Edsel Ford High School’s boys soccer team has cracked Michigan’s Division I top 15, landing at No. 13 with a sparkling 14-1-2 record. From a defense that smothers, to a midfield that treats possession like a family heirloom, the Thunderbirds are proof that Dearborn soccer is deeper than a single season—it’s a culture. This piece traces the team’s rise, the program’s roots, the coach’s imprint, and how neighbors Fordson, Dearborn High, and Crestwood factor into the city’s booming high-school soccer ecosystem. [1][2][3
“It’s not just a hot streak; it’s a statement. Discipline in the back, bravery on the ball, and a community that shows up on cold weeknights—this is Dearborn soccer.”
A season that feels inevitable
When a team reaches 14-1-2 in Division I, the numbers tell a persuasive story—consistency, resilience, and coaching that knows when to press and when to breathe. Several statewide roundups this week place Edsel Ford at No. 13 in Michigan D1, listing the Thunderbirds at 14-1-2 among the state’s heaviest hitters. [1][2]
Across the board, independent trackers and rankings also reflect the surge. MaxPreps, which compiles game results and strength ratings, shows Edsel Ford with 19-1-1 (updated through Oct. 9) on its Michigan sheet and a corresponding climb in statewide and national positioning—another data point validating the eye test locals have felt in the stands. [3]
Why it matters: Rankings aren’t trophies, but they correlate with a team’s postseason ceiling. A top-15 placement against a brutal D1 slate usually means you’re not just winning—you’re winning against teams that also expect to be playing deep into districts and regionals. [1][2][3]
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By the Numbers — Edsel Ford (D1)
- Record: 14-1-2 (MIHSSCA Week 7 listing)
- Placement: #13 in Division I
- Alternate tracker (MaxPreps): 19-1-1 through Oct. 9
- League: Downriver
The coach’s imprint—and the program’s evolution
Edsel Ford lists Mohamed Alrayyashi as Varsity Boys Head Coach on the school’s athletics portal, which is the official landing page the department maintains for all sports. That same athletics stack acknowledges a previous era in which Hussein Beydoun was named as boys’ soccer coach on the general EFHS site—useful for context, but the athletic-department roster reflects the current varsity lead. [4][5]
The shift is more than a nameplate change. Watch how Edsel Ford builds from the back and uses quick combinations to spring runners into channels. That’s a tactical identity—one that has matured since the pandemic era and is now delivering results. Historical logs show the program’s steady upward push:
- 2021-22: 13-2-1 overall, State Division Rank: 13—an early “we’re coming” signal.
- 2023-24: 16-2-5 with a league mark of 10-0-3, indicating depth and discipline.
- 2024-25: 16-2-2 while dominating the league.
- 2025-26: surging into October with top-tier metrics across trackers. [6]
That arc matters: in high school soccer, continuity breeds chemistry. Players who have lived in a system for multiple seasons make reads a beat faster. The Thunderbirds look like that kind of team.
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“Dearborn’s soccer programs aren’t just competing—they’re setting standards for how Midwest high-school soccer should be played.”
Games that built the spine
Scorelines rarely tell the whole story, but they capture the rhythm of a season. Recent Edsel Ford results show a team that knows how to handle business against league opponents—1-0 vs. Allen Park in mid-September, then 5-2 in an October rematch, and 8-0 at Lincoln Park—the kind of wins that sand down rough edges and keep confidence high. [7]
Across town, Dearborn High has been stacking respectable results—wins over Franklin, Glenn, Brighton, and Churchill, with a tense 1-1 draw vs. Fordson—reminding everyone that the Pioneers can still throw a wrench into any seeding party. [8][9] Fordson itself has put together a robust year (historically the Tractors are a dreadnought in several sports), and they’ve posted a 1-1 draw in the rivalry fixture against Dearborn High during this stretch. [10][11] Meanwhile, Crestwood—from Dearborn Heights—has produced a mixed bag against city powers but flashed upside, including an emphatic 5-0 over Garden City and an 8-0 over Thurston, while absorbing a heavy 1-8 loss to Edsel Ford that underscored the Thunderbirds’ gap-closing pace and finishing. [12][13]
Takeaway: Edsel Ford hasn’t been collecting soft points; they’ve been winning inside a city cluster loaded with teams that have real post-season ambitions. Rivalries sharpen iron, and Dearborn’s calendar is full of whetstones.
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History is a teacher (and a spotlight)
Edsel Ford’s climb didn’t happen in a vacuum. The program’s history archive shows the Thunderbirds oscillating between solid and promising seasons over the past decade, with clear upward movement post-2020. A 2014-15 listing had Edsel Ford with a strong state division rank (#31), and by 2021-22 the team had surged to #13 in Division I—eerily similar to this year’s standing. The pattern: when the Thunderbirds defend first and connect lines quickly, they look like district challengers; when they lose midfield shape, the margins disappear. [6]
The program has also produced notable talent. In 2019, Hammam Nasser, an Edsel Ford senior, earned a scholarship to NCAA Division I Butler University—a proof-of-concept that Dearborn prep soccer can be a springboard to elite college play. [14]
Zoom out to Dearborn soccer culture, and the story deepens. Neighborhood clubs, mosque-sponsored leagues, and community-run tournaments ensure kids touch the ball year-round. Local cultural institutions regularly celebrate the city’s Arab American roots—with soccer frequently at center stage—making it unsurprising that high-school teams here carry themselves with pro-club swagger. [15][16]
A quick statewide compass: The MHSAA ledger of past champions is a reminder that Michigan Division I is a gauntlet. Powerhouses—Rochester Adams, Troy Athens, Ann Arbor Skyline, Detroit Catholic Central—cycle through the trophy chase. That Edsel Ford is shoulder-to-shoulder with such company this late into the fall speaks volumes. [17]
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The city rivals: Fordson, Dearborn High, Crestwood
Fordson Tractors (D1)
Fordson’s soccer pages reflect a 20-3-2 aggregate in the recent past and the team remains a constant measuring stick. The 1-1 with Dearborn this year added a classic entry to a rivalry that never takes a season off. Fordson also benefits from a long pipeline of athletes who grew up in competitive community leagues—pressure games don’t rattle them. [10][11]
Dearborn High Pioneers (D1)
Dearborn High’s Kensington Lakes Activities Association slate guarantees they see varied styles, from high press to low blocks. This year’s 4-1 over Brighton, Churchill, and Franklin suggests a group that’s figured out chance creation. They’ve got enough pace to threaten deep lines, and a draw versus Fordson hints they won’t blink in districts. [8][9]
Crestwood Chargers (Dearborn Heights, typically D2)
Crestwood toggles between eye-catching wins (8-0 Thurston, 5-0 Garden City) and tough lessons (that 1-8 to Edsel Ford), but the trendline is positive under steady coaching. The Chargers’ non-conference scheduling looks intentional—a way to bleed early and harden for league play. [12][13]
Edsel Ford’s edge in this cluster is balance. The Thunderbirds can muscle through a physical match or play a technical, patient game when needed. That dual literacy is why they’re in the top 15 now—and why they’re dangerous in knockout brackets. [1][2][3]
“How did they get here?”—Structure, staff, and buy-in
A good athletics department clears obstacles. Edsel Ford’s Athletic Director Michael Groulx and staff maintain a clean public-facing hub and partner tools, from Eventlink schedules to FinalForms compliance. That kind of structure shows up on the field. When logistics are turnkey, coaches coach and players play. [4]
Coaching continuity also matters. The athletics portal confirms Mohamed Alrayyashi as the current varsity boys’ head coach; the general EFHS page lists Hussein Beydoun in that role historically. The overlap points to a program that’s evolving personnel while protecting identity—and the on-field product looks like a synchronization of both eras: pragmatic defending, quick restarts, and unselfish runs that bend back lines out of shape. [4][5]
“Systems win in high school soccer. You don’t recruit; you develop. Edsel Ford looks developed.”
What it means for Dearborn
Dearborn is one of those American soccer cities where the sport is a civic language. Youth clubs and high-school teams coexist in a feedback loop: the clubs teach ball mastery and spacing; the schools provide pressure cookers—rivalries in front of friends, families, and alumni. The result is a talent density that pushes each program forward.
And that’s the real achievement behind Edsel Ford’s No. 13: it’s not a solitary sprint; it’s a relay. The baton is handed in summer leagues, at mosque fields, in schoolyards, at city parks, and in living rooms where highlights are replayed while dinner cools. That continuity is why the Thunderbirds look poised to make November interesting. [15]
Looking ahead
Path to a deep run:
- Keep set-piece defending airtight.
- Manage game states—protect leads without inviting waves.
- Rotate smartly to keep legs fresh for districts and regionals.
The statewide landscape is unforgiving—Portage Central, Ann Arbor Huron, Grand Haven, Romeo, Clarkston, Okemos and others all lurk with pedigrees. But Edsel Ford has something the rankings don’t quantify: a city that treats soccer as a common good. That energy travels. [1][2]
Bottom line: The Thunderbirds aren’t over-achieving. They’re arriving.
Sources (detailed)
[1] National Soccer Network — “Michigan High School Boys Soccer Rankings: Week Seven.” Division I listing confirms Edsel Ford at #13 with 14-1-2. Published within the past week. National Soccer Network
[2] Gannett/USA TODAY Network local mirrors (e.g., Battle Creek Enquirer, Cheboygan News) summarizing MIHSSCA Week 7 rankings with D1 top-15 (context for statewide table in which Edsel Ford appears). Battle Creek Enquirer+1
[3] MaxPreps — Rankings & Team Page (Edsel Ford). Shows current national/state placement and updated overall record (19-1-1 as of Oct. 9); also maintains the 2025 Division I list where Edsel Ford sits in the top tier. MaxPreps.com+1
[4] Edsel Ford Athletics Department (Eventlink portal) — Staff Directory. Lists Mohamed Alrayyashi as Varsity Boys Soccer Head Coach and contact details; also lists Athletic Director Michael Groulx. edselfordathletics.org
[5] EFHS General “Athletics” page. Historical/legacy note showing Hussein Beydoun listed for boys soccer—useful in tracing the program’s coaching evolution. efhs.dearbornschools.org
[6] MaxPreps — Edsel Ford Soccer History Page. Year-by-year results, including 2021-22 State Division Rank #13, 2023-24 (16-2-5), 2024-25 (16-2-2), and 2025-26 metrics. MaxPreps.com
[7] MaxPreps — Recent Edsel Ford Results. Notable wins vs Allen Park (1-0; 5-2) and Lincoln Park (8-0). MaxPreps.com
[8] MaxPreps — Dearborn High Varsity Boys Soccer. Recent wins versus Franklin, Glenn, Brighton, Churchill; 1-1 draw vs Fordson. MaxPreps.com
[9] Dearborn Athletics (official site). Team portal with schedules/roster confirming active 2025-26 campaign. dearbornathletics.com
[10] MaxPreps — Fordson Varsity Boys Soccer. Rivalry match 1-1 vs Dearborn; program history with 20-3-2 in 2024-25. MaxPreps.com+1
[11] MHSAA — Fordson School Page (Boys Varsity Soccer). Official competition hub and archives (context). MHSAA
[12] MaxPreps — Crestwood Varsity Boys Soccer. 5-0 over Garden City; 8-0 over Thurston. MaxPreps.com
[13] MaxPreps — Crestwood Soccer vs Edsel Ford. 1-8 loss to the Thunderbirds (illustrating EF’s attacking ceiling). MaxPreps.com
[14] Arab American News — “Yemeni American high school soccer player earns scholarship to Division I Butler University.” Story on Hammam Nasser (Edsel Ford) underscores college-pathway caliber. ArabAmericanNews
[15] Dearborn High School — Arab American Heritage Month cultural programming. A window into the city’s community context where soccer thrives alongside cultural clubs. dhs.dearbornschools.org
[16] Instagram — American Moslem Society teams post. Community soccer infrastructure and pride that feed the prep scene. Instagram
[17] MHSAA — Boys Soccer Past Champions (D1). Statewide competitive context and recent champions (Adams, Athens, Skyline, DCC, etc.). MHSAA
Attribution & Method
Rankings cited above triangulate MIHSSCA Week 7 summaries across Gannett/USA TODAY outlets and an independent soccer-analysis outlet (National Soccer Network) that published a D1 list with Edsel Ford No. 13 at 14-1-2. For current-season game logs and rolling records, we used MaxPreps, which updates continuously as schools and volunteers report scores. Coach identification derives from the official Edsel Ford athletics portal (current) and the general EFHS site (historical). efhs.dearbornschools.org+5National Soccer Network+5Battle Creek Enquirer+5
Dearborn Blog’s take
Dearborn’s soccer map is a chorus, not a solo. Edsel Ford’s rise to No. 13 is thrilling, but what makes it durable is the ecosystem—families with cleats in the trunk, neighbors who know the schedule, and schools that treat the sport as craft, not pastime. Whether you wear Thunderbird black, Tractors blue, Pioneers orange, or Chargers green, the story is the same: our city grows the game, and the game grows our city.
Disclaimer
This article is based on publicly available information from school athletics portals, statewide ranking summaries, and third-party score repositories. Rankings and records can change as additional matches are reported and verified. We have linked to sources and noted dates where relevant; readers should consult official school and MHSAA channels for the most current data. Dearborn Blog presents this coverage in the public interest and does not claim official affiliation with Edsel Ford High School, Dearborn Public Schools, or the MHSAA. All trademarks and service marks belong to their respective owners.
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