going to be extended because their season was slipping away, so to speak,” Thompson said. “Sure enough, they hung one on us. We talked about if they scored one, don’t let that take you down.

Essexville Garber's Natalie Fodrey (1) reacts after watching a ball make it to the back of the net during a girls soccer Division 3 district championship game on Friday, May 30, 2025, at E.F. Rittmueller Middle School in Frankenmuth. Frankenmuth defeated Essexville Garber 4-1.

“But the third goal is the one that can break the other team. That’s what we wanted. That changes everything. After that, things come easier because they have to change what they do.”

Frankenmuth's Emma Witbrodt (10) celebrates after scoring a goal during a girls soccer Division 3 district championship game on Friday, May 30, 2025, at E.F. Rittmueller Middle School in Frankenmuth. Frankenmuth defeated Essexville Garber 4-1.

Witbrodt tacked on an insurance goal with 6:59 remaining.

“If we could have gotten that second goal, things would have been different,” Garber coach Brent Betzold said. “They got that third goal, and that changed everything.

Frankenmuth celebrates with a trophy after a girls soccer Division 3 district championship game on Friday, May 30, 2025, at E.F. Rittmueller Middle School in Frankenmuth. Frankenmuth defeated Essexville Garber 4-1.

“We had to go very offensive, and we switched to three in the back, and it gave them an easy opportunity to score. We had to do something to try to get that goal with only 12, 15 minutes left. We took a risk and unfortunately it didn’t pay off for us this time. It’s tough to come back from a 2-0 deficit against a good team.”

Frankenmuth's Emma Witbrodt (10) kicks the ball during a girls soccer Division 3 district championship game on Friday, May 30, 2025, at E.F. Rittmueller Middle School in Frankenmuth. Frankenmuth defeated Essexville Garber 4-1.

The Dukes finish the season with a 12-5-1 record and a Tri-Valley Conference championship. But Garber was 0-2-1 against Frankenmuth, with a 1-1 tie and two 4-1 losses.

“We had a great season … we were ranked No. 1 in the state, and I don’t know if that’s ever happened in our history,” Betzold said. “There’s a lot of things to be proud of. It was not an easy district with us, Frankenmuth and (Flint) Powers.

“I think the one thing that Frankenmuth did when they played us was that they came out with intensity and fire that we had to match. We’ve had their number for several years, and they have that fire to beat us. There’s a lot to be said for that. That goes a long way.”

The Eagles won a district in 2023 with a 9-15-1 record, beating Swan Valley for the title. Frankenmuth didn’t face Flint Powers until the regional, dropping an 8-1 decision.

Last season, Powers beat Garber in overtime in the district semifinals, 2-1, before edging Frankenmuth, 2-1, for the title.

“The last couple of years, we’ve been trying to build and get better and better … we’ve always looked at ourselves as underdogs,” Thompson said. But last year and this year, we’ve come into the games knowing we didn’t need to be gimmicky.

“We believe in the strength of our team and our ability to play everybody super hard. Obviously, we have schemes for every team, but there were no tricks out there today. We were just playing our game.”

While Friday’s win was important, there was also a big celebration after beating Flint Powers, 2-1, in Wednesday’s district semifinal. It was only the second win over Powers in Frankenmuth history.

“It was insane,” Witbrodt said. “You could have handed me the state trophy at the Powers game, and it would have felt the same. That’s what it felt like. It was an incredible feeling.”

It may be difficult to top that feeling after combining a marriage proposal with a district title and wins over Powers and Garber.

“To be honest” Thompson said, “I don’t think I can top this.”

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