GRAND LEDGE – State championships are special.

Defending a title is never easy.

Fourth-ranked Warren De La Salle handed second-ranked and previously-undefeated Hudsonville Unity Christian its first and only loss of the season Saturday with a 2-0 shutout in the Division 2 state finals at Grand Ledge High School.

The win gave De La Salle (22-4-2) its second straight state championship and improved the program to 7-1 all-time in state title games dating back to 1990.

The Pilots also won titles in 1990, 1992, 1993, 2000, 2005 and 2024 while De La Salle lost in the finals in 1994.

“It never gets old,” smiled De La Salle coach Thaier Mukhtar. “I’ve won several state championships over the years. But this group has had an amazing run. Two years ago, without a single senior on our roster, the

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