HOLT - After a successful MHSAA District competition, where the Chiefs soccer team won their third district title in four years, they fell short on the next level of Division 1 play.

Nineteenth-ranked East Kentwood knocked Okemos out of a chance at the Regional championship game with a, 4-0, victory on Tuesday night.

Both teams stepped on the field at Holt High School without allowing any goals through Districts.

The Falcons capitalized early, with a goal by Narcis Sprecic in the fifth minute, proving that they wouldn't be an easy team to get by.

The rest of the first half was an even game, with both sides creating opportunities and defending well.

"We had 10 bad minutes. It was the first five minutes of the game and then we settled down and I thought it was a pretty even game the entire rest of the first half," Okemos head coach Brian Guggemos said.

The first five minutes were when East Kentwood scored their first goal, the second five-minute stretch came in the beginning of the second half.

The Falcons' second goal was an Adrian Diaz tap from the left into the net in the 45th minute of play, followed by a 46th-minute cross from Sprecic to Giovanni Garcia, who kicked a lefty high above Chiefs goalkeeper Patrick Restum.

Two minutes later, on the 48th minute of play, Diaz received a far pass in the middle of the box.

With no Okemos defenders in front of him, he set the ball on the left, faked Restum on the right, and tapped it in the left.

"That's happened to us a couple of times this year whether that was against Haslett or against another team," Guggemos said. "We talked about adversity and what are some things you need to do when things aren't going your way, and that's a life lesson. We look at it and say, 'look when you get kicked down, you can't be afraid to step up and put yourself in uncomfortable spots."

Guggemos thought back on the, 5-4, loss to the Vikings in regular season play, when he talked to his team about staying in the game until the very end.

East Kentwood closed the game at four goals, allowing no Okemos netters, but not without a fight.

Speed and good defending kept the Chiefs away from scoring, but the Chiefs kept supporting each other and tried for a goal until the very end of the game.

"They are a great team and great program and really well coached. We just couldn't get over that hump. I'm really proud of the way they guys kept fighting until the end," Guggemos said. "Even when there was 20 seconds left, they weren't bagging it."

East Kentwood will continue to chase a Regional title on the final against Traverse City West on Thursday at 6 p.m. also at Holt High School.