James L. Edwards III

Lansing State Journal

EAST LANSING - Major League Soccer's Steve Clark was welcomed back to mid-Michigan with open arms Sunday afternoon, as the Columbus Crew SC goalkeeper was honored during Lansing United's friendly against the Columbus Crew SC College Program.

Clark, a 2004 graduate of Mason High School, returned to Lansing to sign autographs and take pictures during the match, which ended in a 2-2 draw, and was presented at halftime with a framed Lansing United jersey by team owner Jeremy Sampson.

The Mason native has 19 career shutouts with Columbus and has started in 83 straight games.

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"I feel like the kids growing up these days are not only lucky to have soccer on television these days - back (then) it wasn't on television at all - but to come see a high level here at Lansing United," Clark said. "It's a big deal for these kids to come up here and see these role models and believe in themselves to do more than just wanting to play high school, college and pro.

"Anytime that we can put ideas in young kids heads, and give them an example of Lansing United, it's great for the area."

The Mason boys soccer team was also honored in front of the 506 fans in attendance at the East Lansing Soccer Complex. The Bulldogs captured their first Division 2 state championship since 1997 back in November.

"It's cool for our guys to get that exposure," coach Nick Binder said. "We've gotten a lot of attention in Mason and the school, but it's cool for them to be recognized by the entire area."

Columbus scored the first goal less than four minutes into the game, but United captured the equalizer right before half when Danny Cawley put home a Nate Bladecki-assisted goal. The Crew went on to take another one-goal lead in the 66th minute, but Lansing once again retaliated when Holt native Alec Greene scored in the 88th minute. The Father's Day match marked the second time in as many years that the two clubs have gone against one another.

United, which competes in the National Premier Soccer League, will look to pick up its first victory since May 13 when it takes on Kalamazoo FC on Friday at the East Lansing Soccer Complex.

"Just talking to the guys after the obvious heartbreak and disaster that was the last 10 minutes of (AFC) Ann Arbor, we're really upbeat," first-year Lansing coach and general manager Nate Miller said. "When you look at each one of our three losses, they're unique in the sense of how they happened. And our guys are positive.

"We have some flaws we need to work through, there's no doubt about that, but this team will never give an inch and stop fighting. ...I have a lot of belief that we're going to counterpunch in the last third of the season."

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Contact James L. Edwards III at jledwards@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @JLEdwardsIII.