Bulldogs Rocket Into Regional Finals; Liebler and McArdle Fuel 15-4 Semi-Final Rout of Anchor Bay

Aaron Frank

Posted on - May 22, 2026

BIRMINGHAM, MI — It was a brisk but beautiful night at home for the Birmingham United Bulldogs, who punched their ticket to the MHSAA Regional Championship with a commanding 15-4 victory over the Anchor Bay Tars in the tournament semi-finals. Entering the matchup as the #2 seed with an even 8-8 record, the unified Bulldogs squad—featuring elite talent combined from both Groves and Seaholm High Schools—put on an absolute clinic in offensive chemistry and defensive grit to completely overwhelm the #3-seeded Tars (7-7).

Head Coach Adam Kadro’s offense wasted no time establishing dominance, igniting a relentless attack just minutes after the opening whistle. Senior midfielder James Liebler set the tone for the evening at the 10:13 mark of the first quarter, executing a flawless sweep move across the top of the box before launching an absolute rocket of a shot past Anchor Bay netminder Henry Taylor. Less than a minute later, Liebler struck again, doubling the lead and leaving the Tars scrambling to find answers.

The Bulldogs’ onslaught continued as Caleb Garrett and Will Forberg each found the back of the net to stretch the lead to 4-0. Anchor Bay’s Colton Muir managed to answer back at 5:30 to put the Tars on the board, but Birmingham’s defensive unit, anchored by senior goalkeeper Conrad Swanson, quickly locked things down. Following a brilliant defensive clear and shot by Nick Holcomb, the Bulldogs maintained heavy offensive possession, allowing Liebler to complete his first-quarter hat trick with just 2:29 remaining on the clock.

Leading 5-1 heading into the second quarter, Birmingham refused to let off the gas. Liebler added his fourth goal of the night early in the period, followed by another beautiful strike from Forberg. The middle of the quarter belonged to Ryan McArdle, who began a spectacular individual scoring run by capitalizing on a sharp assist from Garrett at 6:16, and then executing another goal at 2:51 off a feed from Dylan Brand. With only 45 seconds left in the half, Garrett struck again, assisted by Brody Feldmaier, sending Birmingham into the locker room with an authoritative 10-1 cushion.

The third quarter was an exhibition of perfect teamwork and transition play. McArdle and Garrett scored back-to-back goals within the opening seventy seconds, both masterfully orchestrated by assists from Feldmaier. Minutes later, Holcomb initiated a textbook transition clear to Liebler, who quickly fed the ball to Feldmaier to turn distributor into scorer. McArdle then “goosed” in a tough, gritty goal at 6:52, and Forberg completed his own hat trick at 5:39, pushing the Bulldogs’ lead to a staggering 15-1 and triggering a running clock.

With the game firmly out of reach in the fourth quarter, Coach Kadro utilized his depth to close out the game. Anchor Bay’s Luke Wagenknecht staged a late, honorable individual effort for Coach Michael Politowicz’s squad, scoring three unanswered goals in the final six minutes of play. However, Swanson and the Bulldogs’ defense stood tall when it mattered most, securing the definitive 15-4 victory.

With this statement win, Birmingham United sets its sights on the ultimate prize. The Bulldogs advance to the Regional Championship game, where they will face off against a formidable Romeo team. Romeo earned their spot in the finals earlier tonight by defeating Dakota with a decisive 14-6 victory. The highly anticipated championship clash is scheduled for May 27th at 7:00 PM and will be hosted right here at Seaholm High School. Bulldog fans, wear your colors proud and pack the stands next Wednesday night!

Birmingham Player Statistics

Note: Senior goalie Conrad Swanson gets the win in net, holding Anchor Bay to just 1 goal through three quarters of play.

Game Progress Timeline

Special thanks to Amy Garrett for the amazing pictures!

Aaron Frank

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