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Tanyi’s special senior campaign ends with state championship, Mr. Soccer award
Bosh Tanyi had an incredible senior season this fall for Grosse Ile, scoring 49 goals including the game winner in the state championship game. (Photo: Dave Ferguson)

Tanyi’s special senior campaign ends with state championship, Mr. Soccer award

GROSSE ILE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (BVM) — Imagine two of the best moments in your life coming within just days of each other. For Grosse Ile senior soccer star Barnabas “Bosh” Tanyi, that became a reality after winning a second consecutive state championship and being named Mr. Soccer in the state of Michigan this fall.

Tanyi is a native of Hungary, and moved to Michigan when he was 12 years old. He began playing soccer in his homeland at age 5, and has never looked back. A large part of that is due to his brother, who has taught the Grosse Ile senior everything he knows.

“My brother started playing and I just kept watching him and started liking it,” Tanyi said. “So, I tried it out and I just really enjoy playing and enjoy every minute of being on the pitch.

“Since day one, my brother has been teaching me a ton of things and I’ve literally learned everything from him. He motivates me all the time, always helps me and is always there for me. I really appreciate him and our relationship is great.”

The 17-year-old typically plays as a left or right winger on the field, as his goal-shooting is one of the strongest aspects of his game. From a young age, he has idolized some of soccer’s brightest stars including Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Jr.

During his youth playing in Hungary, Tanyi got a chance to compete in many international tournaments which gave him beneficial soccer experience early on in his career. By the time he was in Michigan, Tanyi began playing club ball locally with Chaos Soccer. He continued his club career by joining Michigan Rush Downriver Soccer Club for the next three years.

But Tanyi’s greatest moments on the pitch in Michigan have come while at Grosse Ile High School. Although he leaves the program today as a true star, that was not always the case early on.

“During my freshman year, I was really small compared to the other guys,” Tanyi said. “I always wanted to be on varsity and that was my main goal.”

In his first high school season, Tanyi would play some games on varsity, and scored two goals despite limited playing time. But as a sophomore, Tanyi began developing his game, and played a full varsity season. The result was 13 goals scored for the soccer star, but also a realization that he had some major potential while on the field.

The season would end in a heartbreaking overtime loss in the Division 3 state title game for the Red Devils. But that only added fuel to the fire for the 2019 season.

After a heartbreaking loss at state during his sophomore year, Bosh Tanyi, right, helped lead Grosse Ile back to the state title game in 2019, where the Red Devils would claim their first championship since 2002. (Photo: Dave Ferguson)

As a junior, Tanyi continued to improve. Frustrated by a slow start in the first couple games, Tanyi quickly emerged as a main scorer for the Red Devils, taking his team all the way to the state championship game again. This time, an overtime battle with Grand Rapids South Christian would go Grosse Ile’s way, claiming the program’s first state championship since 2002.

“It was just a really great feeling,” Tanyi said about winning his first state championship. “I really enjoyed playing with the guys, they were great.”

Over this past spring and summer, Tanyi aimed to improve through club soccer. However, his opportunity to do so was taken away due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That did not stop the senior from getting better at his craft though.

“During the pandemic, me and my brother went to the soccer field every single day,” Tanyi said. “Those couple months in quarantine were a great time to get a lot better and work on weaknesses. That time was really great for us and I got better in every aspect.”

A lot of athletes may say they have gotten better, but Tanyi proved it and then some this fall. With several seniors graduating from last year’s squad, Tanyi moved into a leadership role on and off the field. After a talk with his coach, Jonathan Evans, before the season, the senior was ready to take charge while setting his sights on scoring at least 40 goals during the year.

Tanyi would end up scoring an impressive 49 goals in 2020, consistently motivating himself to be better than the other top scorers in the state. While the first 48 goals were all impactful, it is the 49th that will be remembered forever.

For the third season in a row, the Red Devils earned a trip to the state championship game. This season, they would again face a very familiar foe — Grand Rapids South Christian. After a scoreless first half, Tanyi would finally break through in the second half with an all-important goal to put his team up 1-0. With plenty of time left, he was not sure at the time if that lead would stand.

“It was a huge game because we had the chance to go back-to-back, which not a lot of teams do,” Tanyi said. “In the first 10 minutes we really didn’t even go to their half, and that is kind of how the first half went. But in the second half I was on the sideline and made a run across their defense. I took a shot and placed it in the back of the net. But we had 27 minutes left in the half so I was kind of nervous because that’s a lot of time to score.”

However, the Red Devil defense would hold strong, preserving the 1-0 shutout, and earning the school’s second consecutive state title. The win put a cap on an impressive 115-6-9 record over the past five seasons for the Grosse Ile boys soccer program.

“It’s unbelievable to win two state championships in a row,” Tanyi said. “It was a great feeling and I had never scored in such an important game before. You can’t have a better experience in high school.”

As if the high of a state title wasn’t enough, Tanyi’s week got even better just a few days later when he was named Mr. Soccer in the state of Michigan. The Grosse Ile senior found out at an end-of-the-year team banquet, and was shocked by the news.

“I didn’t know that I was even nominated,” Tanyi explained. “My coach started talking about me and said I was the 2020 Mr. Soccer. Everyone started clapping and I just didn’t know how to comprehend that right away because it’s such an amazing award. I went up to him and said, ‘are you serious?’ It’s unbelievable because not many players get to experience this. I just had a great group of guys on my team and couldn’t have done it without them.”

In just a 48-hour span, Tanyi’s life changed forever. There isn’t a much better way to end a high school soccer career.

“After we won state I was still trying to comprehend that and the feeling was so great to win twice in a row,” he said. “And then the announcement that I got Mr. Soccer was just the icing on the cake.”

While Tanyi certainly has a Division I collegiate soccer future, he remains uncommitted. He has already received some high level offers, and plans to evaluate what the best decision is for his future on the pitch by the end of the year. 

No matter where his future takes him, Tanyi’s main goal is to play professional soccer. His brother currently plays for Detroit City FC, and he hopes to follow on the same path.

“I definitely want to get a professional career going as soon as possible,” Tanyi said. “That’s been my goal since I was little and started playing the game. Everyone in Europe growing up wants to be a professional and I’ve been in that mindset for a long time and will be until I get there.”

It is not hard to envision Tanyi playing professionally some day. But wherever his future career takes him, the first Mr. Soccer in his school’s history will always be a living legend at Grosse Ile.