BOYS SOCCER Flashes, Bulldogs close in on crown

The Golden Flashes defeated Lakeview to create a first-place tie.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CHAMPION -- A smile spread across the face of Champion High boys soccer coach Nate Mailach.
He had just been reminded of the 1994 season, when he was a senior on the Golden Flashes' first Trumbull Athletic Conference championship team.
Eight years later, he's one step away from winning another crown, this time as coach.
The Golden Flashes scored twice in the last 10 minutes to defeat Lakeview 3-1 Wednesday at Champion High Stadium, putting the teams into a first-place tie with 6-1 TAC records.
Barring an upset against Newton Falls, the remaining opponent for each team, Champion and Lakeview will tie for the title.
Winning goal
Sophomore John Emery scored with 9 minutes, 3 seconds remaining to break a 1-1 tie and send Champion, ranked 10th in the Division III state coaches poll, to its eighth straight victory.
"That was for the TAC-8 championship," Emery said. "It was all or nothing."
Emery received senior Mike Chapin's pass from the right wing, jumped into the air and deposited the game-winner for the Golden Flashes.
"We knew we could play with these guys," said Mailach, whose team lost to Lakeview 2-1 in the first meeting. "We circled that game on our calendar right after we lost to them."
Junior Kreig Brugler added Champion's third goal with 2:14 remaining off a throw-in that slipped through the fingers of Lakeview sophomore goalkeeper Alex Koltsov.
"The last 10 minutes is where we lost it," Lakeview coach Joe Megyesi said. "We just made a couple of mental errors."
After a scoreless first half, Champion struck first on junior Zach Gumont's goal at 29:44 off an assist by junior Mike Harrison.
It took only 46 seconds for Lakeview to draw even when senior Josh Mink scored into the left corner of the net.
"All year we've been a second-half team," Mailach said. "They don't get down on each other. If we give up a goal, we get ready to go again."
First loss
Champion's (11-2) ability to recover enabled it to hand Lakeview (11-1-1) its first loss of the season.
"The biggest thing I was worried about with all of the wins was our guys getting complacent," Megyesi said. "That's nothing against Champion. They're good."
Champion and Lakeview have high expectations for the tournament.
Lakeview is the second seed in the Division II district bracket. The Bulldogs will play host to the Salem-Ursuline winner on Oct. 17.
"Hopefully this is a wake-up call going into the tournament," Megyesi said of the Champion loss.
The Golden Flashes are the top seed in their Div. III bracket and will open at home against the Badger-Middlefield Cardinal winner on Oct. 19.
"We haven't lost a home game all year. We feel like we can defend our turf pretty well," Mailach said. "I don't know what it is with these guys; the switch clicks on whenever we play in this stadium."
richesson@vindy.com